CITY A.M., UK
May 7 2008
Rocking all over the world
07/05/2008
LOTS of businesses these days pride themselves on their
internationalism, but surely there are few which reach across the
world like Avakian’s. Founded by a man of Armenian heritage in
Bulgaria and with shops in Geneva, Beirut, London, Moscow and Los
Angeles, the brand caters for the jewellery needs of the global rich.
Haig Avakian ‘ the Sevenoaks School and UCL-educated son of the
founder, Edmond ‘ is equally at home in the family’s store in Sloane
Street as he is in Geneva (where he spent much of his youth) or LA,
where the business recently set up a new store and where he now spends
half his time.
EXCLUSIVE
As well as English, Avakian Jr also speaks Italian, Armenian, Spanish
and French, all of which help him in the job of selling his exclusive
jewellery which is manufactured in Italy, Germany and Switzerland. `We
have lots of Middle-Eastern clients ‘ Saudi royals and people from the
Gulf ‘ who like to spend two months of the year in London, in the
summer,’ he says.
Much of the business’s income comes from special commissions, a lot of
it `for kings and governments, when they have to give gifts’ and other
people forwhom the downturn is `not an issue’.
Avakian describes the pieces he sells as `unique and fun’. Many of
them have an engineering-inspired twist ‘ his father is a civil
engineer.
The tops of rings swivel and the jewels screw out of earrings, so that
they can be mixed and matched. Expansion is on the cards: Avakian says
he plans to set up a store in the French ski resort of Courchevel and
another in its Swiss equivalent, St Moritz. Avakian’s best-selling
jewellery is the Riviera collection, because it `appeals to all the
markets’, while others tend to be more popular with people from
certain backgrounds.
Russians like the extravagant Galaxy collection while the muted
Tzarina is popular in the UK and the US. Avakian is the exclusive
seller of Swiss watch brands Jaquet Droz and Bovet ‘ and launches his
own next year, in an edition of 30, starting at £15,000. For
now, though, the most lucrative part of the business is the bespoke
items.
`We also get requests for gold toothpicks and champagne holders with
diamonds,’ says Avakian.
The most unusual commission? `One lady in Moscow asked us to make some
handcuffs with one black diamond and one white. If she likes it she
will get some more, this time with pink diamonds.’
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