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<ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.yvel.com/aboutus/">Yvel</a>, an Israeli-luxury jewelry brand, designed and sold a $1.5 million face mask to an unidentified buyer, who commissioned the piece to help keep Yvel afloat during the pandemic.</li><li>Founded in 1986 by Orna and Issac Levy, Yvel is best known for its natural pearl and diamond pieces that have been seen on big names such as Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Scarlett Johansson.</li><li>During the pandemic, Issac Levy wrote to his top clients, asking if any would like to purchase some jewelry to help keep Yvel production going. </li><li>A mystery buyer stepped in, asking Yvel to produce the world's most expensive face mask, which would help pay Yvel workers and production fees during this time. </li><li>The mask, valued at $1.5 million, is made with 250 grams of 18-carat gold and set with 3,608 natural black and white diamonds.</li><li>It also features a slot to insert disposable N-99 masks, which offer the highest level of filtration and protects from COVID-19.</li></ul>Issac Levy, CEO and cofounder of the <a href="https://www.yvel.com/aboutus/">Israeli luxury jewelry brand Yvel</a>, didn't set out to make the world's most expensive COVID mask. But during a period of intense uncertainty, he knew he couldn't let his employees down.So after taking a commission from a wealthy businessman who wanted an 18-carat gold face mask with 3,608 natural black and white diamonds, Levy found himself producing a mask worth approximately $1.5 million over the course of five months. The goal: Use the proceeds to help support the business and compensate all 150 of his employees during the turbulent times of the pandemic. The final mask weighs about 210 carats and features a slot to insert disposable <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90491123/what-is-an-n99-mask-and-should-you-buy-one">N99 masks</a>. (The gentleman who bought the face mask requested anonymity "for safety reasons," Levy told Business Insider, though Harper's Bazaar Arabia reported it was a "<a href="https://www.harpersbazaararabia.com/shows-trends/these-are-5-of-the-worlds-most-expensive-face-masks">Chinese billionaire from Shanghai</a>.")"I know that the world is interested in the glitz and the mask and in the entire exciting thing about producing something so unusual," Levy told Business Insider. "For us at Yvel, at the end of the day, it's all about making sure to reach out to the people that need that support in challenging times." <h2>Levy and the buyer spoke about a mask ranging from $100,000 to $10 million </h2>Founded in 1986 by Levy and his wife Orna, Yvel is best known for its natural pearl and diamond pieces that can run into the thousands of dollars. Yvel pieces have been <a href="https://www.townandcountrymag.com/style/jewelry-and-watches/a28698654/yvel-israel-jewelry/">seen on megastars such as</a> Rihanna and <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/israel-s-megemeria--a-genesis-for-one-immigrant-population-135234584.html">Katy Perry,</a> as well as actresses such as Scarlett Johansson and <a href="https://www.fshnmagazine.com/luxury-jewelry-brand-yvel-1st-u-s-flagship-store-in-miamis-design-district/">Bette Midler.</a> When the pandemic came, Levy said he and a wealthy businessman who was looking to help the company out, went back and forth on ideas for a mask that would cost as little as $100,000 and as high as $10 million, Levy said. Finally, they settled on a price."He said, what about a million, and I said, it sounds like a big number. I don't think there are any masks by that price," Levy said, adding that "I don't think money is an issue for him, not because he has a lot of it, but because he knows how to spend it wisely and very generously." <div type="image" title="Yvel Mask" height="3024" width="4032" msid="79697894" hostid="261"></div>The mask ended up costing more than that, which was "fine" for the mystery buyer, Levy said. It took Yvel five months to make the mask, working many 12-hour workdays. Production was the longest part, and Israel had two lockdowns in between, meaning Yvel had to get a special permit from the government to keep working with up to 30% of the company's 150 employees. Next, they had to design the mask and put it together. Sourcing the gems was not hard, he said. They had enough gold to work with, and enough black and white diamonds, alongside a "strong and smart team" that could put the mask together.The hard part was making a design that would allow the mask to fit the disposable N99 mask which would allow it to become FDA compliant, he said. <div type="image" title="Yvel mask" height="3000" width="4000" msid="79697897" hostid="261"></div>"So we made three [layers]," Levy said. "One part is the outside part, the gold, and the diamonds. The second part is the actual mask. And the third part is a piece of gold on the inside that divides between the mask and the gold pieces." The result is a mask that weighs 210 carats - or about the size of a grapefruit, as Levy said. It has a rubber tie that allows for a secure placement around the head. And it is by far the most expensive mask in the world. The second-most expensive, made by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/benjamin-arabov-son-hip-hop-jacob-the-jeweler-education-consulting-2020-11">famed hip-hop jeweler Jacob Arabo</a>, is priced at a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CFQMoYhn_Sj/">mere $250,000</a>. <h2>Levy doesn't want to make another COVID-19 mask</h2>Yvel was able to complete the mask rather quickly, Levy said. Sometimes it takes them five, eight, eleven years to produce one piece of jewelry. "So five months was really not that big of a deal," he said. The mask was officially sold to the mystery buyer in November for a record $1.5 million. The money was set to be split among Yvel employees for the first day of Hanukkah, which was Thursday, December 8. "They will be getting all the proceeds of this mask that will cover the difference between what the government paid to the employees during the time that they didn't work and the salary they were supposed to receive in the last nine months," Levy said. <div type="image" title="Yvel face mask" height="2988" width="3984" msid="79697900" hostid="261"></div>"They will be able to go back home with enough funds to be able to support their families for the next few good months to come." As for the mask, Levy said he doesn't know what will become of it, though he doesn't think the buyer is going to "wear it to the supermarket." Maybe it will go to an art museum. It could be at Sotheby's or Christie's one day, Levy said. "I try to give the space to the people I respect," he continued. "I don't want them to think that I follow what they do with their money." But he knows for sure that he never wants to make another COVID-19 mask again. It was a fine experience, and he was happy to be apart of it. But it's not what he wants his legacy to be. Aside from its jewelry designs, Yvel and the Levys are also known for helping teach immigrants the trade of jewelry design. Over 90% of Yvel employees are immigrants hailing from 23 different countries, and in 2010, the Levys established the Megemeria School of Jewelry and Art, which seeks to help Ethiopian immigrants learn the trade of jewelry design. "I don't think this is my role in this world, to create COVID masks," he said. "I would rather design beautiful jewelry for beautiful people than a COVID mask in a pandemic."

