After almost thirty years in the Diamond District, Delicate Gem has made a name for itself among the several
thousand other businesses that crowd 47th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. An Armenian family that had lived in Turkey and worked in the diamond industry before coming to the States, the Minnetyans have been in the gem business for generations. When Arthur Minnetyan first came to Manhattan, and founded Delicate Gem, he built up a reputation among the other hard-wheeling diamond merchants by virtue of his expertise. The whole family became involved, as was common in the Diamond District, and has remained so.
One afternoon, I enjoyed sitting and chatting with the family and learning more about their passion for diamonds, as it was here that my husband bought me a cherished bracelet a number of years ago. After his father, Arthur, passed away, son Ari took over the shop and has dedicated himself to selling and crafting only the best pieces of jewelry for his clients. Though he had originally planned on becoming an accountant after graduating college, his father’s death drove him to come back home and carry on the family business. Ari’s dedication to Delicate Gem exemplifies how ingrained the diamond business has become in the lives of diamond dealers and manufacturers on 47th. To those who work in the Diamond District, jewelry is much more than an accessory – it is a link to one’s heritage and family that is time honored.
As a Gemological Institute of America certified gemologist, Ari explained to me how diamonds were rated – the 4 Cs: color, cut, clarity, carat – and how he was able to help customers both pick out their favorite stone and create the jewelry on-site. On a street where competition is tough and a buyer can be overwhelmed, Ari and his family pride themselves on their honesty in the business. They, like many of the merchants surrounding their store, seek to establish relationships with clients and to gain their trust so that they may become customers for life.
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