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| August 2003
Diamonds/News Get the Glow Gemglow's DTC sightholder roots help it get wings Something old and something new: It’s a bride’s motto, but it also could describe the new diamond jewelry company Gemglow. The something old would be its parent company, India-based Lakhi Group, a longtime De Beers’ Diamond Trading Co. client that also does business with Rio Tinto’s Argyle Diamonds. Lakhi says it’s the largest producer of small diamonds in the world. Its broad assortments are known widely to U.S. wholesalers and manufacturers. The something new is Gemglow’s young and enthusiastic design team spearheaded by Chaitali Shah, a De Beers Millennium Design Award winner. Shah and her colleagues are adventurous in terms of design, but say they also are mindful of the interests and demands of Gemglow’s ultimate consumers. As a result, Gemglow’s debut jewelry in the U.S. consists of quality promotional fashion pieces. After the fashion line is well-established, the company plans to add a signature designer branded collection. “We also plan to include limited-edition series,” says Ritesh G. Lakhi, president of Gemglow. The design team has already produced a high-end collection called Rêves that’s distributed in Canada and should be introduced in the U.S. soon. The jewelry is designed and made at state-of-the-art facilities in India and distributed in the U.S. through the company’s New York office. Its close connections to U.S. retailers, the company says, will help it stay current on changing market trends. At the JCK Show, for example, Gemglow had a wide range of popular chandelier earrings and necklaces and was already showing a collection of right-hand rings to help retailers tie in to the DTC’s fall advertising and promotional campaign. “We believe commitment and consistency are the two driving forces that have helped our group attain a strong position in the industry,” says Lakhi. “The [industry] is reinventing itself,” says Prakash Lakhi, chairman of Gemglow, referring in part to the DTC marketing and branding push intended to make diamonds more prominent among luxury items. “It is time the jewelry industry turns professional and not give away its market share to competing industries.” Gemglow’s fashion line includes promotional and popular quality jewelry, especially studs, rings, pendants, bracelets and earrings using a range of 10k to 18k yellow and white gold. The company is a member of the Indo Argyle Diamond Council and takes part in that group’s Exclusive Viewing Shows. The company also is showing its line at the JA Show in New York City.
– by Peggy Jo Donahue
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