Issue link: https://www.balharbourdigital.com/i/1498342
42 BAL HARBOUR I M AG E S CO U R T E S Y O F VA N C L E E F & A R P E L S, S I LV I A TC H E R A S S I, F E R R AGA M O, B U LGA R I, DAV I D O R, B OT T E GA V E N E TA , TO RY B U R C H, C H A N E L , S A I N T L AU R E N T, B U CC E L L AT I, T I F FA N Y & CO., DAV I D Y U R M A N A N D A R A VA R TA N I A N "My mother was a jewelry designer, and my father was a wholesaler for precious stones," says Ara Vartanian, whose namesake jewelry brand just opened its first US flagship at Bal Harbour Shops. And while he didn't immediately gravitate toward the business that was practically written into his DNA, once he found his niche in the space, about 20 years ago, there was no turning back. "My father called me a rebel because I started designing with inverted diamonds," says the designer. This method of setting gems upside down is prominent in many of the brand's designs. "When I'm buying a diamond, I look at the top of it and the bottom," DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH Brazilian jewelry house Ara Vartanian opens its first US flagship at Bal Harbour Shops. program, and takes great joy in sitting down with clients and showing them pictures of where the stones are coming from and how, together, they're providing schooling and proper wages, as well as contributing to positive environmental change for the future of the industry. At a time when unity is of great importance, Vartanian continues to team up with other independently owned brands to educate one another and collectively lead the way to a more transparent future for the industry. At Bal Harbour Shops, expect to find a space that reflects the brand's foundation in stone. Inspired by the natural wares it offers, the nearly 1,000-square-foot boutique features crystal quartz walls, freijó, and nogueira wood structures, and hand-detailed de Gournay wallpaper. Though the expansion marks an exciting moment in Ara Vartanian's history, "we still have so much to do," says the founder. "The younger generation are really conscious shoppers. We have to be ready for them—and we are." —EL ANA ZA JDMAN Vartanian continues." With the pointy tip up, the stone speaks differently. It can be sharp, even dangerous. It wasn't an act of rebellion; it was a love affair." For Vartanian, the business extends far beyond what happens on the showroom floor. He works closely to source from local mines through the brand's conscious mining Designer Ara Vartanian; below, Central diamond Pulsar earrings THE COVET SUNKISSED STYLE Glowing jewelry for a golden summer. BY KATELYN BERNARD Bottega Veneta Loop necklace, 786.437.9020 Silvia Tcherassi Frida necklace, balharbourshops.com Tory Burch Flat Chain collar, 305.861.1523 MAY 2023 SPECIAL EDITION Tiffany & Co. Tiffany Lock bangle in yellow gold with full pavé diamonds, 305.864.1801 David Yurman Cable Edge cuff bracelet in recycled 18k yellow gold, 305.867.1772 Saint Laurent Arty Stone cuff in brass and resin, 305.868.4424 Bulgari B.zero1 18 kt yellow gold three-band ring set with demi-pavé diamonds, 305.861.8898 Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra necklace in 18k yellow gold, 305.866.0899 305.866.0899 305.866.0899 Ferragamo Sculptural bracelet in gold, 305.866.8166 Davidor L'arc de Davidor ring in 18k yellow gold, 305.397.8481 Chanel Coco Crush cuff in 18k yellow gold, 305.868.0550 Buccellati Torsadé ring in yellow gold, 305.866.8686