Inspired by her Armenian heritage, Zarig Baghdadlian’s namesake fine-jewelry brand also helps champion women’s art.
As a second-generation jeweler, Zarig Baghdadlian combines the expertise of someone who comes from the international diamond manufacturing industry with the millennial eagerness to have an impact in the world with her creations.
After becoming a GIA professional gemologist, she founded her own brand Zarig in 2019 to offer fine jewelry inspired by her Armenian background. Set with rare stones, her jewels are designed to be worn as an emblem of confidence. Zarig believes this “embraces the ideology that empowered women empower other women”. Since starting to apply the craftsmanship of her family’s high jewelry pieces to create more accessible designs, Zarig has also realized how much she likes making custom engagement rings.
As a young entrepreneurial woman, she’s committed to empowering female artists and donates funds to support artists and artisans through her business.
Do you remember your first piece of jewelry? What relation did you have with it?
Yes, I was five years old and my father’s friend gave both my sister and me Italian-made, 18-karat yellow gold necklaces, earrings and rings with enamel Barbie charms on them. I still have it and wear it once in a while! It’s such a fun piece that’s made incredibly well.
What did you learn by being part of your family’s business?
The importance of working with colleagues you trust fully. Since my family business involves buying high-end colored and colorless rough diamonds, going through the cutting process and eventually finding the perfect home for our diamonds, we only work with a select few people in the industry.
Based on your learnings, are there things that you decided you would change in your own brand?
I was recently at a wedding and sat next to a well-known jewelry designer, who’s also second-generation like myself, and he gave me the best piece of advice. He said it took him 15 years to get to where he is now and for the first five years he was just figuring it out. No matter how much I planned, he said I was going to make mistakes along the way, but what’s important is that I chose, and continue to choose, to learn from them and move forward.
How do you think your Armenian background inspired your creations?
Armenian jewelers, in my experience, pay such close attention to details and are very skilled and tasteful in creating high-quality jewelry. Some of the most well-known jewelry houses have an Armenian jeweler heading up their production. Once you see and know high-quality craftsmanship, you can’t go back, and that’s what Zarig Jewels strives to deliver for the modern woman – fine craftsmanship and playful designs, seamlessly combined.
While designing, do you take inspiration from your background in art history?
Absolutely! I recently went to the opening of the Kandinsky exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, and I was so incredibly inspired by his use of lines and color. Georgia O’Keeffe’s work will always be a constant source of inspiration for me, given how nature and flowers intrigue both of us.
As a professional gemologist, which are your favorite gems to work with?
Diamonds will always be my number one favorite stone to work with, especially colored diamonds for custom pieces. I would say opals are my second favorite. I revel in hunting for unique Mexican and Ethiopian opals where you can literally see the sunset or the whole ocean in just a tiny opal. It’s quite magical.
You mentioned before that traveling has been a great inspiration for you as a designer, so how did you manage to create during 2020 in the unusual isolation? Did you find your inspiration at home?
For the first time in many years, I stopped (as I’m sure most of us did) and just became still. I took daily gratitude walks near my parents’ house in New Jersey and seeing the flowers and leaves change almost daily, I became so unbelievably inspired by the nature around me. I designed two very colorful earrings inspired from those walks: my Cascade gemstone and diamond earrings, and my Fortune earrings.
As a very young brand, what have you learnt so far and what are your next steps?
In the beginning I said I would never do custom engagement rings because I didn’t want to limit myself, but then when I kept on getting requests I realized I enjoyed being with couples at the happiest moments of their lives. Since I consider myself a designer as well as having three staple collections under my brand – Refine, Celebrate and Elevate – my next steps are to continue to grow and challenge myself.
How do you think other young brands can best connect with customers?
Everyone has their own way. I’m personally someone who likes to keep my life private, apart from my brand, however there are other young jewelry companies that are completely transparent with all aspects of their lives and that’s how they connect with their clients.
You have committed to empowering other female artists – how does this work in practice?
I donate a small portion of funds to a museum, such as the Guggenheim, under the stipulation that they use the funds to purchase a contemporary work by a female artist. This year, the Zarig Jewels funds contributed to purchasing a work that will become part of the Guggenheim’s permanent collection.
What challenges do you think jewelers face in the near future?
The jewelry world has gotten extremely competitive and quality has tanked. I remember my father saying that in the 1970s and ‘80s you would walk down 47th Street and drool over all the high-quality jewelry in the windows – now, not so much. But I do believe that a seasoned client will know the difference between a poorly made piece of jewelry and a fine-quality, handmade piece. Zarig Jewels is founded on the principle of creating high-quality jewelry using diamonds and gemstones that are expertly sourced for the modern woman.
Main image: Zarig Baghdadlian. Photo: Zarig.
