Meet a Caribbean Vendor: Caribbean Gems in Sint Maarten

Meet Manu Budhrani and his wife, Neelam – Founders of Caribbean Gems, in Sint Maarten. Get to meet Manu in our interview below.
 Founders of Caribbean Gems Sint Maarten
What motivated you to become the founder of Caribbean Gems?
I like to say it was chance & destiny. We started by selling smaller pieces of jewelry, trinkets & keepsakes to remind visitors of our beautiful island Sint Maarten. Overtime, I established a successful & more solid foundation selling beautiful jewelry. The significance of these gemstones, diamonds & timepieces remained similar to our roots – jewelry is timeless by nature & always has some memorable story behind it. Our values have remained the same over the years, to provide honest, reliable products & services.
What do you love about creating jewellery?
Jewelry is special because pieces transition through generations & I know the pieces are everlasting. Pieces created today are not only an investment but also hold the promise of being around tomorrow, 50 years from now or even 100 years from now. Creating something unique & beautiful is a reward in itself.
What is the most popular style of wedding band chosen?
The 5-stone prong set band is a classic wedding band style. This design always looks good, even after decades. White gold or yellow gold, 18K or 14k, this style is an easy go-to & truly, truly lasts.
What advice do you give to couples selecting their wedding bands?
When choosing a wedding band, choose something practical that you would want to keep for a long time. If you choose something that is super fancy, you may get tired of looking at it after a few years. Perhaps consider your work life & routine when choosing your wedding band. Your wedding band is a symbolic piece of jewelry that you would wear every day. I always advise my customers to keep this in mind when shopping for a wedding band.
What beauty can newlyweds find in Sint Maarten?
Here’s a funny story. I met my wife on Sint Maarten. However, we both grew up in the same small city in India, within a small radius of each other. Despite living in such a close vicinity of each other, we never met & fate brought us both to Sint Maarten. It is like we were destined to meet – at the right place, at the right time. Sint Maarten is a beautiful mix of cultures from all over the world. Individuals have travelled wide & far (including my wife & I) to settle in Sint Maarten. There is no place like Sint Maarten – a small island home to so many different cultures & backgrounds. You will be exposed to an incredible medley of people here & there is so much to learn about the world ironically, by being on the small island of Sint Maarten. This is the true beauty of Sint Maarten.
 Caribbean Gems Engagement Ring
Take a look at Caribbean Gems.com to see more of their beautiful products.