Stoned offers a concierge service for fine jewellery, sourcing the finest diamond and precious stones for clients around the world
Starting out in the jewellery industry is difficult at the best of times. But when you are a young woman, still in education, in the middle of a global pandemic, the challenge could seem insurmountable. For Eve Gay, however, these circumstances were in fact the very catalyst to the foundation of her fine jewellery company and concierge service, Stoned.
“While studying for an international business degree at Pepperdine University, I was about to embark on a fashion internship in New York when the pandemic hit,” recalls Eve. “Understandably, the company was no longer able to commit to the internship, and everything ground to a halt. This pause gave me time to reflect, and to question my career direction.”
During this period, Eve’s grandmother experienced a stroke and, as result, became keen for her family to wear and enjoy her fine jewellery collection, rather than keep it hidden away. It was to be a pivotal moment for Eve. “I realised just how intimate and special fine jewellery is,” she says. “Its beauty is eternal – it spans generations. I knew, right then, that I wanted to start Stoned, to source and help people style beautifully crafted contemporary and vintage jewellery, made from ethically sourced, high-quality materials; pieces that captivate today but are also sound investments for the future.”
Eve built her own website and developed a social media presence before launching Stoned – and immediately selling out – in a Black Friday frenzy in November 2020. Her concierge service was an instant hit, with Eve tasked with sourcing diamond jewellery for holiday season gifts that same year.
Stoned’s strong online presence enabled the fledgling company to flourish from the outset, via video calls and social media, with pop-ups in boutique stores and private in-person consultations when the pandemic restrictions eased. The twentysomething Eve found her products featuring on the cover of Playboy and in the pages of Elevated, Luxury, People and Authority magazines, and being sported by the model Ireland Basinger Baldwin. Eve’s passion and proven nous for the exquisite has also captured an older generation of savvy jewellery collectors. With reputation being everything, rapidly earning this multi-generational trust and ensuing personal recommendations has been crucial to Stoned’s instant – and enduring – success.
www.stonedfinejewelry.com