How Two Dream Engagement Rings Came from One Rough Diamond
Kwiat’s Mine to Shine program provided two natural diamond rings from one traceable rough stone.
(Courtesy of Kwiat)
Ask any couple what they want in an engagement ring, and the answer is invariably a diamond (obviously!) set in a ring that is personalized, a design that reflects their singular love story. That’s why more often couples are getting engaged with a ‘placeholder’ ring, so they can collaborate on the diamond ring (or rings) of their dreams, one that tells their story.
For couples searching, newsflash: Kwiat just elevated the engagement ring story to the next level. The jewelry house created two custom-cut diamond rings from a single rough stone for Rebecca Slater and Rachel Zakhary, a newly engaged couple from New York. “We love the idea that our diamonds came from the same mother stone,” says Slater, “it is a great representation of our love and bond.”
“It’s the first time that Kwiat created a set of rings from a single rough stone,” said Russell Kwiat, chief operating officer of his family’s fourth-generation jewelry company. The rough diamond was part of Kwiat’s ‘Mine to Shine’ program, which lets clients trace the journey of an ethically mined rough stone, from the source to cutting and setting. “It used to be that clients wanted the biggest diamond they could afford, but now they want the most special stone,” he reveals.
Until now, he says, getting a custom-cut diamond from a rough stone was a limited and expensive proposition, but Kwiat has made the process accessible to a wider audience in a range of diamond sizes, starting with a half a carat. Kwiat keeps an inventory of rough stones so they can find the best match for a client’s desired diamond.
‘Mine to Shine’ delivers an emotional connection to the stone that everyone wants, especially in their wedding jewelry. It tells the story of the diamond, how its journey began over one billion years ago deep within the earth’s surface, and how it was made into a ring. “Our clients want diamonds that have a story because these jewels are often passed down for generations,” says Kwiat.
The house has offered the ‘Mine to Shine’ service for nearly a year, mainly for solitaire rings and some pendant necklaces, and it has become increasingly popular as more clients want to know that their diamond was ethically sourced.
Slater and Zakhary’s diamond was ethically mined in Angola and cut in Botswana, one is a 2.52-carat Kwiat Cushion™ diamond, and the other is a 2.51-carat Kwiat Radiant™ diamond. To achieve Kwiat’s criteria, each diamond is cut to the highest standards of both GIA and GCAL, achieving an Excellent rating across all categories, a distinction held by fewer than 1% of the world’s cut diamonds.
From when the couple selected their diamond cuts to receiving the bespoke platinum rings, it took just seven weeks. The bonus: the rings came with a QR code, which accesses videos of their diamond’s journey, starting from the rough to mounting the stones. What’s more, with every ‘Mine to Shine’ ring purchase, Kwiat donates a percentage of the profits to Water, a nonprofit organization that provides families in underdeveloped nations with clean drinking water.
It’s a story that the couple loves to share. “I work in medicine, and people always ask me about the ring,” says Slater. “When they hear the story, they think it’s the coolest story.”
The concept is the beginning of what’s possible in personalization, says Kwiat. “It’s opening the door for more clients to create jewelry together, including a mother who want to share with her daughter, sisters or friends.” Because shouldn’t everyone have a great diamond story?
