Located in the heart of the diamond district on 46th street in NYC, I had the pleasure of joining Lucky Magazine for a private tour of the House of EFFY.
Founded in 1979 by Effy Hematian, EFFY jewelry has become infamous for his pave work and use of color — something that was rarely done precious and semiprecious jewelry back in the 70s. The company is still family run, with Mr. Effy at the helm alongside his three sons who work with him.
When I entered the EFFY offices, I was immersed in a room of treasures. The showroom is filled with diamonds, sapphires, ruby’s, emeralds and semi-precious stones (yes, I was in heaven).
Mr. Effy’s love of panthers immediately shined through not just in his Signature Collection (which were some of my favorite pieces) but throughout the office in it’s decor — his collection of panther pictures is something to be envious of. Then in walked Mr. Effy himself, sporting a custom panther lapel and the signature Hermes belt with a panther molded to the H buckle — last I checked Hermes didn’t offer a panther style (he had it added). He’s a man after my own heart. I asked Mr. Effy what the fascination with panthers were and he answered point blank, “strength, power, and beauty.” Perfect answer.
{Me, Mr. EFFY and a $40k panther with 110 karats worth of diamonds on her}
What’s so incredible about his collection is the quality of designs and meticulous craftsmanship that goes into the manufacturing process. I should know, I got a tour of the facility. And yes, they actually manufacture the majority of their collection out of their NYC office; we’re talking the whole process, design, having the samples made, casting, initial cut and polish. Then the jewels are applied by hand into the setting, followed by the final polish. Then the jewelry pieces are sent to quality assurance to be cleared and then it’s ready to be tagged and sold for purchase.
For a taste of process, watch this behind-the-scenes tour of their facility:
Can you believe all of this happens in one building in Midtown Manhattan? EFFY pride themselves on not being businessman but jewelers. “Quality and workmanship are two things we always emphasize” Mr. Effy told us. “Every designer should be a little crazy and doing something that’s different.” If by crazy, he means, charming, dapper, and endless creative, then I’d say he’s described himself to a T.
{Just look at these beauties!} 
{More from the tour}
EFFY is available at fine retailers across the US and Caribbean. Learn more at effyjewelry.com