Vin Lee Jewelers
Founded : 1992
Activities : Wholesale collection, jewelry collection, high jewelry collection, tennis earring
Parent Company : Finlay Enterprises
Stockists : 2,800 locations
Origin : Beverly Hills, CA
www.VinLee.com
Originally started as a small artisan jewelry shop in the Americas in the 1950s, Vin Lee Jewelers of Beverly Hills creates some of the finest diamond and jewelry pieces for celebrities, diplomats, and even royalty including family members of François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand, former president of France.
At 22 years old, Vin Lee purchased the original jewelry business from a French family that had been struggling to keep both the retail and manufacturing operation afloat. For 25 years the company had persevered under the brothers’ guardianship. Charles was considered one of the more shrewd diamond brokers in the area. At one point the operation, once boasted five retail locations plus manufacturing and casting and was the one of the largest importers of Bernd Munsteiner gemstones.
Since that time VLJ has expanded its presence globally. The company purchased assets of one of the oldest jewelers in Beverly Hills, CA and relocated the facilities to a private showroom in the hills of Bel Air, just minutes from the Playboy Mansion. Many of pieces from the VLJ Collection have been seen in the media as well as on the red carpet. In 2001, Lee created the Tennis Earring, a unique design debuted at the Cannes Film Festival to rave reviews.