Aida Bogosian, store owner

Aida Bogosian’s childhood was torn right from a James Bond movie. She was born in Lebanon but when the civil war broke out and her twin brothers were targets of a kidnapping, Mother Teresa (a friend of Aida’s father) arranged for Aida and her brothers to be transported by tank to the local airport, then flown to Africa.

As a 15-year old girl in Africa, Aida sat at a desk with her father, a rough diamond buyer, facing mounds of rough-cut diamonds. For hours on end, her father taught her about buying, pricing, and evaluating diamonds. She soaked everything up. Her father dreamed of her becoming a Gemologist, which is exactly what she became. In 1980, Aida graduated from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). After working at a diamond office, where she evaluated the cuts of diamonds, plotted the stones, and directed the cutters to recut the stones to their ideal proportions, Aida joined Kazanjian Brothers in Beverly Hills. There she became the assistant to the founder and learned how to buy and sell estate jewelry. She also traveled the world mastering the art of buying fine jewelry at auctions and from private sales.

Matthew's Jewelry Story

In 1984, she met Michael Bogosian and her world would take yet another exciting, life-changing turn. Michael had already opened a small jewelry store in 1972, named Matthew’s, located in Studio City, California. Looking to get into trade shows and possibly branch out into the fashion world, Aida and Michael created and marketed jeweled sterling silver belt buckles. While the buckles were exhibited at New York accessory shows, Michael and Aida were eager for these new creations to be featured at jewelry shows. But the jewelry show people turned them down. They told Michael and Aida to come back with jewelry. So they did. By the next jewelry show, in 1993, Michael had designed the first Michael B line: an 18 karat Estruscan line, featuring precious gems. Aida set up jewelry shows and did all the marketing and press for the new line. As fresh, successful designers, Michael and Aida attended a Platinum Guild event, where it was suggested to Michael that he design a platinum bridal jewelry line.

In 1994, the Michael B platinum bridal jewelry line was launched. Aida represented the line throughout the United States, helping to make the line an instant success. Aida grew and operated Matthew’s Jewelry Store while Michael continued designing jewelry until Michael’s sudden passing in 2014. Aida continues to run the store today with the help of her and Michael’s two sons while she also buys and evaluates diamonds, does appraisals, and repurposes old jewelry into heirlooms of the future. She also oversees the design and production of Michael’s legacy, the Michael B line, which continues to be a successful bridal line sold nationwide.