An Israeli luxury brand designed this $1.5-million face mask to help support its employees during the pandemic

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/shilpay/">Shilpa Yarlagadda</a>, 24, is the founder of fine jewelry line<a href="https://www.shiffonco.com"> Shiffon</a>.</li><li>The brand is known for its spiral pinky rings, which represent the pinky promise to support and empower women.</li><li>Meghan Markle wore the duet pinky ring on the cover of Time for its <a href="https://www.insider.com/prince-harry-meghan-markle-time-100-most-influential-people-list-2021-9"> 100 'most influential' people list</a>.</li></ul>This article was originally published on November 4th, 2020. On September 14th, 2021 Meghan Markle wore Shiffon jewelry on the cover of Times' 100 Most Influential List. This article has been updated to reflect that.When<a href="https://www.instagram.com/shilpay/"> Shilpa Yarlagadda</a> was in between her freshman and sophomore years at Harvard, she had an idea.At the time, she was a computer science major with no experience in jewelry. She did, however, have the desire to make a change. In Indian culture, jewelry holds great sentimental value and is something that is typically passed down for generations, said Yarlagadda. And as a Silicon Valley native, Yarlagadda grew up close to one of the US' venture capital hotspots. Her idea was a jewelry business that would also "give women access to venture capital and opportunities beyond the capital," she told Insider in a 2020 interview.She took $5,000 in savings and $20,000 she won from a grant in high school to launch <a href="https://www.shiffonco.com">fine jewelry company Shiffon</a> in 2017. Half of Shiffon's profits are given to the company's nonprofit organization, the<a href="https://www.startupgirlfoundation.org/"> Startup Girl Foundation</a>, which focuses on funding female-owned businesses.The Startup Girl Foundation takes equity in each company it invests in and all returns go back to the foundation so it can invest in more businesses. "Twenty-five thousand sounded like a lot of money, but now growing and seeing what other founders are able to do, I'm realizing it actually wasn't," she said. "We had to be really resourceful in what we did."<div type="image" title="Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pose for the cover of Times' 100 most influential. On her left pink ring, Markle wears a white suit while Harry is dressed in all Black." height="3150" width="2363" msid="86263772" hostid="261"></div>Now 24 years old, Yarlagadda's business is thriving -<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trisha-goyal-tennis-one-of-sports-youngest-ceos-2021-5"> along with the companies she invested in</a> - and her jewelry has been spotted on Emma Watson, Kate Moss, Serena Williams, Amanda Gorman, and Shailene Woodley. Recently,<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hannah-mendoza-instant-coffee-clevr-blends-meghan-markle-investment-2021-5"> Meghan Markle</a> wore a Shiffon ring on the cover of Times' 2021<a href="https://www.insider.com/prince-harry-meghan-markle-time-100-most-influential-people-list-2021-9"> 100 'most influential' people issue</a>, which she shared with husband Prince Harry.Last November, Shiffon partnered with<a href="https://whenweallvote.org/"> When We All Vote</a> - co-chaired by <keyword id="27526" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Michelle-Obama" source="Orion">Michelle Obama</keyword> - to create a line of jewelry encouraging people to vote."In the boardrooms, women are still not given a fair and equal say," Yarlagadda said. "We wanted to inspire and remind women how hard they work to get these rights and that their voice matters."