Ion Kirita and Marian Alecu, managers of Impact Jewellery House, are planning to prove that beside the cheap stuff imported over the past ten years, precious jewels can be manufactured in Romania.
The golden medals of gymnast Andreea Raducan and boxer Mihai Leu were created by the Impact jewellers. Although the company is only several weeks old, its experience actually goes back ten years, as the two managers used to own companies operating in this field.
Ion Kirita, Impact general manager, says the company was established following the merger of two firms having dealt with jewellery making and trading since 1990; these were Kirio, Kirita’s firm, and Safir (Sapphire), belonging to Marian Alecu.
“The two companies merged in order to create the strongest producer of gem-studded jewels. As the name suggests, we intend to have an impact on quality and design.”
The company has 16 employees, five old hands and eleven young people, aged between 16 and 30, who have been trained in the two companies’ workshops for three years. The jewellery house produces gem-studded jewels, limited series, or unique hand-made jewels made of white or yellow gold.
Any potential client is invited to a reception room with a small table, leather couch and chairs, where the company’s representatives help them to choose the most suitable jewel.
“The client may have a coffee, then we discuss, we show them the models, we advise them, practically we try to create an intimate atmosphere, which is completely different from the other stores where the client comes and bargains for the merchandise over the counter,” Ion Kirita says.
The shelves of the reception room display dozens of models of rings with traditional or unusual shapes, lying in small grey-velvet boxes.
The gemstones are imported from South Africa, Brazil, Columbia, Australia and India. “We have both traditional and futurist models; most of them were designed based on geometrical ideas,” Ion Kirita says. Every jewel is accompanied by a quality certificate.
For the first time in Romania, Impact manufactures unique jewels at the client’s suggestion. “Our specialists discuss with the client, draw a sketch and then manufacture the requested jewel. There have been no complaints so far.”
The ordered models are hand-made and delivered within 3-30 days, depending on the raw material: white gold is hard to process, even harder than yellow gold.
The prices depend on the gemstones set into the jewellery. For instance, one 18-carat white or yellow gold engagement ring with a diamond or sapphire costs between 3 and 7 million lei.
Ion Kirita says that Romanians prefer diamonds, sapphires and emeralds. Impact targets a small market segment comprising people with high incomes, mostly VIPs. Ion Kirita says that the market of gem-studded jewellery is still at the beginning, due to the population’s low purchase power. Consequently, this kind of business will become profitable in five-ten years.