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Long before Michael Saiger became the head of a jewelry brand that's become globally synonymous with effortlessly elegant pieces, he was just a 19-year-old college student looking to wear better-than-basic jewelry. When he couldn't find one, he decided to create a line himself. So, with little background in jewelry design, Saiger began engineering gender-fluid options that were refined yet unfussy.
Seventeen years later, one could say that the then-rookie jewelry designer succeeded with the creation of Miansai. Now, after dominating the minimalist, inclusive jewelry category, Saiger is expanding Miansai's reach into men's and women's fine jewelry by offering high-end accessories that have everlasting appeal.
Memorable touches, including thoughtfully placed gemstones that allow one's overall look to come to life, abound in the newest collection. The way Saiger sees it, while fine jewelry should be personal, it's also an opportunity to evoke intrinsic, sentimental value to its wearer. And the most powerful pieces can carry that feeling through the generations.
Miansai's fine jewelry collection includes accessories made from 14k gold and accented with diamonds, gemstones like chalcedony, and pearls. Saiger believes this is an opportunity for wearers to invest in timeless staples that can complement and elevate an outfit. Classic Miansai pieces like the Screw Cuff, a sleek, streamlined accessory that features a threaded bar closure, gets the fine jewelry treatment with the addition of pave diamonds, dotted intentionally throughout the bar to keep Miansai's signature preference toward minimal but elevated. Brilliant blue and green chalcedony stones — believed to help center emotions — are seen throughout the latest collection, mixing seamlessly with pave diamonds to add pops of refined color.
This move toward fine jewelry is part of a larger plan to extend the brand's reach into new markets, including travel retail. Recognized for taking risks in its branding and expansion, which now incorporates jewelry, timepieces and leather goods, Miansai is sold around the world in 40 states and 36 countries. In addition to headquarters in Miami and boutiques in New York City and Los Angeles, Miansai's retail innovations include pop-up shops at Malibu Pier and Fontainebleau Miami Beach inside branded Airstream trailers and vintage Piaggio, Fiat and Lambretta vehicles, all of which were refurbished and designed by Saiger.
More recently, the brand opened a storefront on cruise line Virgin Voyages' Valiant Lady, also designed by Saiger. Slat wood wall panels of laser-cut white oak planks contrast against a wall of floor-to-ceiling fiberglass framed by black edges for a streamlined, neutral palette. Shelving in the same timber creates a monochromatic look that's modern and elegant — trademark characteristics of Miansai.
But Saiger has long positioned Miansai to be more than just storefronts. Its omnichannel strategy includes an online reach with direct-to-consumer sales that has increased over the years, plus selling to major retailers like Mr. Porter, Matches Fashion, Selfridges and others, all of which will carry Miansai's fine jewelry line.
"From the start, we've aspired to showcase what we're calling elevated aesthetics that are simple and minimalistic yet feel special," Saiger says. "With our extension of men's and women's fine jewelry, we are still keeping our core values, and we believe these new pieces will become a part of a person's everyday lifestyle, and a chance to wear everyday style in an elegant, effortless way."
For the brand that started as a college student's pipe dream, continuing a path toward fine jewelry is a subtle reminder that investing in one's personal aesthetic is a trend that should endure for decades.
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