Brilliant Fine + Custom Jewelry Makes Mitzvahs Sparkle

Jewelry can be chosen for the moment, but some pieces carry a lifetime.
Husband-and-wife team, Katie and Jamie Jaffe, operate Brilliant Fine + Custom Jewelry in Roswell, specializing in fine jewelry that is deeply personal featuring custom creations, heirloom transformations, milestone gifts, restoration, and, of course, the most ubiquitous: engagement and wedding rings.

Wedding wise, Jamie proffers, “The desire for personal meaning extends to bridal jewelry. Ovals, marquise diamonds, and antique-inspired cushion cuts remain popular, while East-West settings [horizontal] and warmer diamond tones are giving engagement rings more distinction. Hidden details and special engravings offer another opportunity to create something uniquely theirs.”

Wedding bands are following a similar trajectory. Rather than a single band, clients are building stacks over time. An added new band could mark an anniversary, the birth of a child or another milestone, gradually creating a visual record of a marriage and a life together.

Jamie continued, “Men’s wedding and engagement jewelry has also become more expressive. Alternative metals, textured finishes, and unexpected materials such as meteorite inlays are allowing men to move beyond traditional bands toward pieces with greater individuality.”

Jamie’s connection to jewelry is generational. His great-grandfather was a watch and jewelry craftsman, and his grandfather founded Harold Jaffe Jewelers in Toledo, Ohio. Growing up in that “family biz” gave him an early understanding of the technical side of the business and the emotional significance of jewelry. Katie brings her own skill set, overseeing the client experience, merchandising and behind the scenes details.

“Brilliant is really about relationships first. We want our clients to feel understood and cared for, and we want the experience to feel personal,” she said.

That relationship-first approach may explain why some of the couple’s memorable projects begin not with a jewelry case, but with a client’s jewelry box. One meaningful commission involved a family’s pearls, cameos, earrings, a diaper pin and other sentimental pieces. Rather than having those tucked away, Brilliant reimagined a three-strand necklace that a bride wore on her wedding day.

“It was incredibly special to bring all of those family memories together in one piece,” Katie relayed. That project reflects a larger shift Jamie and Katie observe.

Today’s jewelry buyers are increasingly interested in individuality over convention. Custom design and heirloom redesign are growing in popularity as clients seek pieces that tell a story rather than simply reflect a trend. Jamie said,

“The most meaningful trend we’re seeing is individuality. Clients are less interested in choosing something just because it’s popular and more interested in creating jewelry with a story.” Or even art.

The rising price of gold is a hot topic. Rather than simply buying new, clients are increasingly looking at the jewelry they already own and considering its potential. Brilliant accepts existing gold as credit toward a new design, allowing an outdated or unworn piece to become something relevant again. Jamie stated, “Yellow gold remains a favorite, while mixed metals have become increasingly popular, making it easier to combine new pieces with an existing collection.”

The boutique’s work extends beyond bridal jewelry to b’nai mitzvah gifts, including religious jewelry, diamond studs, and engravable pendants. Its Baby + Kids collection is designed around the idea of jewelry as a first keepsake given to mark an early milestone and cherished for generations.

Earrings have become an arena for experimentation. Clients are layering studs, huggies, and small hoops, mixing shapes and metals to create an intentionally individual even edgy, look. Brilliant also offers a range of jewelry restoration and repair services, resizing, rhodium plating, pearl restringing, stone replacement, cleaning and inspection. On occasion, the boutique has unique pre-owned or estate pieces available, although it does not accept consignments.

Concerning lab-grown diamonds, the Jaffes take an educational rather than prescriptive approach. They explain the differences between lab-grown and natural diamonds and help clients determine which choice aligns with their values.

Note: Katie and Jamie Jaffe are not related to the writer.