Unchained Talk: An Exclusive Interview with Jewelry Mogul Paul Kaminsky of Kaminsky Jewelry Group

👋 The Backstory: From a Trade Show Handshake to a 600-Store Empire

It was 2011, back at the JCK Show in Vegas, when I first met Paul Kaminsky.

I was in a modest booth with 925 silver rope chains from Arezzo, hoping to land a few orders. Paul showed up with aviators, Air Force energy, and a crew of buyers behind him. He picked up one of our 5mm Diamond Cut Rope Chains (24”) and said:

“If this thing’s really from Italy, I’ll take 200.”

15 minutes later, the invoice was signed. Fast forward to today, and Paul owns over 600 mall jewelry boutiques and kiosks under the Kaminsky Jewelry Group brand—selling millions in real silver and gold each year.

I sat down with him recently to talk about the state of the industry, fake competitors, overpriced middlemen, and why Italian silver is dominating the market in 2025.

🔥 The Interview

Mark (ItaliaChains):
Paul, good to have you here. You’ve built one of the biggest jewelry retail empires in America. What keeps you up at night?

Paul (Kaminsky Jewelry Group):
Inventory shrinkage...and that one kiosk in Minneapolis where the manager keeps playing techno remixes of Celine Dion. But seriously? Quality control and trust. That’s what matters most now.

Mark:
You used to buy from us directly. Do you still source your jewelry in Italy?

Paul:
Absolutely. I’ve moved 100% of my silver and vermeil production to Italy. No China. Not because I’m anti-China—but because Italy’s quality is unbeatable. The finish, the stamping, the feel...it’s night and day.

Mark:
So you’ve built your own manufacturing pipeline?

Paul:
Exactly. After years of working with you and other trusted vendors, I finally opened a design and production workshop in Vicenza. We still buy components from Arezzo, but final assembly is ours. It’s how I control everything—weight, links, locking mechanisms.

Mark:
So let’s name names. Thoughts on Ice Cartel, Ice Giant, and Guu Shop?

Paul:
Snake oil salesmen. They’re charging $100+ for “silver-plated brass.” It looks shiny for 3 weeks, then you start seeing green skin and broken links. Their stuff wouldn’t pass a real XRF gun if their life depended on it.

Mark:
They advertise like crazy though.

Paul:
Yeah, and it works—for one-time buyers. But 70% of their customers never come back. At Kaminsky, we want people returning every birthday, every Valentine’s Day, every tax refund season.

Mark:
And what about “middlemen brands” like Luke Zion Jewelry?

Paul:
He’s like the Shopify version of a jewelry store. He’s reselling what you guys make. I’ve literally seen ItaliaChains products on his site for 3x the price. Props to the hustle, but that’s why I tell my customers: Go to the source.

Mark:
We’ve had customers switch over after realizing they paid $160 for a 5mm Figaro Chain we sell for $75.

Paul:
Exactly. People are waking up. They search “925 silver chain” and now they land on your blog instead of ads.

Mark:
Let’s get into trends. What’s selling right now?

Paul:

• 3mm Rope Chains — thin, flashy, and stackable

• 8mm Cuban Chains — solid weight, hip hop appeal

• Square Franco Chains — super popular with younger guys

• Iced-out moissanite pendants — anything that passes a diamond tester sells like hotcakes

Mark:
Do customers actually ask if it’s made in Italy?

Paul:
More than ever. They associate Italy with real jewelry. I even had a customer say, “If it’s from Arezzo, I’ll pay extra.” You don’t hear that about Dongguan.

Mark:
Any new chain styles emerging?

Paul:
The Curb-Figaro hybrid chains are hot. And weirdly, men’s anklets are blowing up. Blame TikTok.

Mark:
Let’s flip it—what’s not selling?

Paul:
Gold-plated stainless. People are done with fakes. Also those crazy giant pendants shaped like cartoon characters? Leave that in 2018.

Mark:
Do you still think mall jewelry is a long-term play?

Paul:
Yes—if it’s omnichannel. You need the kiosk, the website, and the TikTok. Malls still have foot traffic, but digital is how you retarget.

Mark:
Best-selling lengths?

Paul:
Men: 20"–24"
Women: 16"–18"
And the new flex? Custom lengths. I see guys ordering 21.5" chains just to be different.

🔥 Quickfire Round

Mark: Worst customer excuse?
Paul: “The chain broke because my pitbull chewed it.”

Mark: Most overused marketing word?
Paul: “Iced.” Like bruh… it’s moissanite, not Antarctica.

Mark: Ever bought jewelry from one of your competitors?
Paul: Only to return it and see how long the refund takes.

Mark: Favorite chain personally?
Paul: 6mm Diamond-Cut Rope. Heavy, classic, no nonsense.

Mark: What do you say when someone asks why your chain costs more than Amazon’s?
Paul: “Because mine’s real.”

🤣 Bonus Jokes Before We Wrapped

Mark:
If the jewelry game crashes, what’ll you do?

Paul:
Easy. I’ll open a food truck called “925 Tacos”—each one stamped and served with a lobster clasp.

Mark:
Fair. I’ll be your supply chain manager. Literally.

Paul:
Let’s hope it never comes to that.

🧠 Final Thoughts from Paul:

“Jewelry isn’t about flash anymore—it’s about trust, quality, and story. Whether it’s a $50 chain or a $500 one, people want to know who made it, what it’s made from, and why it matters.”

👉 Want Real Italian 925 Silver Chains?

Skip the middlemen. Avoid the plated junk. Shop factory-direct at ItaliaChains.com.