Diamonds and Scoundrels: My Life in the Jewelry Business

by Adrienne Rubin

Overview

When Adrienne Rubin enters into the jewelry business in 1970s Los Angeles, she is a maverick in a world dominated by men. She soon meets a young hotshot salesman who doesn’t seem to struggle at all, and when he asks her to be his partner, she is excited to join him. She doesn’t know him well, but she does know his father, and she believes he is as trustworthy as the day is long . . .
Diamonds and Scoundrels shows us how a woman in a man’s world, with tenacity and sheer determination, can earn respect and obtain a true sense of accomplishment. Following Rubin’s experiences in the jewelry industry through the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s—with the ups and downs, good guys and bad—this is a tale of personal growth, of how to overcome challenges with courage and resilience. It’s a story for the woman today who, in addition to a rich family life, seeks a self-realized, fulfilling path toward a life well lived.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781631527050
Publisher:	She Writes Press
Publication date:	09/17/2019
Pages:	296
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.60(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Originally a high school French teacher, Adrienne Rubin published two cookbooks for charity before making the decision to go into business as an importer of fine jewelry, selling to the trade. She sold to stores all across the country and eventually opened Avanti Fine Jewelry, her own jewelry store in Beverly Hills. Today she pursues other investments while spending time with her husband, children, and grandchildren in Los Angeles.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 From Whence Comes This Yearning? 1

Chapter 2 A Rough Beginning 13

Chapter 3 Learning from the Best 25

Chapter 4 Go for the Gold 32

Chapter 5 King Tut 36

Chapter 6 Juggling Time and Money 44

Chapter 7 From Gold to Diamonds 49

Chapter 8 When You Fall, the Only Place to Go is Up 60

Chapter 9 Staying the Course 72

Chapter 10 Buy, Buy, Buy 83

Chapter 11 Risky Business! 89

Chapter 12 A Full Time Job and Other Distractions 95

Chapter 13 Sergey, Dan, and a Special Offer 107

Chapter 14 A Penny Saved 116

Chapter 15 D & G Jewelry Manufacturing, Inc., A Start-Up Company 120

Chapter 16 Flashback 128

Chapter 17 Every Man for Himself, and Every Woman 133

Chapter 18 Sudden Wealth 146

Chapter 19 ABCDEFG 152

Chapter 20 Trust and Deception 161

Chapter 21 What's it All About, Alfie? 172

Chapter 22 A Friend Gets in Trouble 177

Chapter 23 Shenanigans 181

Chapter 24 The Last Straw 189

Chapter 25 My Dad Slips Away 196

Chapter 26 "You Can't Possibly Be That Smart" 200

Chapter 27 Diverting and Plundering the Profits 208

Chapter 28 Greedy Selfish Scoundrels 211

Chapter 29 Dan's Achilles Heel 216

Chapter 30 Resilience 220

Chapter 31 Colored Gems, Inc. 239

Chapter 32 Selling Diamonds Can be Tricky 242

Chapter 33 Heedless Gall 246

Chapter 34 Searching for Answers 254

Chapter 35 Enough is Enough 258

Chapter 36 Assessing the Future 265

Book Club Discussion Questions 271

Case Study of The Diamonds and Gold

Jewelry Manufacturing Company, Inc 273

Editorial Reviews

Diamonds & Scoundrels is an incredible story of a woman who seemingly had it all but craved purpose. Through determination, boldness, entrepreneurial spirit and sheer will, she built a flourishing business, smashed barriers and proved that no dream is out of reach if you simply refuse to quit. It’s a story of business, betrayal, justice and even love. Best of all, her story serves as an incredible learning guide for anyone seeking to live life to the fullest, pursue fulfillment, and achieve goals. Diamonds & Scoundrels had me mesmerized, and the real gem in it is Adrienne Rubin.” —Matt Iseman, host, American Ninja Warrior “Diamonds and Scoundrels is a fascinating story about an extraordinary woman, whom I know personally and admire greatly. She started her own company, naive but full of courage, and was truly ahead of her time, navigating the cutthroat business world in ways that were uncommon for women of that generation. The story is a pleasure to read and proves that success can come to all who persevere.” —H Dayan, manufacturer, importer of fine jewelry and rare diamonds “If Diamonds and Scoundrels weren’t real, it would be a romp of a fiction novel! Rubin's revealing life in the jewelry biz is both an entertaining and informative narrative, from primer to master class on how to create a business, with a lexicon of pitfalls and successes. Adrienne clearly underscores that often we learn more from our failures and misjudgments of character than from our easy wins.” —Barbara Lazaroff, Designer, Restaurateur, and cofounder of the Wolfgang Puck brand “Steeped in women’s empowerment and behind-the-scenes candor, Diamonds and Scoundrels is an entertaining memoir about entrepreneurship. . . . Adrienne Rubin’s gutsy and arresting memoir . . . details her shift from a placid, 1960s homemaking life to an adventurous career, capturing thirty-five years of wisdom and growth.” —Foreword Clarion Reviews “Beautifully written memoir by a Los Angeles housewife who has it all . . . Her story involves working day and night in a man's world, evading robbers, fending off sexual advances, and traveling all over the world in search of uniquely designed handmade jewelry. All in all a great adventure that reads like fiction.” —Robert T. Altman, Superior Court Judge for California (ret.) “The book begins as a seemingly prosaic story—a bored housewife starts a small business as a way to enrich her placid life. But don’t be fooled. Soon you are on the journey and rooting for Adrienne as she encounters and overcomes her challenges. At every turn she is underestimated by competitors and potential partners. The book adeptly interweaves the human side with the business side, and it brims with lessons on entrepreneurship, trust, and how to defend your interests as a minority shareholder.” —Professor Marvin Lieberman, UCLA Anderson School of Management

From the Publisher