Apeksha Kothari, currently COO of Rare Carat, one of the largest websites for diamond engagement rings in the US featured prominently in a recent article in The New York Times, one of the most widely circulated newspapers in the world.

The daughter of Malaybhai and Preranaben Kothari and granddaughter of Satyavati and Rajendrakumar A Shah, and Suhashini and the late Rameshbhai Kothari, holds a MBA from Harvard Business School, and a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford. 

The article outlines how Rare Carat, in just two years of operation, has grown to power over $100m in annual sales, and over 8 million consumer searches. The website aims to make it easier for millennials to buy diamond engagement rings in the US, providing them with the kinds of tools they are used to in other major purchases like homes and cars. Rare Carat's recent initiative to make diamond provenance available to consumers was also covered in Forbes. 
 

Rare Carat was founded by Ajay Anand, whose previous company built software for the United Nations. When buying a diamond ring for himself, he believed the process could be easier and had his team start what eventually became Rare Carat. I joined when it was about six months old. 

The start-up's advisors include Wharton's Dean of Innovation, the Managing Director of Richard Branson's investments, and the founder of TrueCar (Market cap US$1B),

The site partners with over 50 retailers - both online and brick and mortar - to show what they have available using sophisticated digital marketing tools. 

 

Read the article online here