Jade to Order
Sixth-generation diamantaire Jade Lustig knows sparkling stones and how to fashion them into covetable collections. Her family business, De Beers sightholder Trau Bros., has a New York City–based division called S. Trau that sold loose stones. But when cutting facilities migrated to other countries, Lustig, who’d joined S. Trau in 1998, temporarily lost her luster for the business.
“As soon as we stopped cutting, my creative outlet disappeared,” she says. “Then we were just reselling stones and the only value we could offer was if we were nicer or quicker than the next dealer.”
But in 2011, an invitation from Forevermark to create a jewelry collection reignited her creative flame. She jumped at the chance not only to craft a 15-SKU bridal line for Forevermark, but also to design an even larger contemporary diamond jewelry line for herself.
While she showed a few pieces at the Trau Bros. booth at JCK Las Vegas 2012, Lustig set up in the Prestige Promenade in 2013 with a filled-out line starting at $850 retail. She received nearly 20 orders—mostly new accounts with retailers that had never bought loose stones from her family. (Her jewelry also is available with Forevermark stones to Forevermark retailers.) Her gemologist husband, Barry, now oversees operations and sales.
“The concept,” she explains, “is to create heirloom-quality jewelry. Where our parents and grandparents bought tennis bracelets, girls today want to wear layers of high-low selections like leather wrap bracelets and beads with 18k gold cuffs or diamond necklaces.” —Jennifer Heebner
Rocks & Votes
On June 26, Reuven Kaufman was re-elected president of the Diamond Dealers Club of New York. Basant Johari was elected vice president. Jacob Zupnick was re-elected treasurer; former treasurer Elliot Krischer was chosen secretary. —Rob Bates