FinancialsMay 30, 2025
Movado’s Q1 Sales Slip Amid ‘Challenging’ Retail Environment The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.
IndependentsNov 14, 2016
Meet a Retailer: Kultia Jewels
Greece is known for its proliferation of talented jewelers; now meet its coolest fine jewelry e-commerce site.
Pictured left is Marina Manolopoulou-Vassiliou, the founder of Kultia Jewels. On the right are rings by Elena Votsi, one of the designers sold by the online retailer.
Athens, Greece--Marina Manolopoulou-Vassiliou was born and raised in Greece, and the e-commerce site founder marries the best of her country’s ancient culture with a distinctly global, modern point-of-view.
This is in part because she's lived and worked throughout Europe and the United States.
She earned her MBA at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and worked in both London and Athens for years in strategy consulting before completely shifting focus to pursue her personal passion: jewelry.
Now, Manolopoulou-Vassiliou is a champion of Greek fine jewelry design in particular. In 2013, she launched Kultia Jewels, a fine jewelry e-commerce site that also operates boutiques in various Greek luxury hotels.
“I thought there was a need for good representation of independent designers,” said Manolopoulou-Vassiliou of creating her company. “Coming from a country where jewelry is really important and the heritage is so strong, I felt it would be a great opportunity for me to start representing these designers.”
Heritage is an undeniable foundation of all things related to Greek jewelry, and it’s the reason most Greek jewelry designers give when asked about the abundance of talented designers from their country.
“If you go to any museum you can see that jewelry was part of the everyday life of the Athenian people and the Greek people in antiquity,” Manolopoulou-Vassiliou said. “We have people now who have been working as craftspeople for many, many years.”
She credits design house Lalaounis for making Greek design an international success.
“Lalaounis has been there forever and has kept it alive. In the last century, (Ilias Lalaounis) revived jewelry making. And then a lot of the younger generations were inspired by Elena Votsi.”
Currently, Kultia Jewels carries about 22 designers. A little more than half are Greek, including brands such as Votsi, Elena Syraka, Ileana Makri and Lito.
But Manolopoulou-Vassiliou doesn’t limit herself to her countrymen and women. She also champions “mostly European up-and-coming designers,” she said.
She stocks designers she would wear herself. When asked to pick a favorite, she admitted that she had a few, though she “tends to love all of them.”
Her first choice was Votsi, and partly for sentimental reasons.
“She was one of the first designers who helped me to start Kultia and supported me,” Manolopoulou-Vassiliou explained. “From the younger generation I definitely admire the work of Ioanna Souflia. She’s using the Greek marble as her inspiration and creating really unique pieces.”
Manolopoulou-Vassiliou also said that she greatly admired Italian designer Carolina Bucci because her jewelry “is so easy to wear and layer.”
As for the e-commerce fine jewelry business in general, true to her holistic approach, Manolopoulou-Vassiliou is dedicated to combining traditional and new retail practices.
“It’s getting better and better,” she said of the e-commerce element. “I still find that people need to have experienced a piece, so that means that maybe it’s something they’ve seen before so they buy it online, or they buy things online if they know what to expect (from that designer).”
“E-commerce is amazing for discovering new designers,” she continued, “but Kultia has the benefit that we have physical locations, so people usually try to see the piece in person before buying it, though not always.”
However, Manolopoulou-Vassiliou acknowledged that there are limitations to shopping for fine jewelry online.
“I think it will be easy for pieces up to $5,000 or $6,000. Beyond that point, it happens, but it’s much less.”
For more information about Kultia Jewels, visit Kultia.com.
Manolopoulou-Vassiliou also said that she greatly admired Italian designer Carolina Bucci because her jewelry “is so easy to wear and layer.”
As for the e-commerce fine jewelry business in general, true to her holistic approach, Manolopoulou-Vassiliou is dedicated to combining traditional and new retail practices.
“It’s getting better and better,” she said of the e-commerce element. “I still find that people need to have experienced a piece, so that means that maybe it’s something they’ve seen before so they buy it online, or they buy things online if they know what to expect (from that designer).”
“E-commerce is amazing for discovering new designers,” she continued, “but Kultia has the benefit that we have physical locations, so people usually try to see the piece in person before buying it, though not always.”
However, Manolopoulou-Vassiliou acknowledged that there are limitations to shopping for fine jewelry online.
“I think it will be easy for pieces up to $5,000 or $6,000. Beyond that point, it happens, but it’s much less.”
