Star Gems

What Star Gems does

Star Gems is a B2B custom jewelry manufacturer and technology platform serving independent and chain retail jewelers across the United States. Founded in 1986 by Anish Desai and Vilas Jain, the company operates from a Norcross, Georgia headquarters, a Chicago regional office, and a manufacturing hub in Mumbai, India, providing vertical control from CAD design through casting, stone setting, and finishing. Its core offering is custom jewelry production with no minimum order requirements, supported by a 25,000+ CAD design library and a retailer dashboard for quoting, approvals, and order tracking.

The company has layered software products on top of its manufacturing base, most notably GemArt AI (launched 2025, $199/month), an in-house AI design platform that turns sketches, photos, and text descriptions into photorealistic 3D renders with real-time pricing, and TextMeChat, an SMS messaging and sell-by-text SaaS for jewelers. Distribution flows through a registered network of 1,800+ retail jewelers, buying-group partnerships (RJO, IJO, CBG, AGS), and industry-association memberships (Jewelers of America, AGTA), with additional paid services spanning website design, Google Ads management, and social media management.

Revenue is generated through one-time custom manufacturing orders, recurring SaaS subscriptions, and monthly digital-marketing retainers. The company is privately held and founder-led (President Anish Desai, CEO Rohan) with no disclosed institutional funding, and positions itself as a technology-enabled, full-stack partner for independent jewelers competing against larger chains.

Name

Star Gems

Legal name

Star Gems Inc.

Website

https://stargems.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Star Gems is a B2B custom jewelry manufacturer and technology platform that designs, produces, and ships custom pieces to 1,800+ registered US retail jewelers, augmented by AI design tools (GemArt AI), SMS commerce (TextMeChat), a 25,000+ CAD library, and digital marketing services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Jewelry Manufacturing

NAICS

Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing (33991)

SIC

Jewelry, Precious Metal (3911)

akta.pro primary industry

Fine Jewelry Manufacturing (Precious Metals & Gem-Set) (CRAKAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Diamond Jewelry (CRAKAAAA), Made-to-Order Gemstone Sourcing & Custom Cutting Coordination (CRAKAHAF), Synthetic/Lab-Grown Diamonds & Gemstones (Manufacturing & Trading) (CRAKAJAM)

Keywords

• Custom jewelry manufacturing
• Wholesale loose diamonds
• AI jewelry design
• Retail jeweler platform
• CAD design library

Headquarters

HQ city

Norcross

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Jewelry Manufacturing: B2B custom jewelry manufacturing from concept to delivery. Star Gems handles CAD design, casting, stone setting, and finishing internally. No minimum order requirements - retailers can order single pieces or thousands. Revenue generated through jewelry production costs with CAD fees credited toward production.
2. TextMeChat SaaS Subscriptions: Monthly subscription service for jewelry retailers providing SMS messaging platform with digital catalogs, checkout, broadcast messaging, and sell-by-text features. Basic plan plus $100 one-time setup fee. Pro plan includes additional sales and payment features.
3. GemArt AI Subscriptions: Monthly subscription at $199/month for AI-powered jewelry design platform including 350 high-resolution credits per month, instant cost estimates, and all configurators. Unused credits carry forward up to 3 months. Free trial available for registered retailers.
4. Google Ads Management: Digital marketing services with four tiers: Starter ($150/month, ad spend $1-500), Growth ($225/month, ad spend $500-1k), Pro ($300/month, ad spend $1k-1.5k), Enterprise (20% of monthly ad spend, ad spend $1.5k+). Includes campaign management, keyword research, landing page optimization, and ongoing optimization.
5. Social Media Management: Full-service social media management at $250/month including Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Blog, and YouTube account management. Posts 3-4 times per week with platform-specific graphics and client review/approval process.
6. Website Design & SEO: Website development and SEO services for jewelry retailers starting at $150/month. Includes Shopify integration, domain setup, SEO support, and ADA compliance.
7. Loose Diamonds & Materials: Sale of loose diamonds including certified GIA, AGS, and EGL USA diamonds ranging from 0.50 to 5.00 carats in natural and fancy colors, as well as lab-grown gemstones and precious metals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Star Gems is a B2B custom jewelry manufacturer that designs, casts, sets, and finishes jewelry for retail jewelers with no minimum order requirements. The core custom manufacturing service is supported by proprietary in-house technology tools (GemArt AI design and pricing, TextMeChat SMS sales platform, and a 25,000+ design CAD library), along with retailer marketing services such as website design, Google Ads management, and social media management.

