Argenterie is an extension of a 35-year-old jewelry business of Essam Jamal, one of Jeddah’s well-known jeweler specialized in fancy jewelry and gems. He counts Jeddah’s elite families and other big shots among his customers.

His son Abdulghani Jamal and his son’s wife Shaima Tash founded Argenterie to fill existing gaps in the jewelry market.

Arab News spoke to Shaima about the brand, its future and silver jewelry:

What is the inspiration behind your jewelry brand?

Several inspirations encouraged us to take serious steps toward founding a new jewelry line. Women have never had it before like they do now. They have more freedom, a stronger purchasing power, a high rate of female employment, more social activities, a wider exposure to the media and fashion industries. All these factors, along with our knowledge and experience have uncovered a big opportunity, i.e. to invent a new jewelry line concept that has high potential. We realized that the market is in need of brands that combine luxury with affordability, something that suits different occasions and tastes. We wanted to introduce the concept of simple luxury.

What is the story behind the name?

Argenterie is a French word that means silver or the silver boutique. The name has been chosen by Essam Jamal as he lived and studied in France and was inspired by the French culture. Moreover, we were trying to find a name that sounds good and can reflect a certain image about the brand and we thought nothing more than a French word could reflect a premium image when it comes to fashion and jewelry.

What first got you interested in jewelry designing?

The family jewelry business and my exposure to this field has inspired me to seriously take interest in jewelry designing. Moreover, I am personally into the designing field, especially fashion designing, which has made it easier for me to start working on the jewelry brand.

Why silver?

Silver is a precious metal and silver jewelry is considered as real valuable jewelry. We have chosen silver because it is just the perfect metal with amazing qualities; it has great flexibility and there is a wide range of materials that can be used with it, such as, leather, crystal, rubber, enamels, etc, and in a variety of designs. Also, the use of silver makes our jewelry stand out from other ordinary jewelry available in the market. Silver is the best choice that can provide luxury in an affordable price range that suits everyone.

What sets you apart from other jewelers in the Kingdom?

We highly care about the quality of our items without compromising on our affordable price strategy. Also, we offer amazing variety that suits all tastes and ages, and this is what gives us the edge. Classic, trendy, seasonal and authentic, there are many ways of describing our jewelry. We are eager to be a pioneer in bringing all global trends to the Saudi market.

Describe your style.

Classy and fashionable.

What inspires you when working on a new design?

New global trends always inspire new designs. However, my personal imagination is always inspired by natural elements such as flowers and roses, and conceptual ideas such as wings of freedom and mirrors.

Tell us about your latest collection.

It’s all about mirrors and roses.

What are the materials that you usually like to work with?

Silver is the base metal of all our products, in addition to which we use swarovski crystals, cubic zircon precious stones, rubber, colored threads and leather. We basically

use any material that adds creativity to our designs.

What are you working on right now?

I am working on an orchid petals collection.

Where do you sell and where do you want to sell?

We currently have two outlets in Jeddah: Stars Avenue Mall and Tahlia Center. We have expansion plans to increase our presence in Jeddah as a priority before considering expanding into other regions of the Kingdom.

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Email: [email protected]