TrendsJun 20, 2025
Dua Lipa Stays On-Trend With Chunky Engagement RingThe singer’s ring ticks off many bridal trends, with a thick band, half-bezel setting, and solitaire diamond.
TechnologyOct 13, 2017
‘Jewelry as a Service’ Start-Up Raises $5M
Flont offers a fine jewelry rental service, allowing consumers to try before they buy.
A ring by Crow’s Nest, one of the designers available to rent or buy through start-up company Flont
New York--Flont, a fine jewelry e-commerce site that allows customers to rent and then buy, announced Thursday that it has completed a $5 million capital raise.
Software inventor and founder of numerous start-ups Cormac Kinney started Flont last year and the site went live in May 2017.
Now it’s being backed by a number of private investors, the most noteworthy of which is C Ventures, headed by Adrian Cheng, the executive director of massive Chinese manufacturer and retailer Chow Tai Fook Jewelry Group. C Ventures' portfolio is a who’s who of sexy digital start-ups in the fashion and art world, with companies like Armarium, Bandier and Paddle8 on the roster.
The guiding principle behind Flont is “jewelry as a service.”
“In the on-demand economy, people want short-term use of a product, and to pay for it as a service,” Kinney explained to National Jeweler, “like ZipCar, AirBnB or Uber. Answering this demand, Flont created a new sales channel that delights consumers, and still supports brands and designers.”
Kinney’s knowledge of fine jewelry is personal; his wife is designer Mimi So.
“Over 17 years, I’ve seen how retail sales have been tremendously impacted by e-commerce, and this is magnified for fine jewelry, which is a high-touch sale,” said Kinney. “More and more people prefer to shop online, or on their phone, so the industry needs to bring the jewelry to the clients. Our solution is to promote discovery through borrowing, and enable customers to ‘try and buy.’”
There are three main ways for consumers to interact with Flont.
They can become members for $299 a month (for a minimum of three months) and receive unlimited fine jewelry rentals from the site, up to $5,000 at one time, with Flont covering the cost of FedEx and insurance for one item a month or 12 total items a year, and customers paying for the shipping and insurance fees for additional items.
Flont also allows four-day rentals for non-members, in the manner of Rent The Runway, targeted toward special occasions. Rental rates range from $129 to $379, depending on an item’s retail value.
Finally, consumers can shop directly on the site, and if they’re members they receive a discount on pieces.
More than 40 fine jewelry brands are working in partnership with Flont so far, ranging from big names like Chopard, Cartier, David Webb and Van Cleef & Arpels, to independents like
Pamela Love, Sabine Getty, Deborah Pagani and, of course, Mimi So.
As the husband of a designer, Kinney has the benefit of understanding what designers need from their relationship with Flont.
“The most important benefit we provide is brand discovery,” he said. “We are uncovering and enabling new, lifelong fine jewelry consumers. Our designers benefit financially by sharing a portion of our revenue each time someone borrows their jewelry. It's ‘fair trade’ for designers. Of course, they benefit when a Flont member purchases their jewelry, too.”
When it comes to consumers, Kinney noticed an incompatibility between fine jewelry and online shopping.
Similar to Memo, the company that is centered on allowing consumers to try on fine jewelry at home before they buy and return pieces for free, Flont’s services are an attempt to overcome the disconnect that comes from not trying on jewelry in person before purchase.
Kinney said, “The ideal consumer experience consists of walking into a beautiful store, choosing from a variety of designs, and most importantly, holding the jewelry in your hand. This experience is essential to an expensive and personal purchase. By offering jewelry rental, and our unlimited jewelry membership, we enable a critical part of the purchasing process: wearing the jewelry.
“Our clients can borrow anything they like, and test drive it at work, at events, or with their loved ones. Some clients use Flont as an unlimited jewelry box, and some use it in order to decide what they want to keep forever.”
Flont has brought on a team of digital and luxury experts, including jewelry editor Brooke Magnaghi, who also was part of fine jewelry e-commerce company Stone & Strand.
With the capital it’s raised thus far, Flont will increase inventory and staff, and expand into the Chinese market.
Kinney also said his team is “developing services for both department stores and retail jewelry stores, where members borrow jewelry in person.”
Customers can already do so at Flont’s “Member Lounge” at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, where they can try pieces on and change out their jewelry.
As the husband of a designer, Kinney has the benefit of understanding what designers need from their relationship with Flont.
“The most important benefit we provide is brand discovery,” he said. “We are uncovering and enabling new, lifelong fine jewelry consumers. Our designers benefit financially by sharing a portion of our revenue each time someone borrows their jewelry. It's ‘fair trade’ for designers. Of course, they benefit when a Flont member purchases their jewelry, too.”
When it comes to consumers, Kinney noticed an incompatibility between fine jewelry and online shopping.
Similar to Memo, the company that is centered on allowing consumers to try on fine jewelry at home before they buy and return pieces for free, Flont’s services are an attempt to overcome the disconnect that comes from not trying on jewelry in person before purchase.
Kinney said, “The ideal consumer experience consists of walking into a beautiful store, choosing from a variety of designs, and most importantly, holding the jewelry in your hand. This experience is essential to an expensive and personal purchase. By offering jewelry rental, and our unlimited jewelry membership, we enable a critical part of the purchasing process: wearing the jewelry.
“Our clients can borrow anything they like, and test drive it at work, at events, or with their loved ones. Some clients use Flont as an unlimited jewelry box, and some use it in order to decide what they want to keep forever.”
