A "Darlin" In Diamonds

In the early 1990's, Barbara Parker was selling sterling silver jewelry out of her home in Texas. Who would have thought that over 15 years later, Barbara would be selling diamonds, precious gems and high-end jewelry (often in the hundreds of thousands of dollars) in a 1,200 square foot appointment-only showroom in Orange County. Make no mistake, Barbara hasn't traded in her roots or her Southern charm for the fast-paced LA lifestyle. She still has her black Stetson; only now it's decorated with the word “Darlin'” spelled in diamonds.

This country's "luxury goods market" is on the rise. From mobile phones made of platinum, designer sunglasses with diamond charms, and 10-carat studs (not to mention jewel encrusted teeth and gear shifts), extravagance seems to be the name of the game for many baby-booomers who are enjoying their most successful years. And why not, we've earned it.

Diamonds are my favorite stone because they are totally focused around romance and beauty. They symbolize self- expression, love, status and glamour. And just think about it . . . a diamond comes from the core of the earth in the form of an ugly, blackened rock, Then a person finds this seemingly worthless, unappealing little rock and transforms it into something beautiful - into something that all the world wants.

I have been asked many times to define my design style. The truth is I don't have one. My design is whatever the customer envisions. It's not about me. My style is a one-on-one relationship with each individual customer. At the end of the day, what I want is for my customer to walk away feeling overwhelmingly proud of the finished product, lacking absolutely nothing in either quality or value. I want my customers to look at their purchases and think, “I wouldn't change anything about this.”.

Part of what it takes to give customers this level of ultimate satisfaction is being willing to go above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to the service aspect of the business. People today want to be pampered and absolutely spoiled. I can't just expect them to come to me. I also go to them, whether it is across town or across the country. If I have to pack up my inventory, get on a plane, and meet someone in Denver, we will make it worth each other's efforts. And when customers do want to come to me, and for whatever reason they don't want the world to know they are here, I can operate my enterprise from my private upstairs studio that is accessible by appointment only. The consumer model has changed in the past five years. They now say, "This is what I want. This is when I want it. And, this is how I want it." My customers not only do not have the time to go to malls, they simply don't want to. They want pieces that are new, fresh, sexy and made for them. And do I deliver? You bet; anywhere they want it.

This may all sound intimidating, and many people, despite the amount of money they have, are intimidated by jewelry. But just as I have no set design style, I also have no set average cost for my pieces. If I am designing a ring, it can run anywhere from $2500 to $250,000, give or take on both sides. My most expensive piece was a 110 carat Asscher Cut Necklace with fancy intense yellow diamonds alternating with D color white diamonds. Cost . . . a lot. My least expensive pieces are about $150 - fun pieces to mix with anything. The size of the stone or the price of the piece shouldn't matter when the sentiment is all the same: YOU DESERVE SOMETHING SPECIAL.

Of course I love that the trend for much larger diamonds has increased, but I also love being able to help a young man or woman learn about the diamond he or she is purchasing, whether it is one half carat or twenty carats. I spend hours with each client. I show them the difference in each stone, explaining why one at the same carat weight can cost more than another weighing the same. We go over everything. The diamond is always chosen “out of the mounting”. The customer chooses from many stones, not together in order to best compare them with one another. My customers are involved with the design process; we make it all happen together from beginning to end. It’s much more fun, much more romantic, much more personalized, and has much more meaning than walking into a mall and picking something out of some showcase that hundreds of other women are wearing.

And the jewelry market is not only directed towards women. One of the hottest rising trends is overstated men's jewelry. Men are into more “bling” than you can imagine. Men are wearing white diamonds, black diamonds, sapphires and rubies on their fingers, necks, wrists and even teeth. It's all about individualization. To some, if a ton of people all own the same thing; it is no longer a luxury. People like to distinguish themselves, so I make each piece to fit the person. Uniqueness is what makes jewelry a luxury, not the cost.

Another rising trend is the independent woman spoiling herself. Women, who traditionally used to wait for the man to purchase pieces of jewelry for them as gifts, have changed. There are many professional women who have earned their own way and they don't wait around for someone else to buy something wonderful for them, and they don't ask permission. They just go get it and reward themselves, as men have done for years. For women, the degree to which jewelry is woven into their fantasy lives goes back to the whole “dressing up” issue. It provides a sense of personal achievement and self-confidence. It just makes you feel that much more spectacular when you have something exquisite to wear. Who doesn't like to put on something upbeat or sexy for a night on the town? And it doesn't always have to be expensive. Great jewelry that you are proud of, whether it be because of its exclusive price tag or its unique style, has a way of elevating your mood that is priceless.

The artistic pursuit of decorating oneself as a form of self-expression is as old as time. Today, women and men both still accessorize in an effort to define
themselves. The only difference is, they want big now, they want “bling” now, and they want it delivered now. And there's no such thing as "too big", or "too much". As one of my favorite customers always says when she walks into my shop, “GO BIG, OR GO HOME!"

And there is essentially nothing I can't get my hands on. I may not have it in my showroom, but I consider the world my boutique. I can get anything anyone wants and for considerably lower than they would get the exact same piece anywhere else. This is what sets me apart. In my opinion, the big retailers cannot match the ambience, the prestige or the uniqueness of the experience of coming to my shop. And as far as pricing . . . people are not foolish. Most people, whether they are billionaires or just getting their start in life are value- driven, and part of the value of a luxury product or service is the experience the feeling of being special. I don't believe that anyone, be it the buyer or the seller, is going to feel special buying a million dollar diamond at a “hoity toity” store, or a thousand dollar diamond at Costco. Make that million dollar or thousand dollar purchase at a private showroom that is dedicated completely to you and your every whim, and that purchase takes on a lot more meaning. And even in the high-end jewelry market, the majority of individuals really do treat $1,000 or $2,000 with great respect. You think sometimes the wealthier customers wouldn't because they have a huge amount of money. But there is not much markup in a Mercedes, and people still take pride in saying, "I got $3500 off the sticker.” They enjoy the hunt for the bargain, and it is the same when it comes to jewelry or anything else in life. They are not going to pay outlandishly inflated prices; they are too smart for that. There is a tremendous sense of satisfaction in scoring a good deal, a sense of accomplishment for finding those $500 earrings for $250. Everyone wants the best value for the best price.

Lastly, but most importantly, in the purchase of any piece of jewelry there needs to be a major feeling of trust between the buyer and the seller. People are making lifetime purchases and they need to know that what they're getting is of a superior quality; that the piece is worth every last penny. People may be looking for the trend of the moment or for that classic style that will always be in fashion and they need to trust that you will be willing and able to send them in the right direction. As a jeweler, I believe there must be a level of service and experience, a level of prestige and dedication to uniqueness and exclusivity that makes people want to share such a thrilling, and sometimes intimate,
experience with you.

I love my job, and with the help of my husband Steve, my son Steve Jr., and my daughter Brittany, I have come a long way and I am very proud of it.

Barbara is located at 111 Corporate Drive in Ladera Ranch, on the corner of Windmill and Antonio Parkway, one block South of Crown Valley. Her telephone number is 949-388-6636. She operates "by appointment only", so call first. It will be well worth your while. She's been the best kept secret in Orange County for many years.

Contact Barbara!