Where It All Began
Zareh Ekmekjian. Lafayette, CA. 1977.
Zareh Ekmekjian opened Solano Jewelers in 1977 with very little more than a deep knowledge of fine jewelry, a belief in honest work, and a community he wanted to serve. He chose Lafayette because he believed in it, a tight-knit, family-focused community where people valued quality over volume and trusted the businesses they walked into. For Zareh, fine jewelry was never about transactions. It was about the moments people were marking when they walked through his door. An engagement. A milestone birthday. A piece of a parent's jewelry being reimagined for a daughter. He treated every one of those moments with the same care.
Nearly five decades later, Solano Jewelers is still in Lafayette. Still family-owned. Still doing exactly what Zareh set out to do.
“Jewelry is the one thing that can really be handed down and enjoyed by every generation. That is what we are here to help you create.”
Zareh Ekmekjian, Founder, Solano Jewelers
The Business Today
Aline Aghabian. The Same Standard. A New Chapter.
Zareh's daughter, Aline Aghabian, grew up around fine jewelry. She did not just inherit a business; she inherited a way of thinking about it. What craftsmanship means. What the relationship between a jeweler and a client should feel like. What it takes to be trusted by a community for decades.
Today, Aline leads Solano Jewelers with the same values her father instilled: an insistence on quality, a genuine investment in every client's story, and the belief that fine jewelry is most meaningful when it is made with care and sold with honesty.
The team she has built around her shares that standard. Every person at Solano Jewelers brings the same warmth and expertise to the floor because that is what the clients who have trusted this store for generations deserve.
49
Years in the Jewelry Industry
100%
Conflict-Free Diamonds
100%
Fair-Trade Gemstones
1977
Trusted by Lafayette Since
How We Work
What Nearly 50 Years Has Taught Us
We hand-select everything.
Nothing in our collection comes from a generic supplier catalogue. Every piece is chosen by us, for a specific client we believe will love it. That is why you will not find the same ring in ten other stores.
Conflict-free. Without exception.
Every diamond we sell is 100% conflict-free. Every gemstone is responsibly and fairly sourced. This has been true since the beginning. It is not a marketing statement; it is simply how we work.
We support local.
Solano Jewelers purchases from other small and family-owned businesses across the Bay Area. When you buy from us, you are supporting a network of trusted local suppliers who share our standards.
We are here in person.
We are not an algorithm. We are not a chat window. We are a team of people in Lafayette, California, Monday through Saturday, 11 AM to 5 PM, at 61 Lafayette Circle. If you have a question, come in. We always have time for you.
Beyond the Jewelry
We Made Five Necklaces That Help Protect Africa's Wildlife.
Peter and Corie Knights founded Wild Africa, a conservation nonprofit dedicated to protecting Africa's wildlife and wild spaces, right here in Lafayette. When they came to us, we knew immediately that we wanted to be part of it.
Together, we created a limited series of five Starry Night Elephant Medallion necklaces. Every dollar from the sale of these pieces goes directly to Wild Africa's conservation work. Not a percentage. Not a portion. Every dollar.
Only a few remain. If you are interested, please call us directly.
Support Wildlife Conservation in AfricaWhat Our Clients Are Saying
Most of our clients come back for every milestone. Many are referred by people who have known us for years. Some are sent by other jewelers who respect what we do. We think that says everything.
"We designed my wife's engagement ring together with Aline. The entire experience was personal, warm, and the final piece exceeded every expectation we had."
its the best place to buy your rings
"Solano Jewelers transformed my grandmother's vintage ring into a stunning modern piece. The craftsmanship is absolutely exquisite and the sentimental value is priceless."
"I've been coming here for over 15 years. They've repaired, redesigned, and appraised my pieces. There's simply no one else I would trust with my jewelry."
We Would Love to Meet You
Come and See What Nearly 50 Years of Fine Jewelry Looks Like.
Every piece in our collection is in-store, in-stock, and available to see in person. No appointments necessary, though you are always welcome to call ahead. We have been doing this for nearly 50 years. There is not much we have not seen, and not much we cannot do.