Black Engagement Ring Designer Overcomes the Odds and Becomes Celebrity Jeweler
I sat down with celebrity jeweler Jasmine Carter to find out about the amount of support her luxury brand Balacia receives from the Black community.
What percentage of your clients are Black?
“In 2022 we serviced almost 300 clients and less than 5% were Black. I LOVE my incredible clients and it means the world to me to have the support I’ve gotten! Being able to work full-time as a jewelry designer and spend time with my babies is truly a dream; it’s just after a while you start to wonder why there’s such an extreme racial diversity gap.”
Do Black people usually inquire about your jewelry?
“Oftentimes Black women find me on social media and I talk to them about their dream ring design, then they say they’ll pass along my information to their boyfriend. A few months later the woman contacts me again saying her now-fiance went to a major retailer to buy her ring but she still wants me to make her wedding band. It really sucks when I see beautiful Black queens wearing low quality, retail-grade rings, especially knowing that I would’ve made them something much nicer for the same price. I can’t tell you how many times women have contacted me disappointed in their ring yet excited and grateful that he proposed. I don’t understand why some men don’t contact me and at least ask for a quote before going to a corporate retailer. I don’t want nor expect anyone to buy from me just because of my race. I want people to talk to me, feel comfortable, and choose me to make their rings because they see my passion and know I’ll do a better job at it than anyone else.”
Who typically buys from your business and what products do you offer?
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