The Queen Bees of Gumuchian Are Using Natural Diamonds to Save Honeybees

On her travels to New York in the 1970s, Anita Gumuchian noticed that American fashion and jewelry designs were falling short of their European competitors. This was before the days of many American labels we now covet. It was then that she had the idea to design and manufacture fine jewelry in America that was up to the high quality and aesthetic standards of the finest Parisian ateliers.

At the time, Gumuchian’s husband was in the loose diamond business, but they had never ventured into diamond jewelry. After partnering with her two daughters, Myriam and Patricia, the three founded Gumuchian Jewelry in New York City. Over forty years later, the brand continues to design and manufacture its jewelry in its atelier in Midtown Manhattan, and still holds true to its high standards and identity of being “designed by women for women.” In fact, Gumuchian is entirely run by women, with the only men to be seen crafting away at a jeweler’s bench.

Read More: 5 Sustainable Jewelry Designers You Should Know

According to Myriam Gumuchian, they design what they want to wear and like to have fun with design. One of their signatures is convertible jewelry that can be worn in many different ways. Myriam says, like most women, she changes her mind a lot, so why not have one diamond necklace that can fit seven purposes? Or diamond earrings that can go from casual to the red carpet?

The Gumuchians also find inspiration in their childhood growing up in Europe and holidays in the South of France. You can see this inspiration in the Carousel and Secret Garden collections. Myriam explains that the small details in jewelry are essential, which is what sets fine jewelry apart from the rest. The ladies of Gumuchian make a point to touch and feel and wear all of their designs before they go to market to ensure that they work and make sense for women in the real world. “Comfort is key,” says Myriam. The most admirable of Gumuchian’s collections is the B collection, inspired by the honeybee. Although the bee and the honeycomb make for beautiful design elements, what truly sets this collection apart is its purpose: One-third of the world’s food supply relies on pollinators like the bee. And according to Myriam, the Gumuchian’s are “a big family who loves to eat,” so the world’s declining bee population struck a serious chord with their family. Thus, they decided to build an entire jewelry collection around the bee, with part of the proceeds of its sales going to organizations dedicated to saving the bee population.

The adorable diamond bee is a constant in the collection, even hanging from the back of the chains. Among the many designs are diamond honeycomb bangles and rings with bees that dance around. It is an incredibly playful and everyday diamond collection that you could wear knowing you’re supporting an important cause that affects everyone on earth.