Brilliant Stars

Companies often use the term heritage loosely- Its overused, trite and cliched. A handful of years and a few experiences should never qualify for such a lofty term. Even an entire lifetime of accomplishments- if one is to be honest- is simply the start of a legacy. However, for Brilliant Stars, the term heritage is sacred. It is in fact, the very essence of what we are- The Brilliant Stars DNA that has carried us for 3 generations and brought us to the present day. Each generation has encrusted layer after layer of experience and knowhow and contributed to the building of an ever-evolving company. For us, this is our rightful heritage.

Our beginnings were humble. Founder, Moses Rahmani, had lost his father at a young age and was in the most challenging surroundings possible in the country of Persia. He had almost no formal education and absolutely no business capital but found himself having to support his mother and sisters. What Moses did have was natural street smarts coupled with limitless drive to travel, explore and learn. Above all, he recognized that the most valuable capital one can have in business is that of a fine reputation. And so, in 1935, at the young age of 16, he tapped into friendships and relationships he had nurtured by being resolutely honest in life. Convinced that gemstones would be a good fit for the wealthy in Persia, Moses set out on his first foreign voyage in quest of these alluring treasures. Whether we call it karma, luck, or chance, the first gemstones were entrusted to him with a simple handshake and the fact that he had no money didn’t stand in his way. Moses Rahmani taught us that a sterling reputation is more powerful than any amount of business capital.

Jacob Rahmani, the 2nd generation at the helm, took over an established international business but found that his largest market was quickly becoming the United States. It was with great foresight that Jacob was able to relocate the nucleus of the family business in 1961 to New York City. Few other cities could truly compete to be the financial center and the crossroads of the world. Until then, precious color gemstones were the primary focus. Jacob understood that the natural, organic progression of the family business was to add the bestselling precious gemstone of all time to the offerings- Diamonds. There was no one Jacob could trust more than his new wife to help with his vision of expansion. This is when Sharon Rahmani formally accepted to join Brilliant Stars as an executive and to oversee all things financial. Taking advantage of all New York had to offer- ease of international travel, powerful and safe financial institutions, and an incredibly cosmopolitan workforce- Jacob and Sharon oversaw dramatic expansion. To this day, the Brilliant Stars family is fortunate to have Jacob and Sharon as the active Matriarch and Patriarch of the business. Their vast experience and knowhow in the gemstone field are invaluable for all who are blessed to be around them.

Rodney Rahmani represents the 3rd generation to lead Brilliant Stars. He was born into an incredibly exciting family; travel to far off countries and gemstone hunting were all in a day’s work. From a young age, he showed a true passion for the business- running to the office after school and forgoing summers with friends to learn about gemstones. His father Jacob was often traveling and much of Rodney’s knowledge came directly from his then elderly grandfather and the company’s founder, Moses. In fact, formal classroom education in gemstones was frowned upon in the family. Moses instilled in the family that the knowledge of gemstones is an endless lifetime endeavor and that such esoteric teachings can only be passed on from master to apprentice- And if you aren’t an experienced traveler who is often at mining sites, then you are really in no position to teach about the subject.

By his early twenties, Rodney was recognized as a leading expert in precious gemstones and a gifted speaker. To give back to the world, he spent much of his time traveling and educating the public in such topics as gemstones, mineral economics, the luxury consumer market, and conflict gems. Up to this time, Brilliant Stars’ primary focus was wholesale loose gemstones. But Rodney’s constant interactions with jewelry enthusiasts were confirming his long-held theory; Consumers much prefer to be presented with a finished piece of jewelry than to see a loose gemstone and have to imagine the completed jewel. The transition to jewelry manufacturing would not be easy. Brilliant Stars would need a massive increase in employees and the level of craftsmanship Rodney would demand requires master craftsmen exclusively. From an initial group of 5 jewelers, Rodney embarked on the largest expansion in the history of the Family’s business. He spent the next decade creating what is considered the largest workshop for hand-made jewelry in the United States.

Currently, Brilliant Stars is a vertically integrated company that supplies hundreds of the world’s leading jewelers with their most exciting pieces. Procuring rough, natural gemstones in over 20 different countries, Brilliant Stars is involved in every aspect of the jewelry industry from gemstone cutting to jewelry design and manufacturing. We have grown a lot since our humble beginnings in 1935, but many things have remained: We are relentless in our pursuit of the finest gems and to create the perfect jewel to celebrate with. Our goal is not only providing a jewel that wows but to pair it with education and knowledge that only a direct source like Brilliant Stars can provide. The generational link to respective mining sites and communities that are supported by our endeavors are what grounds us. And when all this is enwrapped into a unique buying experience, that is when our magic happens and when our true heritage can be seen and sensed.