How I Got Here: Angela Karaguezian Chooses a Life in Family Storytelling
By Karen Dybis | July 26, 2023
"For some businesses, public relations is just another chore, something that has to be done to get the brand’s name out to the public. For Angela Karaguezian, garnering publicity for Kirk Kara, her family’s jewelry company, is about letting people know who she is at her core.
From the first time she was carried into the company offices to her work at jewelry trade shows to her job now as CEO of Kirk Kara, everything Karaguezian has done, she says, has been in service to her family, the institution of marriage, and elevating the brand’s legacy.
Karaguezian says her story starts with her great-grandfather Bali, who opened a workshop in Armenia in 1890, making and selling hand-engraved jewelry. He died in the 1915 Armenian genocide, but his son, Artin, escaped to Beirut, where he continued the jewelry tradition.
The leaf motif, like in this white gold ring ($1,375) with two lab-grown pear-shape diamonds, is a familiar design within the Kirk Kara brand.
Artin created the company’s first wedding band for his wife, Angel, and his talents grew the business. Artin’s son Kirk worked alongside his parents, rebuilding their business several times after their shop was destroyed during Lebanese civil wars.
In 1983 Kirk and his wife, Lucy, moved to the United States with their daughters, Grace and Angela. They changed the company name in 2000 from Something Special to Kirk Kara.
Angela worked in the Kirk Kara offices during summer vacations from school. She graduated from Chaminade College Preparatory and then Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. In 1999, she got her first job outside of jewelry, working in the publicity department at Warner Bros Television. It gave her a foundation in public relations. Karaguezian says it was like a five-year boot camp in networking, learning to be part of a team, and mentoring new hires.
Kirk Kara’s classic initial necklace ($1,065) in 14k gold with natural diamonds shows the craftsmanship the company is known for, Angela Karaguezian says.
Most important, she expanded her skills in business and, specifically, raising awareness through publicity—which she’d always had a keen interest in, even as she made banners or set up jewelry cases for Kirk Kara. In April 2004, Karaguezian formally joined Kirk Kara, understanding that branding was a key to its growth.
“I wanted to make a larger impact on business development and saw the opportunity to grow my family’s business,” Karaguezian says. “My innate desire for entrepreneurship and branding was a perfect fit with the family business needs.”
Karaguezian went back to Loyola Marymount in 2008 for her MBA. She graduated in 2012 with a focus in entrepreneurship and marketing. “I wanted to get my MBA because I was committed to learning and improving my skills in business to help our family brand succeed,” she says. “The wealth of information and network of professionals I met along the way have supported me in developing Kirk Kara.”
These finely detailed floral studs ($1,665) with pink moissanite and 14k rose gold are a modernized take on florals, a traditional element in Kirk Kara jewelry.
Karaguezian became CEO of Kirk Kara in 2021. She says she brings a new perspective to the company as the first female leader, embracing innovation in its designs and concentrating on storytelling, marketing, and public relations.
One of those stories is that of the love between Angel and Artin. In May, Kirk Kara expanded its Artin collection to include handmade wedding bands for women. These bands are a nod to the elegance of the 1920s, Karaguezian says, but they also are sleek and modern for today’s women. The bands are satin-finished and feature diamonds and sapphires with a touch of hand engraving—a tribute to Artin and his craft.
Karaguezian also expanded the Stella collection with three-stone and hidden halo rings as well as the Dahlia collection with new bridal designs that feature intricate milgrain, marquis leaves, and flower detail.
“Our brand promise is ‘Forever Captivating.’ It speaks to the promise of the product and the women in a relationship,” Karaguezian says. “Tradition, ..."
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