tagline, 鈥渄esigned by women for women,鈥� says it all. Anita Gumuchian and her daughters, Myriam and Patricia, are incredibly passionate about what they design, and do, for the industry.
鈥淏eing a woman is a plus in our industry, as we know how a piece should feel while wearing it and we can test-drive all our pieces for comfort and wearability,鈥� says Myriam Gumuchian Schreiber, co-owner and vice president of Gumuchian. 鈥淲e think of things that perhaps men don鈥檛 consider, such as how clasps on bracelets and necklaces should not pull on our clothes, how necklaces shouldn鈥檛 turn upside down when worn, or that an earring shouldn鈥檛 pull on your earlobe.鈥�
In 1979, Anita started Gumuchian because she felt there was a need for European-designed jewelry for the American market. At the time, there were not many women running a business in the industry.
鈥淚 would say we got very lucky from the beginning, establishing great relationships with some of the top retailer brands in the USA,鈥� says Myriam. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 recall a meeting or a time where we felt that being women was ever a challenge for us. We were recognized early on for what we did best: providing well-thought-of designs and the ability to produce them impeccably.鈥�
Attending trade shows and having good reps on the road were very important factors toward their success. In 1995, Gumuchian was the proud recipient of WJA鈥檚 Best Jewelry Designer. In 2015, they received the WJA Corporate Award. They’ve also received numerous COUTURE and Centurion design awards. Myriam was honored as an AGS Triple Zero庐 Award recipient at the 2017 Circle of Distinction Dinner in New York City.
Myriam鈥檚 father, Andr茅, who ran A V Gumuchian, which specialized in fancy-colored diamonds and high-grade colorless diamonds, was a member of the 黑料老司机 (AGS). 鈥淚 always remember him telling me that AGS was like the Good Housekeeping Seal of approval in our industry,鈥� recalls Myriam. 鈥淪o, of course, as we began our company, we looked into joining AGS. I鈥檝e always enjoyed going to Conclave and like the friendly atmosphere as well as the great classes, plus the networking is invaluable.鈥�
Myriam and Patricia are continually adding to their existing collections. 鈥淭here isn鈥檛 a piece in our collection that we are not proud of,鈥� says Myriam. 鈥淥ne of the things I always hear, especially when I鈥檓 doing trunk shows, is how good our pieces feel when worn; they are luxurious, comfortable, and timeless.鈥�
What popular trends does Gumuchian see women wearing? Since the pandemic, jewelry styles have become more casual. 鈥淲omen want to wear pieces that go with everything,鈥� says Myriam. 鈥淵ellow gold is still a huge trend. Bezel set jewelry is having a renaissance as it fits the casual, carefree look women are seeking these days. We have developed many new collections that are all Bezel set. Also, big charms and personalization are a big!鈥�
