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Anish Desai, the Co-Founder of Star Gems and the creator of Custom Studio talks about custom jewelry design.
In 1986, Star Gems, Inc. was co-founded and started in Chicago, IL by Anish Desai and Vilas Jain. The company has offices located in Chicago, Atlanta, and Mumbai, India.
In March 2017 the first Custom Studio Application was launched; it allowed approximately 20 retailers the opportunity to use and test a new mobile application. Though fine custom designed jewelry is not new, Star Gems, Inc. has come up with this novel idea that will be a game-changer for the jewelry industry.
Once testing was completed, the first Custom Studio Video Unit arrived at Star Gems, Inc in Georgia in the middle of October 2016. The unit is a large 42-inch diagonal flat screen with the same capabilities as any mobile phone, tablet, or desktop. Among these features are:
- Designs with retail pricing
- An E-commerce platform for customers to pay for special orders
- The capability to import a picture from anywhere on the internet
- Design modification for stone shapes, sizes, and colors
- Ability to incorporate text into the design
- Save a changed design for future reference.
Star Gems, Inc. will continue to produce all designs in silver, 10k, 14k, & 18k white, yellow, or rose gold, Platinum, and Palladium. Many designs shown can also be requested in silver CZ samples to show your customer.
Custom Studio is a patent-pending application and a registered trademark of Star Gems Inc.
Clickable Show Notes
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Question #1 – Before we get into Custom Studio and Star Gems, can you share a bit of your backstory with us. What led you to the jewelry trade? Timestamp: [3:12]
Question #2 – Over the years I’ve used several products to design jewelry for clients, but this is the first one that I know of that puts the actual power of design into the hands of the client. For me, one of the key features of Custom Studio is the ability for the client to instantly see the product they’ve just created, displayed on a beautiful 42-inch touchscreen monitor. On average, how long does it take to design a piece of jewelry on this platform? Timestamp: [4:50]
Question #3 – The more you interact and use Custom Studio, the more options you seem to uncover. One of the most innovative in my mind is the ability to import images for future design. Can you shed some light on that process? Timestamp: [6:46]
Question #4 – One of the inherent by-products of Custom Studio is the instant gratification it provides to the user. Honestly, the whole process feels as if you’re literally the one designing the jewelry. Can you talk about how important instant gratification is to this platform, and the Millennial generation? Timestamp: [8:39]
Question #5 – In today’s smartphone saturated world, mobile technology is critical to the end-user experience. Can you walk us through how a client can discover, create, and share their own designs on your downloadable platform? Timestamp: [10:40]
Question #6 – When we talk about the custom design process at the store level, one of the sticking points seems to be in the communication process. How does Custom Studio enhance the interaction between a client and the store? Timestamp: [13:03]
Question #7 – Custom Studio has many user-friendly options. It’s obvious you’ve designed this platform with a focus on a seamless end-user experience. One of the best features has to be your payment gateway. Can you explain more about it? Timestamp: [16:10]
Question #8 – In addition to Custom Studio, you’ve also given jewelers an easy solution for meeting their custom jewelry design needs in Star Gems C.A.D. Tell us how you’ve simplified the custom design process, and is it true you don’t charge C.A.D. fees? Timestamp: [17:30]
Question #9 – Clearly Custom Studio is on the cutting edge of technology available for jewelers today. How do you see technology changing the interaction between a client and their neighborhood jewelry store in the future? Timestamp: [20:10]
Question #10 – Anish, we’ve covered a lot of ground today, but is there one question I should have asked you but didn’t? Timestamp: [21:16]
Mentioned In The Show & Links
Star Gems – Stargems is a market leader in Custom Design helping retailers to fulfill orders seamlessly with FREE PRICE QUOTES and NO CAD FEES.
With over 10,000+ custom designs in a year, we can cast in any metals from silver to gold to platinum and palladium.
Our custom design operations are also supported by marketing materials for retailers to grow that business. Come check out our Jewelry at www.stargems.com.
Call: 770 394 6727 | Email: sales@stargems.com | Monday – Friday: 9.30am – 6.00pm EST
Connect with Anish Desai & Star Gems on Social Media: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Pinterest YouTube
Our “Inside the Jewelry Trade” Radio Show Episodes
The host of “Inside the Jewelry Trade” Radio Show – Jewelry Business Strategist – President of Four Grainer LLC. Author of the business books “A Reason To Chant,” and “A Reason to Chant – Jewelry Trade Edition.” Rod lives in Atlanta with his wife and two almost-human cats.