<h2>Shiffon rings have a symbolic meaning</h2>Shiffon's most famous product is the<a href="https://www.shiffonco.com/collections/shop-all"> Pinky Ring</a>, a version of which the Duchess of Sussex<a href="https://www.shiffonco.com/products/duet-pinky-ring-set-of-two"> sported</a> on her Times cover.It's a pinky ring to represent the pinky promise that women will pay it forward to other women and is adjustable so it can fit everyone, Yarlagadda said.Priced between $155 and $780, the ring's spiral designs represent how the company aims to help women spiral upward. Those who buy the rings unlock a secret menu that gives them access to more Shiffon products.This year the company also<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQRfwgtLYDP/?utm_medium=copy_link"> expanded</a> into creating<a href="https://www.shiffonco.com/products/classic-duet-hoops-in-silver-1"> hoop earrings</a> in which 19.65% of profits will be invested back into female businesses through the Startup Girl Foundation. The year 1965 was the year the<a href="https://www.history.com/news/19th-amendment-women-vote-timeline"> Voting Rights Act</a> passed, which protected voting rights for all women - especially those of color.<div type="image" title="Shiffon" height="1559" width="2079" msid="79226788" hostid="261"></div>To date, profits from Shiffon have gone to support 11 startups, including the<a href="https://www.wearpepper.com/?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=Brand-GoogleAds&amp;utm_content=Brand&amp;utm_keyword=pepper%20bra&amp;utm_matchtype=p&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjws4aKBhDPARIsAIWH0JVbBApmK4_K_EQhH_F2AtMEzl4QoORcpUJXQ6lrB37oibUKcpPMUTMaAobEEALw_wcBibUKcpPMUTMaAobEEALw_wcB"> bra company Pepper</a> and the espadrille brand<a href="https://www.seastarbeachwear.com/"> Sea Star Beachwear</a>, Yarlagadda said. This kind of investment is sorely needed: Last year, just<a href="https://hbr.org/2021/02/women-led-startups-received-just-2-3-of-vc-funding-in-2020"> 2.3%</a> of VC funding went to startups led by women, down from 2.8% the year prior. That number is even<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/floyd-death-led-to-shift-vc-attitude-towards-black-founders-2021-7"> more dismal</a> for women of color."If we can create exponential growth and a chain reaction, it's going to help us reach equality in the venture capital and business ecosystem sooner," Yarlagadda said.<div type="image" title="Shilpa Yarlagadda stands against a wall wearing a Harvard sweater" height="777" width="583" msid="86263773" hostid="261"></div><h2>Providing mentorship opportunities is also key for female entrepreneurs </h2>Shiffon has a mentorship board including stylist<a href="https://www.instagram.com/sarahslutsky/"> Sarah Slutsky</a>,<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-art-of-power-dressing-with-michelle-obamas-stylist-meredith-koop-2021"> Obama's stylist Meredith Koop</a>, photographers<a href="https://www.instagram.com/inezandvinoodh/?hl=en"> Inez &amp; Vinoodh</a>, and former Elle Editor-in-Chief<a href="https://www.instagram.com/robbie_elle/?hl=en"> Robbie Myers</a>, who also advise the founders that Startup Girl Foundation invests in. Mentorship has played a big part in Yarlagadda's career, and it's almost as important for young entrepreneurs to receive mentorship as it is to receive capital, she said."Having key advice from people who've been there before and people that you look up to can just really make a huge difference," Yarlagadda added. Her own mentorship journey began in the early days of her business when she started contacting people she looked up to, including Slutsky, who is best known for working with celebrities like Emma Watson and Tory Burch.It was Slutsky who, in addition to providing mentorship, taught Yarlagadda about the<a href="https://www.kimberleyprocess.com/"> Kimberley Process</a> - a certification scheme that requires participants to source conflict-free diamonds - and helped her find diamonds.Yarlagadda has also been a mentor to the female founders who are part of her foundation, including <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trishagoyal/?hl=en">Trisha Goyal</a>, founder of tennis company<a href="https://www.breakthelove.com/"> Break The Love</a>.Founded in 2019, the company seeks to make tennis more accessible and has worked with Burch, sports equipment company Wilson, and received capital from Adidas' venture fund. Goyal told Insider the foundation has given her resources on how to stand out in the male-dominated sports industry, and that Yarlagadda has reminded her that each small win is an important win for every person who comes after her. "We jumped through so many hoops to get here and there are so many more hoops to come," Yarlagadda said. "We're going to have to continue advocating for women more, and I just like to remind women to use their voices, and that their voices matter."

