Edendiam or the paradise for diamonds. A concept defined by David Fahri who first sold diamonds at the Anvers diamond trade before he realized that colored stones offered a bigger panel of choice for jewelry design. A possible stone combination for jewelry lovers. Interview.
What is the idea behind the concept ? Make jewelry more accessible breaking the boundaries and common beliefs about precious stones and metals while keeping the prices at its real value.
Best-Seller? 50% of our sales are wedding bands and engagement rings. But in all honesty, it is hard to draw a conclusion on what sells the most as there isn’t really one particular piece. But what I know is that most clients cannot find what they want in retail stores … therefore they go on the web to find online-jewelry.
How much do they spend ? Back in 2006 when we first launched Edendiam the average basket was around 650 euros. Today it reaches 950 Euros, and we observe more and more big sales between 5’000 and 10’000 Euros where our clients can customize and design their own piece.
How did you get into this ? I did not go to college or grad school – I stopped going to school when I was 14 and followed an online education program. I did a lot of motor sport, became pilote for a stable, and ended launching a communication agency dedicated to pilots. I was always amazed and interrested in diamonds … and I had the chance to join the Steinmetz Group that now became Diamcorp where I learn everything about cutting, setting and classifying diamonds. Later on, I graduated from the IGI Diamond Expertise Center where I became a diamond dealer in Anvers, Belgium.
Apparently you had a art gallery in New York – what is the link between contemporary art and diamonds? My late-father was a big art collector and loved beautiful objects. My mom loved and still loves jewelry. I was always attracted to the Big Apple (who isn’t under 25!) therefore, as I was working in the Diamond Trade in Anvers, I exchanged diamonds with art pieces, and decided to open a gallery in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. Until things got complicated family-wise, I decided to come back to Europe and go back to what I have always loved: diamonds.
What is your dream ? Become the European leader in online jewelry sales. We are just about to develop the English version of the site aiming to target the British and German markets.
Favorite stone ? Diamonds … of course.
Who buys the stones? I do … I am the only one handling the stone part. For every stone below 0.30 carat, our gem specialists deliver a certificate about the stone. For every stone above 0.30 carat, we give an additional certificate from the GIA (Gemological Institute of America), the HRD (Diamond High Council, Belgium) or the IGI (International Gemmological Institute) to certify the DNA of the stone.
Prices? Our prices are 30% to 70% below the average market on what you can find in terms of jewelry prices. Our strenght is that we buy the raw material directly at the source, and we have zero stock. Almost everything is produced on demand.
What is your team ? We have 8 people in the office, 15 suppliers and subcontracto, Jil Billaudel who handles the design part and myself.
ELA Association? The European Leukodystrophy association aims to fight against diseases attacking the nervous central system and affecting all vital sences.
As a gage of hope, the Edendiam bracelet is made of a sun – logo of the association-in different versions paved with a diamond that was originally designed by a child suffering from Leukodystrophy 22 years ago. For every bracelet sold all profits go automatically to the association.
What is your dream ? Become the European leader in online jewelry sales. We are just about to develop the English version of the site aiming to target the British and German markets.
Favorite stone ? Diamonds … of course.
Who buys the stones? I do … I am the only one handling the stone part. For every stone below 0.30 carat, our gem specialists deliver a certificate about the stone. For every stone above 0.30 carat, we give an additional certificate from the GIA (Gemological Institute of America), the HRD (Diamond High Council, Belgium) or the IGI (International Gemmological Institute) to certify the DNA of the stone.
Prices? Our prices are 30% to 70% below the average market on what you can find in terms of jewelry prices. Our strenght is that we buy the raw material directly at the source, and we have zero stock. Almost everything is produced on demand.
What is your team ? We have 8 people in the office, 15 suppliers and subcontracto, Jil Billaudel who handles the design part and myself.
ELA Association? The European Leukodystrophy association aims to fight against diseases attacking the nervous central system and affecting all vital sences.
As a gage of hope, the Edendiam bracelet is made of a sun – logo of the association-in different versions paved with a diamond that was originally designed by a child suffering from Leukodystrophy 22 years ago. For every bracelet sold all profits go automatically to the association.
The Concept behind Edendiam is the ability for modern women to choose the exact piece of jewelry she wants to wear.
The client starts by choosing what he or she wants. He or she then picks the type of metal: silver, yellow- white or rose gold and finally what gem is he/she most interrested in. Ranging from diamonds to Tahitian pearls, topaz, peridot or aquamarine, the list is long in order to satisfy each client’s request and taste.
Working with the highest and most innovatives techniques thanks to engineers and artistic directors, each piece of jewelry drawn on the paper can be imagined and conceived via 3D softwares to get to the best visual rendering.
For those who need guidance and would rather go with a piece of jewelry already set and designed, the jewelry website offers an extensive jewelry catalogue of over 10’000 jewels. David Fahri and his team don’t have the pretension to place Edendiam as a jewelry brand with a design identity competing with the big brands. However, what they do, they do it well. It is simple, well-made, timeless and classic.
What about men ? David Fahri explains that recently the rise for masculine’s jewelry is expanding. However, even if the demand is high, offer is low because designing a jewelry line for men is quite complex.
They decided to work hard on developing titanium and carbon jewels mixing black pearls and black diamonds to adapt to a masculine line well defined and contrasting with what women like and wear.
More later then ! …
Each Edendiam diamond go through the Kimberley process -in which joint governments signed an international agreement to fight against diamonds financing army conflicts and criminal businesses.
For more information please visit: www.edendiam.fr
