An engagement ring will become one of your most treasured possessions that will be worn for a lifetime and even passed down onto your children. Known for their exceptionally handcrafted jewellery and customisable designs, Armans Fine Jewellery has fostered its own Instagram empire and leading position in Australia’s fine jewellery industry.

We sat down with #BeautyBoss Aris Arzumanian, co-owner of Armans Fine Jewellery, to discuss the world of influencer marketing and the brand’s rise to success. The prominent Sydney-based jewellery house is best known for their exquisite diamond engagement rings and wedding bands.

Arman Arzumanian started Armans Jewellery, which is based in Sydney’s CBD, back in 1986 after immigrating to Australia from Europe. Working alongside his father Arman and brother Levon, Aris places quality, simplicity and elegance at the core of their brand ethos.

The design process 

The father-son trio work closely with their clients throughout the entire design process to create a personalised and involved experience. “Know what you want and understand that everything is completely customisable,” shares Arzumanian. “I recommend gathering a couple of images from Instagram and Pinterest as a starting point and to decide on a certain diamond cut or style. We always like to add our own twist and make each individual piece unique.”

These images are then transformed into a design that accommodates the client’s budget and any adjustments or changes. It then takes approximately 3-4 weeks for the ring to be made. Aris’ most important piece of advice is to choose a ring that is suited towards your partner’s taste and style. 

“Don’t choose something based on what you like and remember that they are the ones that are going to be wearing the ring forever,” he said. I always tell partners to try and recall any subtle hints that they may have dropped. If you’re wanting to find out your partner’s ring size, take a ring they have from either Pandora, Tiffany & Co or Cartier and look at the number engraved on the inside of the band.”

However, Aris explained that choosing an engagement ring has become a collective process for couples, stating that about 80 percent of his customers visit the boutique together. 

Celebrities are creating trends 

Although Armans endeavour to make every piece unique, there is no denying the impact celebrities have on their engagement ring designs. “As soon as a celebrity gets engaged with a unique design, we get a lot of requests to recreate that style,” Aris said, whilst referencing Hailey Baldwin and Blake Lively’s rings.

“Ever since Blake Lively and Hailey Bieber’s rings were seen by the public, oval has become the most popular diamond cut by far.”

Aris told us that he also gets a couple of clients asking for designs inspired by Royal engagement rings, but it is nothing compared to the demand created by celebrities. “Trilogy styles, like Meghan Markle’s ring, aren’t very popular at the moment. I tend to sell more of Princess Diana’s rings rather than Meghan Markle’s”.

With new restrictions on public gatherings and the cancellation of weddings, Beauty News asked Aris about the impact of COVID-19 on the business. He stated that a lot of his clients who were planning overseas proposals had to improvise and come up with creative ways to propose locally. “I had one customer, who was planning to propose in Bali, take his girlfriend on a fishing trip and placed the ring on the hook of the fishing rod”, said Aris.

Instagram shopping & influencer marketing

With his brother Levon and father Arman taking care of the design and jewellery-making side of the business, Aris has spent the last four years growing Armans Instagram account. A major turning point for the business was getting the brand exposed on multiple wedding-planning platforms.

Aris then collaborated with several high profile Australian influencers such as Tammy Hembrow, Pia Muehlenbeck, Shani Grimmond, Belle Lucia, Hannah Polites, Emilee Hembrow and Michael Finch. “Influencer marketing and social media has proven to be a core marketing strategy for us”.

“I also like to run about 1-2 engagement ring giveaways per year which has been a great way for me to increase engagement and keep our followers interested in our page”.

Armans future plans

As part of its evolution and rapid growth, the family is planning to take Armans Fine Jewellery international, whilst still maintaining a personable and family-oriented approach. “We have customers who travel both regionally and internationally to come visit our store and meet either myself, my brother or father.”

Whilst purchasing an engagement ring might seem unnecessary to some at this time, you cannot deny that amongst all of this uncertainty, there is no greater certainty than asking your loved one to be with you forever. 

To view the entire collection of Armans Fine Jewellery, visit their website or book an appointment at their Sydney boutique. 10/80 Castlereagh St, Sydney.