Product overview

Star Gems operates as a B2B jewelry manufacturing platform offering custom jewelry production alongside a suite of AI-powered design tools, communication platforms, and digital marketing services. The core offering is the Custom Jewelry Manufacturing platform, which connects to GemArt AI (add-on for AI-powered design and real-time pricing), TextMeChat (add-on for customer messaging and SMS sales), and the CAD Library (add-on providing 25,000+ ready-to-produce designs). Additional paid services include Website Design & SEO, Google Ads Management, and Social Media Management. The company also markets branded jewelry collections including the Vogue Collection (launched 2011) and Vintage Collection, along with loose diamonds certified by GIA, AGS, and EGL USA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Jewelry Manufacturing End-to-end B2B custom jewelry production for registered retail jewelers, covering CAD design, casting, stone setting, and finishing in-house with no minimum order requirements; CAD fees are credited toward production and orders ship via FedEx or UPS.
• GemArt AI AI-powered jewelry design and pricing subscription platform for retail jewelers that converts sketches, photos, and text descriptions into photorealistic 3D renders with instant pricing, including 10 integrated tools such as configurators, spec extraction, and gemstone weight estimation.
• TextMeChat SMS-based customer engagement and sales platform for jewelry retailers offering digital catalogs, in-chat checkout, broadcast messaging, review collection, and Pay-by-Text features, with Facebook Live catalog integration.
• CAD Library Web-accessible library of more than 25,000 production-ready CAD jewelry designs optimized for casting, with adjustable dimensions, stones, and details, available with instant pricing to registered retailers.
• Website Design and SEO Subscription website design and SEO service for jewelry retailers including Shopify integration, mobile-optimized sites, domain setup, ADA compliance, and ongoing SEO support starting at $150 per month.
• Google Ads Management Managed Google Ads campaigns for jewelry retailers covering keyword research, landing page optimization, text and banner ads, geo targeting, conversion tracking, and ongoing optimization, available in Starter, Growth, Pro, and Enterprise tiers.
• Social Media Management Full-service social media management subscription for jewelry retailers covering Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, blogs, and YouTube, with 3-4 posts per week, platform-specific graphics, and optional paid ad campaigns at $250 per month.
• Loose Diamonds Wholesale loose diamonds sold to retail jewelers, including GIA, AGS, and EGL USA certified stones from 0.50 to 5.00 carats in natural, fancy color, and lab-grown varieties across multiple shapes.
• Vogue Collection Bridal and fashion diamond jewelry collection featuring bridal sets, halo styles, fashion rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and couture pieces, fully customizable in metal type and stone options, launched in 2011.
• Vintage Collection Vintage-style diamond jewelry collection with timeless, antique-inspired designs available to retail jewelers through the Star Gems platform.
• One & Only Collection Adjustable jewelry collection featuring designs crafted with care and customizable to retailer and end-customer specifications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 39+ years in business with 1,800+ registered retailers and 25,000+ completed orders
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Retail Jewelers Organization (RJO)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStar Gems is a member and active participant in the Retail Jewelers Organization, attending events like the RJO Summer Buying Show (Booth #530, Lexington, KY). RJO provides access to independent retail jewelers who can benefit from Star Gems' custom manufacturing services.
• Continental Buying Group (CBG)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStar Gems is a member of Continental Buying Group, providing CBG member jewelers access to custom jewelry manufacturing services, CAD tools, and technology solutions.
• American Gem Society (AGS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStar Gems is a member of the American Gem Society, aligning with AGS's commitment to ethical standards and consumer protection in the jewelry industry.
• Jewelers of AmericacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStar Gems is a member of Jewelers of America, providing access to JA member retailers seeking custom jewelry manufacturing partner.
• American Gem Trade Association (AGTA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStar Gems is a member of the American Gem Trade Association, supporting ethical gemstone and diamond trade standards.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Brilliant Earth: D2C online jewelry retailer focused on ethically sourced and lab-grown diamonds. Comparable in lab-grown diamond exposure and bridal jewelry focus, though operates consumer-direct rather than B2B.

Direct peers

• Stuller: Largest US-based B2B jewelry manufacturer and supplier serving independent jewelers with manufacturing, findings, gemstones, and digital tools. Directly comparable as a B2B custom manufacturer with proprietary ordering platform and broad retailer network.
• Rio Grande: Major B2B jewelry manufacturer and supplier serving independent jewelers with custom manufacturing, CAD services, and digital ordering tools. Comparable as a direct competitor in custom B2B jewelry production with technology-enabled ordering workflows.

Others

• Polygon: B2B e-commerce platform for the jewelry industry that Star Gems partners with for integrated ordering and inventory solutions. Comparable as an adjacent technology provider serving the same B2B jewelry ecosystem.
• Gemological Institute of America (GIA): Leading gemological certification body whose GIA certifications Star Gems uses for its loose diamond offerings. Comparable as an ecosystem participant providing standards that Star Gems' products rely on.
• Jewelers of America: National trade association for retail jewelers and suppliers. Star Gems is a member and uses JA as a distribution channel to reach independent retailers — comparable as an industry association but not a direct competitor.
• Continental Buying Group (CBG): Independent jewelry buying group providing member retailers with supplier access. Star Gems is a member-supplier — comparable as a channel partner that expands Star Gems' retailer reach.
• Retail Jewelers Organization (RJO): Buying group for independent retail jewelers. Star Gems exhibits at RJO events and uses RJO as a distribution channel — comparable as a channel partner rather than a competitor.
• American Gem Society (AGS): Trade association for jewelers focused on ethical standards. Star Gems is a member and AGS provides retailer access — comparable as an industry body and channel partner, not a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Signet Jewelers: Largest specialty jewelry retailer (Kay, Zales, Jared). Comparable as a buyer of B2B custom manufacturing services at scale and an indirect competitor for the independent jewelers that Star Gems serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7YdB2ssnAT9NNgxYiKvjZg
• Facebookfacebook.com/stargemscustomdesign
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/star-gems
• Instagraminstagram.com/stargemsjewelry
• Pinterestpinterest.com/stargemsinc
• Xx.com/stargems

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Star Gems