Shaping Diamonds and Dreams: A Conversation with Corina Madilian of Single Stone Jewelry
Single Stone is renowned for its vintage-inspired, fine jewelry made from repurposed antique diamonds. Based in Los Angeles, their unique creations are sold in fine jewelry boutiques across the United States and London.
Corina Madilian, one of the co-founders and designers at Single Stone, embarked on her journey in 1989 when her partner entered the realm of antique diamonds and jewelry restoration. This experience laid the foundation for Single Stone’s distinctive jewelry collection. In this interview, we’ll explore Corina’s creative process, her perspective on industry challenges, and her dedication to crafting timeless pieces.
Who are you?
I am Corina. I’m one of the founders/designers of Single Stone.
What do you make/sell?
We make vintage inspired, fine jewelry. Our collection is made using repurposed, antique diamonds. Single Stone is sold in fine jewelry and independent boutiques across the United States and in London.
Where do you make/sell it?
Our collection is made in Los Angeles where we employ a team of artisans who help us achieve our creations.
When/why did you start?
Our company was originally started by my partner back in 1989 as a supplier of loose old cut diamonds and restoring antique jewelry. Our experience in that world opened the door for us to develop our collection.
Where do you get your best ideas?
We love creating jewelry for our clients who ultimately provide us with the best inspiration. Travel, history and an appreciation for style and aesthetics help guide us to create jewelry that is timeless and that our clients love to wear.
Do you ever feel bored? What do you do about it?
Of course! Boredom is actually a good thing. It allows us to ruminate on something and decide what we’d like to do to get out of our rut. Boredom can be very inspiring and lead to great things!
What’s the next big jewelry trend?
I’m not so guided by trends. Instead, love to create jewelry that has been inspired by the past and works with our lifestyle today. I’m more interested in timeless designs that help define a style or aesthetic.
What’s our industry’s biggest challenge?
For us, our biggest challenge is the limited availability of old cut diamonds, especially today when so many designers are dabbling in them as a trend. Also, the introduction of lab grown diamonds.
How do we fix it?
I think its important for us to provide consumers with clear information about what is happening in the jewelry world. Misrepresented information and lack of facts are influencing the consumers perception of ethics and sustainability as it relates to jewelry.
Where do you want to see yourself creatively in five years?
I’d like to be doing more of the same…working with unique, antique stones and creating jewelry for clients that appreciate the individuality of old cuts.
If you could ask an industry peer one question, what would you ask and to whom would you ask it?
I’d love to ask the new owners of Tiffany what they think about the jewelry landscape. Are there designers and trends they are watching and do they feel inspired or at all threatened by what is happening.
Questions written by Nicholas Hyatt. Answers are written by Corina Madilian. Find Single Stone online and on Instagram.