Success Strategy: 100% Sincerity

Giedrimas Tumėnas, a lover of gemstones and jewelry and founder of the brand “Août,” has dedicated his life to this industry and amassed extensive knowledge about precious stones. From his early career selling silver jewelry in small Lithuanian towns to working with the world’s rarest investment diamonds and gems, and selling them to the world’s elite at leading jewelry houses such as Tiffany & Co., Chopard, Graff, and Moussaieff, his journey is remarkable.

 

Tell us about the beginning of your journey as a jeweler. Was there a specific moment that inspired you to start this career?

Yes, I started working in jewelry quite accidentally. While studying in Kaunas, I needed to do an internship, and at that time, my brother was working with a person involved in wholesale gold and silver trading. I began with the most accessible segment of jewelry – silver.

Have you completed jewelry studies?

In terms of jewelry, I am completely self-taught. My greatest passion is studying stones. When I moved to London and started working in jewelry houses, I felt the need to learn more about gemstones, so I asked my superiors for time off to study. They suggested I be responsible for high jewelry maintenance, saying that no textbooks could teach better than the opportunity to continuously study the world’s finest stones.

Every morning, I began by examining millions of dollars’ worth of gems laid out on the table, preparing them for the day’s work. Most of my gemstone and jewelry studies come from practical experience.

How did you manage to get a job at the most prestigious jewelry houses in London?

I was very fortunate. I met a recruitment agent with whom I developed a friendly relationship. I shared with her my dream of one day working at Graff, even though it seemed impossible at the time. Three years after our last conversation, while I was working at Chopard, the agent called me saying there was an opportunity to meet with the director of Graff. It was an invaluable chance.

Going to the meeting, I knew well that I was competing with the best jewelry professionals in the world, and I had nothing to boast about. I thought long about what could impress such a person and realized that I had neither extensive experience, nor a luxurious appearance, nor influential contacts.

I decided to try 100% sincerity. When asked to tell about myself, I asked if he knew where Šilainiai is, talked about growing up in the “concrete jungle,” that I had done few things I could be proud of, but at that moment I was in this luxurious office, ready to do everything for Graff’s clients. A week later, I received the contract.

During our second meeting, I asked for advice on making successful sales. The director’s answer was, “Be yourself and everything will be fine.” Simplicity and openness were the qualities that led me to success and allowed me to connect with clients.

What fascinates you most about jewelry?

The most interesting thing is working with the people surrounding this field. Especially when we start talking about investment stones – you can meet very interesting characters. I never thought in my life that I would be lucky enough to meet such personalities. Another thing that fascinates me the most is the stones. You can spend all day looking at a gemstone. Each of them is uniquely special. When studying stones like emeralds, you get lost in them and lose track of time.

How did the idea of creating your own jewelry brand “Août” come about?

Together with my colleague Emilė Čapienė, we realized that we needed a name to represent us better, to carry out our activities more smoothly. Our main vision was to work with exceptionally high-quality and rare stones and impeccable handcrafted jewelry. This is often done on a bespoke basis. To meet people interested in this, we decided to create a brand.

Overall, it is very good to have a partner who is entirely different from yourself. I was very fortunate because Emilė has high emotional intelligence and an exceptional taste for visual product presentation. We complement each other perfectly, which greatly contributes to the successful development of the brand.

How would you describe the uniqueness of the “Août” brand?

Every jeweler creates what they like – some focus on individual design, others on interesting textures or less commonly used materials. For me, a piece of jewelry always starts with the stone. The greatest uniqueness lies in the quality of the stones and craftsmanship.

Which gemstones or jewelry pieces in your collection are you most proud of?

We are most proud of a few pieces with rubies and emeralds. We managed to find people who understand and see why it is sometimes worth paying up to ten times more for a similar-looking gemstone. Then you can have a rarity worth the attention of collectors and investors.

What gemstones are currently the most popular among clients?

There is the so-called big four – diamond, emerald, sapphire, and ruby. The diamond is, of course, the most popular everywhere. In Lithuania, the next one would probably be the blue sapphire.

Many of our clients choose emeralds, perhaps I myself inspire a love for that deep green.

We are also starting to pay more attention to colorful gemstones like tourmalines, aquamarines, garnets.

What inspires you to create?

The answer is very simple – nature, stones, and traditional goldsmithing. I am a complete lover of classics and handcrafted work.

How do you adapt to changing consumer needs? Do you follow trends?

When it comes to expensive stones with lasting value, after reviewing all trend options, it is most likely to return to classics. There is a very good reason for this – classic design best reveals the stone. Usually, the whole design of the jewelry is dictated by the stone, its shape, and color.

Could you share any new project or collection?

We have created a collection called “Both,” which talks about duality in life – revealing two different sides. This collection is represented by two different surfaces playing with each other and reflecting one another.

Do you offer any unique services to your clients?