Eve Gay: Stoned Fine Jewelry

Eve Gay, founder of Stoned Fine Jewelry, is a 25-year-old entrepreneur from Jacksonville, Florida. She attended Pepperdine University as an International Management major, and planned to pursue the fashion industry with an internship in sustainable fashion. In her senior year, the COVID-19 Pandemic halted these plans, and the internship was canceled. After this, Eve felt a strong calling to the jewelry industry. Eve decided to pivot from fashion and pursue jewelry designing. She found a mentor in her hometown who ignited her passion for jewelry making, and she fell in love with the process. In November of 2020 (her senior year), she officially started her business: Stoned Fine Jewelry, a diamond concierge brand. Despite the hardships in the pandemic, this was able to set her apart because it could be done online and was accessible to people of many ages and places. Her focus is on longevity—she tries to build a connection and relationship with her customers to provide them with the best match possible. In the beginning of her business, she made connections with her college’s fraternities to help the men find gifts and engagement rings for their girlfriends and fiancés.

After graduating, she decided to go to the Gemological School of America in New York City to obtain a graduate degree/certification in Gemology. She said it was “one of the best decisions I made for myself.” This certification let Eve start making and cutting the stones for Stoned Fine Jewelry herself, so she could fully customize the pieces. 

Another differentiating factor is Eve is a young woman business owner in the male-dominated field of jewelry. Additionally, she lacked the needed social connections to break into the world of jewelry. She was often looked down upon for her age, but she faced the challenges by working diligently and proving that she is trustworthy and dedicated. She went by the mindset of being willing to put herself out there and not care about being “annoying”. She utilized her strengths, such as social media, to reach out to people.

Stoned Fine Jewelry has grown exponentially over the last few years. It has been featured in Playboy magazine and worn by celebrities, such as Kendall Jenner and Ireland Baldwin.

Eve says her favorite thing about working with natural diamonds is “The Earth created them. Each diamond and gem has its own story and is so unique. It’s so special that no two stones are alike, making each piece all the more rare. There’s a magic within each natural diamond and gemstone that can’t be recreated.”

I was personally inspired by Eve’s story because of her hard work and dedication to her passion.