The 24-year old jewelry designer, whose rings have been spotted on Serena Williams and Meghan Markle, uses half her profits to fund female entrepreneurs

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Christian Johnston, 28, is the cofounder of <a href="https://www.thegldshop.com/pages/about-gld">GLD</a>, which is known for making diamond jewelry that can range in price from $899 to over $40,000. </li><li>The company has <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shopgld/?hl=en">an elite client list</a> that includes the Kardashians, rapper Cardi B, and singer Justin Bieber. It has also struck deals to create jewelry for the <keyword id="103436" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="NFL">NFL</keyword>, <keyword id="6361805" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="NBA">NBA</keyword>, <keyword id="133010" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="MLB">MLB</keyword>, and Marvel. </li><li>This year, the company is on track to do over $50 million in revenue, per documents reviewed by Business Insider. </li><li>In an interview, Johnston talks about why he decided to make affordable diamonds for the aspirational consumer. </li></ul>Each year, jewelry brand <a href="https://www.thegldshop.com/pages/about-gld">GLD</a> pulls into Rolling Loud, one of the world's largest hip-hop festivals, in a refurbished ice cream truck. The goal: to sell pendants and <keyword id="22670" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="watches">watches</keyword> to festival-goers. The mantra: to just have a good time. "We just drive it around blasting music," Christian Johnston, GLD cofounder told Business Insider. "It creates a good atmosphere." It's just what's expected, perhaps, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shopgld/?hl=en">of the popular jewelry brand</a>, whose elite client roster includes Justin Bieber, Cardi B, Russell Westbrook, and Kevin Durant.The brand is cool enough to snag partnership with the NFL, the NBA, the MLB, and Marvel, creating pendants designed as superheroes, and with basketball, football, and baseball team logos. Johnston, 28, cofounded GLD alongside his childhood friend, Dan Folger, 27, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 2015. Growing up, Johnston told Business Insider, they both always wanted to have nice jewelry, but never had the option to buy any for an affordable price. "You either had to spend thousands of dollars or you were getting something that was not so nice and you couldn't really be proud of," Johnston said. "To me, you should always be proud of your jewelry if you're going to have it." Each put just under $1,000 into the idea of making high-quality jewelry at a lower price point and the concept was a hit.Five years later, the company is on track to do $50 million in revenue before the end of this year, per documents reviewed by Business Insider. "It was once a joke that everything we had we put into a cardboard box — our whole business could fit into a box," Johnston said. "Then the box got a little bigger, and a little bigger, and then before we knew it, we had our first office in Pittsburgh." <h2>Johnston credits Instagram for helping the brand grow</h2>GLD, a play on the word "gold," seeks to create affordable jewelry for the aspirational customer. A Rolex, for example can go anywhere from $5,000 to above $12,000. The lowest-priced — and best-selling — GLD watch goes for $899.It's a watch that is fully covered in diamonds — a process known as "icing." It is offered in either 18-carat plated gold or 14-carat solid gold, with the dial options of either white, red, and black. <div type="image" title="Christian Johntson GLD" height="3000" width="2417" msid="79225390" hostid="261"></div>Watches take a long time to produce, Johnston said, but GLD aims to create products that can compete with the Rolexes and the Audemars Piguets that the average consumer is priced out of buying. This means paying close attention to how the band, case, bezel, movements, and dials come together. Johnston said he is also particular about the types of diamonds he uses, making sure to source from a dealer that allows him to track each diamond's origin. One of GLD's first celebrity clients and supporters was Pittsburgh native Wiz Khalifa, who Johnson met through his manager back when Khalifa was just starting out in the rap game, he said. The company has since been able to expand its brand to heavy-hitter clients such as Justin Bieber and Cardi B. Johnston credits GLD's Instagram presence for its brand growth, saying that GLD stayed consistent in posting content that showcased the brand and its products. The aesthetic of the brand is streetwear, glitz, and new money glamour, so its Instagram has photos that show <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CFOIaQNHqJb/">rapper Rick Ross decked out in GLD diamond chains</a> and a GLD watch <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CEx2t5kHf7p/">wrapped around a bottle of Veuve Clicquot</a> champagne. <div type="image" title="Christian Johntson GLD" height="3024" width="4032" msid="79225394" hostid="261"></div>GLD currently has just over 1 million followers on Instagram, and many