Flont has brought on a team of digital and luxury experts, including jewelry editor Brooke Magnaghi, who also was part of fine jewelry e-commerce company Stone & Strand.
With the capital it’s raised thus far, Flont will increase inventory and staff, and expand into the Chinese market.
Kinney also said his team is “developing services for both department stores and retail jewelry stores, where members borrow jewelry in person.”
Customers can already do so at Flont’s “Member Lounge” at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, where they can try pieces on and change out their jewelry.
More on Technology
The Latest
TrendsJun 20, 2025
Piece of the Week: Yvonne Léon’s ‘Python Gold’ BraceletThe bracelet references vintage high jewelry and snake symbolism as a playful piece where a python’s head becomes a working belt buckle.
CrimeJun 18, 2025
7 Men Indicted in $100M Brinks Jewelry HeistThe heist happened in Lebec, California, in 2022 when a Brinks truck was transporting goods from one show in California to another.
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
AuctionsJun 18, 2025
Historic ‘Marie-Thérèse Pink’ Diamond Fetches $14M at Christie’sThe 10-carat fancy purple-pink diamond with potential links to Marie Antoinette headlined the white-glove jewelry auction this week.
Weekly QuizJun 20, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
EditorsJun 18, 2025
Q&A: Caryl Capeci Dives Into Cruise Jewelry ShoppingThe Starboard Cruises SVP discusses who is shopping for jewelry on ships, how much they’re spending, and why brands should get on board.
AuctionsJun 18, 2025
16th-Century ‘Gresham Grasshopper’ Ring Sells for $56KThe historic signet ring exceeded its estimate at Noonans Mayfair’s jewelry auction this week.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America is Headed to Las Vegas for JCK 2025The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.
CollectionsJun 18, 2025
Kirk Kara Celebrates 135 Years With New JewelsTo mark the milestone, the brand is introducing new non-bridal fine jewelry designs for the first time in two decades.
SourcingJun 18, 2025
Gemfields Sells 36-Carat Rough RubyThe gemstone is the third most valuable ruby to come out of the Montepuez mine, Gemfields said.
EditorsJun 17, 2025
The Best New Jewelry from Couture 2025, Part 1Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 of her favorite pieces from the jewelry collections that debuted at Couture.
ColumnistsJun 17, 2025
Peter Smith: Is Your Comp Plan a Hiring Hindrance?If you want to attract good salespeople and generate a stream of “sleeping money” for your jewelry store, then you are going to have to pay.
AuctionsJun 17, 2025
Colored Gemstones, Signed Jewels Shine in Sotheby’s High Jewelry SaleThe top lot was a colorless Graff diamond, followed by a Burmese ruby necklace by Marcus & Co.
MajorsJun 17, 2025
Amanda Gizzi Gets a Promotion at JAGizzi, who has been in the industry since 2001, is now Jewelers of America’s senior vice president of corporate affairs.
MajorsJun 17, 2025
Kering Names Automotive Exec as Its New CEOLuca de Meo, a 30-year veteran of the auto industry, will succeed longtime CEO François-Henri Pinault.
EditorsJun 16, 2025
Q&A: Bogolo Joy Kenewendo on Mining, Tariffs, and the Energy of Las VegasFollowing visits to Vegas and New York, Botswana’s minerals minister sat down with Michelle Graff to discuss the state of the diamond market.
IndependentsJun 16, 2025
Greenwich St. Jewelers Launches Commitment Campaign Celebrating LGBTQ+ CouplesThe “Your Love Has the Perfect Ring” campaign showcases the strength of love and need for inclusivity and representation, the jeweler said.
MajorsJun 16, 2025
Ivette Nersesyan-Stephanopoulos Joins Tiffany & Co.The former De Beers executive is the jewelry house’s new director of high jewelry for the Americas.
MajorsJun 16, 2025
Catbird Names WNBA Star Nyara Sabally as Its New Brand AmbassadorThe New York Liberty forward is the first athlete to represent the Brooklyn-based jewelry brand.
CollectionsJun 13, 2025
Piece of the Week: Robinson Pelham’s Pear EarringsTake a bite out of the 14-karat yellow gold “Fruits of Love Pear” earrings featuring peridots, diamond stems, and tsavorite leaves.
Events & AwardsJun 13, 2025
AGA to Host ‘Diamonds From Mine to Market’ Education ConferenceThe one-day virtual event will feature speakers from De Beers, GIA, and Gemworld International.
EditorsJun 12, 2025
15 Questions With Jewelry Photographer Ella SophieThe California-based creative talks jewelry photography in the modern era and tackles FAQs about working with a pro for the first time.
AuctionsJun 12, 2025
Vintage Patek Philippe From the ‘50s Sells for $4M at Sotheby’s Al Capone’s pocket watch also found a buyer, though it went for less than half of what it did at auction four years ago.
Events & AwardsJun 12, 2025
Gabriel Love Foundation Introduces Scholarship Honoring Elias GabrielThe foundation has also expanded its “Stronger Together” initiative with Jewelers for Children.
AuctionsJun 12, 2025
Former De Beers Exec Celine Assimon Joins BonhamsAssimon is the auction house’s new chief commercial officer.
EditorsJun 11, 2025
Q&A: Al Cook on Differentiating Natural Diamonds, Traceability, and TariffsThe De Beers Group CEO discusses the company’s new “beacon” program, the likelihood diamonds will be exempt from tariffs, and “Origin.”
MajorsJun 11, 2025
Pandora Bets on Las Vegas for First North American FlagshipThe Danish jewelry giant hosted its grand opening last weekend, complete with a Pandora pink roulette wheel.
