Our story begins in 1968, when a 13-year-old boy in New York’s Garment District learned the value of hard work by measuring textiles and pushing hand trucks through the bustling streets. By 19, in 1979, I had launched my first business, combining the street smarts and work ethic gained from those early days.
Immersed in the vibrant and creative world of New York fashion, I specialized in converting unfinished textiles—greige goods—by printing or dyeing them to meet clients’ specifications or designing what I hoped would be the next hot design. Operating a 10,000-square-foot warehouse stocked with thousands of fabric bolts, I thought I had found my calling. But life had other plans.
The Spark of a New Path
One day, a friend I met during a Tony Robbins seminar changed everything. He showed me new, rare gemstones from Africa, including Tanzanite—a newly discovered gem—along with stunning emeralds from Zambia. Holding parcels worth over $1.5 million, I compared them to my warehouse inventory, worth a fraction of that. In that moment, I realized I was in the wrong business.
Driven by curiosity, I ventured to South & Central America, Asia and Africa to source rare gemstones. And traveling to places like Burma, Sri Lanka, Zambia, and Tanzania. It was a thrilling chapter, filled with discovery and adventure, but the story didn’t end there.
Pioneering the Lab-Grown Gemstone Industry
In 1993, I stumbled upon a story in National Jeweler about a revolutionary concept: lab-grown diamonds. Fascinated, I connected with C3 Corporation, a company promoting Moissanite—a gem derived from Mono Crystal Silicon Carbide, named after Henri Moissan, who discovered it in a meteorite. It turned out to be an alternative to diamond, and it sure looked amazing.
Recognizing its potential, I founded two companies focused exclusively on lab-created gemstones. I became C3’s first wholesale customer and, over time, their largest, purchasing nearly 70% of their global production. To introduce this innovative product, I designed and manufactured jewelry through JewelNet and K&G Creations, selling it to wholesalers, retailers, and global markets, including Army Air Force Exchange military bases.
Our clients include major retailers like Zales, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, and Saks, as well as TV shopping networks.
I even partnered with Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, raising awareness of Moissanite as a sustainable and affordable luxury alternative. By the end of the decade, we had built a $30 million business and were the largest manufacturer of Lab-Grown Moissanite jewels and jewelry worldwide.
The Vision Continues
As I worked to promote Moissanite, I began to see the further development of Lab-Grown diamonds on the horizon. In years prior, I was invited to Carnegie-Mellon Institute located in Washington, D.C. to see their development of CVD diamonds. My curiosity was piqued.
What started as a discovery in a magazine turned into a lifelong commitment to innovation, sustainability, and providing consumers with choices beyond traditional diamonds.
This journey is about more than gemstones and jewelry; it’s about pioneering change in an industry, challenging norms, and creating meaningful value for our customers.
Stay tuned for what’s next as we continue to redefine affordable luxury and sustainable brilliance.
More to come…
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