 |
Christopher Aire | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 25, 1964 Ivue-Uromi, Nigeria |
| Alma mater | California State University, Long Beach |
| Occupation(s) | CEO, Solid 21 Incorporated |
| Spouse | Diana Durojaiye (3 children) |
Christopher Aire (born December 25, 1964) is a Nigerian born African American jeweler and timepiece designer. [1] He is the president of Solid 21 Incorporated and the founder of his eponymous brand, Chris Aire.
Chris Aire was born in Ivue-Uromi, Edo, Nigeria. [1] His father Joseph Agimenlen Iluobe was a Nigerian oil mogul and businessman [1] and his mother, Victoria Isesele Iluobe was a homemaker. He graduated Immaculate Conception College, Benin City, Nigeria. Thereafter, his father wanted him to join the family business. Aire started helping his father manage the family oil haulage business but quickly realized that he had a strong desire to work independently. After working briefly for his father's company Iluobe Oil, he decided to leave Nigeria and move to the United States to further his education and attend California State University Long Beach. While in college, Aire worked menial jobs in fast-food restaurants and pursued his education during the day. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in acting and directing. [2]
Breaking into the acting scene proved to be unsuccessful, so Aire decided to channel his talents towards music. He joined a group called Raw Silk, collaborating and performing with the band for a few years. The band did not experience the type of success he had hoped for, so he decided to break away in hopes of creating a solo career. [2]
Later, He accepted a job as an apprentice to a jeweler in Los Angeles, California, called P-5 Jewelers. [1] Soon after, he enrolled at the Gemological Institute of America, Carlsbad where he received his diamond-grading diploma.[ citation needed ]
In 1996, after six years of apprenticeship with P-5 Jewelers, he set out on his own. He had saved $5,000 to start his namesake brand that designs and sells fine jewelry and watches.
Shortly after founding Chris Aire, he met Gary Payton, an NBA superstar who was then with the Seattle SuperSonics. Payton showed interest in his designs and invited Aire to see him in Miami at a charity event the following month. In Miami, he landed a substantial order, solidifying his position in the jewelry market [2] [3]
Aire opened his first boutique [4] at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, Nigeria, in 2012. In 2014, Aire moved his United States office from downtown Los Angeles to his US flagship boutique in Beverly Hills. [5]
The Los Angeles Times described Aire as "The King of Bling". [6] Rolling Stone magazine called him "The Emperor of Ice". [4] Aire has been featured in several other magazines such as Forbes, [7] Wall Street Journal, IDEX, [8] JCK MAGAZINE, [9] Elle, Vogue, Black Enterprise, [10] Robb Report, [11] Watch time, QP magazine, [12] Rapaport magazine, [13] and Los Angeles Magazine. [14]
He has also been featured on CNN, [6] Konnect Africa, [15] Washington Times, [16] USA Today , [17] and the Discovery Channel. [18]
Aire is married to Diana Atinuke Durojaiye. They have three children. He is based in Los Angeles and visits Nigeria often.
Jacob Arabo is an American jewelry, watch designer, who founded Jacob & Company in 1986 and grew it to become an international luxury brand. He began strictly as a jeweler with bold designs that appealed to celebrities who became regular customers. Arabov was alleged to have participated in the sexual assault of Adria English while working at a party thrown by Sean Combs that Arabov was attending.
Zoltán Dávid (1955) is a Hungarian-born American jewelry designer based in Texas. His business, Zoltan David Precious Metal Art, opened in 1980 and has focused on individually crafted one-off pieces. On August 27, 1988, he was knighted by the Hungarian nation in honour of his father, Zoltan David I.
Rick Rose is an American Inventor, jewelry designer and businessman. Rose owns Roseark – a jewelry lifestyle boutique in Los Angeles, California. He was named as one of Los Angeles' most stylish men in the April 2012 issue of Angeleno Magazine.
Jennifer Meyer is an American jewelry designer.
Aaron Henry Furlong is an American jewellery designer.
Bling-bling, often shortened to just bling, is "flashy jewelry worn especially as an indication of wealth or status; broadly: expensive and ostentatious possessions" such as grills and designer bags. The term arose as slang, but grew into a cultural mainstay. Prominent examples of bling-bling include a large cross necklace or Jesus piece.
International Gemological Institute (IGI) is a Belgian diamond, colored stone and jewelry certification organization. Established in 1975, it is the largest independent gemological laboratory worldwide.
Martin Katz is an American jewelry designer based in Beverly Hills, California.
Harry Winston, Inc. is an American luxury jeweler and producer of Swiss timepieces. The company was founded in 1932 as Harry H. Winston Jewels, Inc. and changed its name to Harry Winston Inc. in January 1936. The company is named after its founder, Harry Winston, who was called by many as the "King of Diamonds".
ULTRA Diamonds was a seller of fine jewelry in factory outlet and value centers in the United States. ULTRA was a manufacturer as well as a direct importer of diamonds, gemstones, and gold jewelry. At one point, Ultra operated over 100 stores in outlet centers and 38 other format locations. The company went through though bankruptcy in 2001–2002 and again after the financial crisis of 2007–2008. On November 2, 2012, the company was acquired by Signet Jewelers.
Susan Foster is an American jewelry designer and philanthropist.
Tacori is an American jewelry design house and manufacturer based in Glendale, California. The brand is heavily associated with bridal jewelry.
Jacob & Co. is an American privately held jewelry and wristwatch retailer founded in 1986 by diamond designer Jacob Arabo. Its flagship boutique and corporate headquarters are located in Manhattan, New York City.
Todd Reed is an American fine jewelry designer best known for his use of rough diamonds. Reed's designs are hand-fabricated in Boulder, Colorado using recycled metals.
Kimberly McDonald is an American jeweler based in New York City, known for designs that feature geodes, agates, opals and diamonds. Her jewelry is sold by Bergdorf Goodman, Browns of London, and the Kimberly McDonald boutique in Atlanta, Georgia.
Tabbah is a bespoke jewelry company that was founded in 1862 and now is a family business owned and run by Nabil and Nagib Tabbah.
Nirav Deepak Modi is an Indian-born Belgian businessman and criminal who was charged by Interpol and the Government of India for criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, cheating and dishonesty including delivery of property, corruption, money laundering, fraud, embezzlement and breach of contract in August 2018. Modi is being investigated as a part of the $2 billion fraud case of Punjab National Bank (PNB). In March 2018, Modi applied for bankruptcy protection in Manhattan, New York. In June 2018, Modi was reported to be in the UK applying for political asylum. In June 2019, Swiss authorities froze a total of US$6 million present in Nirav Modi's Swiss bank accounts along with the assets.
Gemological Science International, or GSI, is an independent gemological organization that is one of the largest gemological entities in the world, with offices in four continents.
Beth Hutchens is a jewelry designer and entrepreneur living in New York City. In 2019, she was nominated for the CFDA Award for American Emerging Designer of the Year.
Johnny Dang is a Vietnamese jeweler based in Houston, Texas, who is known for his custom grills and involvement in the American hip-hop scene. He is a founder of Johnny Dang and Co.
Los Angeles magazine rock stars chris aire.