Diamond Boutique thrives on beach-chic design

July 25, 2008

Diamond Boutique is located in Del Mar, Calif.'s, upscale shopping center, Flower Hill Promenade.

By Mary Wisniewski

Visiting Diamond Boutique is like attending a quiet, yet chic, beach party—but one that's indoors. And instead of "Frankie" and "Dolores," of beach-party film fame, the Digius family are the hosts.

From the curvy cases suggesting waves to the smell of the ocean breeze lingering in the air to the beverage service offered, it's hard not to think of a seaside gathering, even for those with limited imaginations. The ocean is, after all, less than one-tenth of a mile away.

"We want to make sure you feel like you walked into a beach," says Ali Digius, director of retail operations.

The family-run business is located in Del Mar, Calif., a beach community within reach of Rancho Santa Fe, known for its bounty of beautiful landscapes and wealthy residents.

Although Diamond Boutique's neighborhood may be overflowing with wealth, the store manages to maintain a relaxed, laidback-surfer feel amid the luxury.

Tranquil colors like espresso and muted chocolates comprise the store's color schemes. Soft rock that plays in the background is DJ'ed by an iPod and is usually lyric-free. All of these factors help maintain a retail atmosphere that is purposefully devoid of high-pressure sales tactics.

"The mindset is more casual," Digius says.

But that's not to say the Del Mar area is by any means subdued.

The town's racetrack and polo fields, both of which are close to the boutique, bring horse enthusiasts into the region. That interest is manifested in the store's design, with miniature horse statues inside and in front of the boutique.

Ali Digius, director of retail operations, with his wife, Missy, at Diamond Boutique's grand opening.

Although the Diamond Boutique's grand opening in Del Mar was held Nov. 15, the company itself has a long history. When Digius' parents, Mali and Nasser, first opened Diamond Boutique 23 years ago, they were new to retail but not to jewelry.

Mali, a traveling jewelry salesperson for roughly two years, created a core business that followed her into the store.

"That was a catapult of having people come in and support us," he says.

Since that time, the business has expanded, with the Del Mar location marking the company's third move.

A sexy, modern store The family is closing its store in San Diego to focus on the Del Mar store, where location plays a critical role. It took roughly three years to find the ideal spot, in terms of both geography and luxury, given the store's targeted upscale clientele, Digius says. The family spent just shy of $1 million on the new store, an investment befitting those who patronize it.

"The typical customer who walks into the Del Mar store is someone at a level in their life where they have made major accomplishments in business," Digius says, adding that the store targets residents who are in the top 10th percentile of annual household income in the region.

"We're going where our clients are going," he says, adding that all decisions are derived from a family consensus. "The family, as a collective whole, works together to make short-term and long-term decisions."

And, as a collective whole, the family opted to use the artistic vision of Miami-based Artco Group to help design the Del Mar store. From its construction phase to its opening, one year and 15 days elapsed, and while opening a new store can be frightening enough, the Digius family also faced an environmental disaster—the California wildfires last October, which Digius says led to one of the most devastating periods in the area's history.

"We went through a small Armageddon," he says, adding that the area still hasn't fully recovered from its immediate effects.

The Digius family decided to delay the original store opening date out of respect for the damage caused by the fires, Digius says, but open, it still did.

The curved island at the center of Diamond Boutique's new store draws attention to the unique pieces displayed within the showcases.

Mickey Minagorri, executive vice president at Artco Group, who aided in the retailer's design, says opening at the new location allowed the Digius family to go from a smaller store to something larger, with a whole new design concept.

"What we wanted to do is create an environment that wasn't only beautiful, but also sexy and very modern," Minagorri says.

Adding curved display cases and indirect lighting, which cast a glow from behind furniture to create a halo effect, helped achieve that goal.

"It's a very romantic store," he says.

Digius says in conceptualizing the design, the family wanted to make sure the store was very open, even with the large amount of jewelry that was to be showcased, enough jewelry, he says, to open three smaller stores.

The magic of illumination Of course, with the larger space available in the Del Mar store, this endeavor was simplified, allowing much more inventory to be highlighted. One example is a curved island featuring one-of-a-kind pieces placed in the center of the store as a main focal point. Minagorri says this island allows customers to look at the jewelry without being shoulder to shoulder.

The rest of the store is divided into sections such as men's, bridal and finished diamond jewelry, and there are also mounted displays throughout, lending special pieces prominent perches. In addition to its custom-designed pieces, the store boasts designer names such as Heidi Klum Jewelry, Judith Conway, Michael Bondanza and Mouawad, among others.

Proper illumination is crucial to displaying jewelry designs, and the Digius family made sure to use top quality, LED (light-emitting diode) lighting, a popular type that offers greater intensity.

"Can't go too over the top with displays, but can go over the top with lighting," Digius says.

Diamond Boutique sends its customers off with luxe packaging, a crucial component of visual merchandising.

Minagorri says the LED lights really show off the product, and are crucial to building sales.

"It makes the pieces look like they are dancing," Minagorri says.

What also shows off the jewelry store's glamour is the VIP room, hidden behind curtains at the back of the store. Unlike the curtained area that revealed the Wizard of Oz, this room doesn't disappoint.

The sit-down room provides crucial space for the store's clientele, which includes celebrities and, of course, elite, upscale shoppers. Fluffy pillows, a wine cellar and espresso options further ease anyone's comfort, Digius says.

Comfort is important to the Digius family. For example, if a customer is nervous about jewelry that is being worked on, there is a viewing glass into the workspace, allowing one to peer in. A beverage service available storewide includes flat and sparking water, coffee and tea, which helps to put clients at ease.

Digius says the jewelry store is more like a jewelry spa.

"We are here to take care of our clients," he says.

Other notable features the store boasts include a plasma television mounted on the wall to feature DVDs of the designer jewelry lines carried, such as a spot from Mouawad about the Heidi Klum jewelry line and the press it has received.

Although Diamond Boutique in Del Mar is still in its infancy, customers should not get used to its look. Digius says the jeweler plans to remodel every two years, and in the near future, will add e-commerce to its business.

Editor's note: This story first appeared in the June 2008 print edition of National Jeweler.

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