For more information about Kultia Jewels, visit Kultia.com.
More on Independents
The Latest
Policies & IssuesMay 30, 2025
Tariffs & Designers: Navigating Pricing in an Unstable EnvironmentBetween tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.
CollectionsMay 30, 2025
Piece of the Week: Renato Cipullo’s ‘Hematite Blaze’ NecklaceDesigned by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.
Brought to you by
Clienteling Isn’t a Buzzword. It’s an Essential Business Model.More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.
Policies & IssuesMay 30, 2025
Trade Court Declares Trump’s Tariffs InvalidHowever, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.
Weekly QuizMay 30, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsMay 29, 2025
Britney Spears Files Trademark for New Jewelry LineThe pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.
Supplier BulletinMay 29, 2025
Inoveo Platinum Grain, Exclusively Distributed by StullerSponsored by Stuller
Brought to you by
Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show: Showcasing the Most Collectible Merchandise from Across the GlobeGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
SourcingMay 29, 2025
Grizzly Auctions 6,620-Carat EmeraldIt was featured in the miner’s latest sale, which brought in $24.8 million.
TechnologyMay 29, 2025
GemFind Launches AI Product Description SoftwareGemText AI uses artificial intelligence to generate tailored product titles, descriptions, and tags with jewelry-specific language.
MajorsMay 28, 2025
Graff Unveils New Las Vegas FlagshipThe 3,300-square foot location is the jeweler's largest store in North America.
CrimeMay 28, 2025
8 Convicted in Kim Kardashian Jewelry Heist TrialAging and with myriad health issues, none will serve time for their roles in robbing the billionaire celebrity at gunpoint in 2016.
CollectionsMay 28, 2025
NY Liberty’s 2024 Championship Rings Honor Historic WinThe WNBA team received rings imbued with meaning, from leaf motifs and its Liberty torch to the number of diamonds used.
MajorsMay 28, 2025
Andrew Rickard Named JBT PresidentA longtime executive at RDI Diamonds, Rickard has served on the JBT board for the past five years.
MajorsMay 27, 2025
MJSA to Become Part of Jewelers of America The two organizations have signed an affiliation agreement that’s expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.
AuctionsMay 27, 2025
Al Capone’s Patek Philippe Pocket Watch Back Up for AuctionThe platinum and diamond watch is part of Sotheby’s upcoming Important Watches sale.
AuctionsMay 27, 2025
182-Carat Paraíba-Type Tourmaline Sells for $487K Recovered in Mozambique, “The Kat Florence Lumina” was part of Bonhams’ Hong Kong jewelry auction held last week.
TrendsMay 27, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Candy-Colored GemstonesGet a taste of the delicious candy-like gemstones in this Amanda’s Style File.
CrimeMay 23, 2025
JSA Shares Holiday Weekend Security Tips Amid Spike in BurglariesJSA’s Scott Guginsky provided a list of nine security measures jewelers should observe while locking up for the long weekend.
CollectionsMay 23, 2025
Piece of the Week: Bliss Lau’s ‘Bright’ RingFrom Lau’s “Love of a Kind” series, the engagement ring was inspired by the moon and holds a different meaning depending on how it is worn.
GradingMay 23, 2025
GIA Updates Pearl Classification SystemThe lab has adjusted the scale it uses for nacre grading.
Supplier BulletinMay 22, 2025
How to Put Natural Diamonds Back in the SpotlightSponsored by GCAL by Sarine
CrimeMay 22, 2025
NY Jeweler Sentenced in Shoving Death of Colleague at IJO ShowDavid Walton will serve three years’ probation after an incident in a hotel bar led to the death of West Virginia jeweler David Ettinger.
FinancialsMay 22, 2025
Watches of Switzerland’s Full-Year U.S. Sales Climb 14% The retailer also provided an update on how the tariffs situation in the U.S. is affecting its business.
Events & AwardsMay 22, 2025
Jose Hess Design Awards Announce JudgesThe nonprofit elected five judges who will decide the winners of its design competition.
MajorsMay 22, 2025
MJSA Releases 2025-2026 Buyer’s GuideThis year’s edition includes articles on the favorite tools of notable designers, evaluating when to outsource production, and more.
CollectionsMay 21, 2025
Bulgari Highlights Its Colorful Past in Phenomenal ‘Polychroma’ CollectionThe jeweler’s high jewelry collection features extraordinary gemstones, like a 241.06-carat emerald and the world’s fourth-largest spinel.