clients, like Bieber, make requests through the social platform's direct messaging service.Outside of social media, GLD has also fielded custom requests from country duo Florida Georgia Line and the Kardashians. Sometimes when big-name clients come to GLD, Johnston said, they request jewelry pieces on a tight deadline, sometimes two weeks or less. When that happens, he said, "We literally have to work day and night to get the sketches down and get the 3D cast done. And then hurry up and get it printed and then get it cast and then hurry up and get the diamond set." <div type="image" title="Christian Johntson GLD" height="2062" width="2197" msid="79225398" hostid="261"></div>Those are extreme circumstances, however. Johnston said it typically takes them about a month to create each piece. One of the company's most memorable requests came from rapper Trippie Redd, who asked for a diamond choker necklace that fit perfectly around his neck. The choker is valued at around $100,000. "It was a skull that was bending backwards and the eyes lit up," Johnston continued. "There was an on-and-off switch and the eyes had neon lights in them. [Redd] wears jewelry everywhere, so we had to make it waterproof."<h2>'You ice something out completely, you do risk potentially losing some value' </h2>Though GLD is known for making iced-out jewelry, Johnston acknowledged the risk of icing out a product too much.Business Insider has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wealthy-people-buying-luxury-watches-as-they-shift-from-stocks-2020-4">previously reported on how watches</a> such as Rolex, Philippe Patek Audemars Piguet, Richard Milles are typically seen as an investable asset class that retains its value over time. These watches are often made in styles that are seen to be classic and timeless. But there's no telling how much an iced-out Richard Mille will go for in 20 years."In general, you ice something out completely, you do risk potentially losing some value," Johnston says, adding that the investment value of a watch is tied to what's trending among consumers. "If you do it right, it will keep the value," Johnston continued. "You have to make sure you're putting the right diamonds on to keep with the value of the watch and have the diamond paperwork to back it all up." <div type="image" title="Christian Johntson GLD" height="2250" width="3000" msid="79225401" hostid="261"></div>Right now, the demand for iced-out diamonds has propelled GLD to popularity. Three years ago, the company relocated from Pittsburgh to Miami, and amid the pandemic, the company moved to an even larger space, doubling its team to 55 employees."We were really back-and-forth between Miami and LA," he says. "[In] Miami, we felt like there's more of an opportunity down here to create something new. LA has a lot more history with streetwear, but in Miami, there's more of an opportunity for us to really make a name for ourselves and take over." Johnston said the coronavirus pandemic hasn't financially affected the company and credits its strong brand identity and loyal customer base with putting it on pace to reach $50 million in sales this year."There were definitely challenges that came from it on the back end," Johnston said. "Just in terms of keeping people safe, and my operations and things like that. But in terms of sales, we've had a great year. We didn't have to lay off any people." During this time, the company has been focusing on its partnerships. In 2019, GLD entered into a partnership with both the National Basketball Association and Disney's Marvel, the latter of which has yet to be released. This year, GLD formalized its partnership with the NFL and released its collaboration with the MLB. <div type="image" title="GLD Christian Johnston" height="1632" width="3264" msid="79225404" hostid="261"></div>It's a testament to taking one's time, Johnston said. It took him five years to exceed 1 million followers on Instagram, he said — a piece of cake compared to what it took to formalize its partnership with the NBA. "There's a lot of things you gotta do to become eligible to work with the NBA," he says. "They're very specific with who they work with."He said there was not only a lot of paperwork, but associates from the NBA came to GLD to inspect its factories and its full behind-the-scenes process of how makes jewelry. "Luckily we, from the beginning, always made it a point to do things the right way," he said. "I think that's made it a lot easier."

Meet the millennial cofounder of a jewelry brand that has partnered with the NFL and NBA and is on track to make $50 million in revenue this year

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An Israeli luxury brand designed this $1.5-million face mask to help support its employees during the pandemic

Dominic-Madori Davis

The 24-year old jewelry designer, whose rings have been spotted on Serena Williams and Meghan Markle, uses half her profits to fund female entrepreneurs

Dominic-Madori Davis

Meet the millennial cofounder of a jewelry brand that has partnered with the NFL and NBA and is on track to make $50 million in revenue this year

Dominic-Madori Davis

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