Rocking all over the world

07/05/2008 

LOTS of businesses these days pride themselves on their internationalism, but surely there are few which reach across the world like Avakian’s. Founded by a man of Armenian heritage in Bulgaria and with shops in Geneva, Beirut, London, Moscow and Los Angeles, the brand caters for the jewellery needs of the global rich.

Haig Avakian — the Sevenoaks School and UCL-educated son of the founder, Edmond — is equally at home in the family’s store in Sloane Street as he is in Geneva (where he spent much of his youth) or LA, where the business recently set up a new store and where he now spends half his time.

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As well as English, Avakian Jr also speaks Italian, Armenian, Spanish and French, all of which help him in the job of selling his exclusive jewellery which is manufactured in Italy, Germany and Switzerland. “We have lots of Middle-Eastern clients — Saudi royals and people from the Gulf — who like to spend two months of the year in London, in the summer,” he says.

Much of the business’s income comes from special commissions, a lot of it “for kings and governments, when they have to give gifts” and other people forwhom the downturn is “not an issue”.

Avakian describes the pieces he sells as “unique and fun”. Many of them have an engineering-inspired twist — his father is a civil engineer.

The tops of rings swivel and the jewels screw out of earrings, so that they can be mixed and matched. Expansion is on the cards: Avakian says he plans to set up a store in the French ski resort of Courchevel and another in its Swiss equivalent, St Moritz. Avakian’s best-selling jewellery is the Riviera collection, because it “appeals to all the markets”, while others tend to be more popular with people from certain backgrounds.

Russians like the extravagant Galaxy collection while the muted Tzarina is popular in the UK and the US. Avakian is the exclusive seller of Swiss watch brands Jaquet Droz and Bovet — and launches his own next year, in an edition of 30, starting at £15,000. For now, though, the most lucrative part of the business is the bespoke items.

“We also get requests for gold toothpicks and champagne holders with diamonds,” says Avakian.

The most unusual commission? “One lady in Moscow asked us to make some handcuffs with one black diamond and one white. If she likes it she will get some more, this time with pink diamonds.”