NEW YORK — Three Armenian jewelers spoke about their trade and the jewelry industry on Wednesday evening, March 10 at the Armenian Diocese in New York. Hosted by the Zohrab Center and the Armenian Network of New York, this event allowed participants to get an inside look into the jewelry industry and how it pertains to Armenians, who are leading forces in the field.
Hirant Gulian, of Guliani Gems, LLC, Hagop Baghdadlian, of Hagop Baghdadlian LTD and Berge Abajian of Bergio International Inc. each spoke about their rise in the jewelry industry and provided general information about the craft.
In the jewelry business since the age of 10, Hirant Gulian, who has a degree in accounting from Queens College, said Armenian jewelers have been active in the industry in many different ways.
“We have talent, knowledge and creativity and this is why we have survived,” said Gulian, who emigrated from Turkey when he was 18. He also noted that the owner of the largest jewelry manufacturer in the world is an Armenian from Moscow by the name of Gagik Gevorkyan, president of Estet Jewelry. Gevorkyan, who employs 1,000, close to half of whom are Armenian, donated a pure gold pastoral staff to Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, which is worth $1.5 million.
Gulian also said that jewelers have to expand on their knowledge of the industry. “You have to learn what’s around you and what the market is. It’s important to educate yourself within the industry so you can use your talent and advance.”
Born and raised in Damascus, Syria, Baghdadlian moved to the US in 1977 and started his own business as a diamond dealer. He was president of Cora International, which specializes in diamond manufacturing from 2003-2009. For the past seven years Baghdadlian has served as an executive board member in the International Armenian Jewelers Association and executive member in the Armenian Jewelers Association for the East Coast.
Baghdadlian talked about the four “C’s” of diamond quality, clarity, cut, color and carat. He said that diamonds are a $140 billion industry annually and also discussed the origin of the rough diamond — a diamond which has not yet been cut — which comes mainly from Africa, Brazil and Australia. In 2005, Baghdadlian and his partner Ara Arslanian, purchased a 570-carat diamond and manufactured it, selling it for $36 million to Dr. Stanley Ho, who named it the “Star of Macau Diamond.” According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the 218-carat, “internally flawless” diamond is the largest of its kind in the world.
