Yara Lotfy Long before Rosy Khodr built a name of her own in the world of diamonds, she was learning to understand them at home. Raised within a family whose history is deeply rooted in jewellery, she grew up surrounded by gemstones, craftsmanship and generations of expertise. Becoming a diamond grader gave that inherited appreciation a technical edge, teaching her to recognize the subtle qualities that make a stone truly exceptional. But for Rosy, diamonds have never existed solely within the realm of expertise, they are also about emotion, identity and the power of a remarkable piece to become part of a womanโs story. Through By Rosy, she brings these worlds together, redefining luxury through a lens that is both deeply informed and unmistakably personal.
In this conversation with Flair Magazine, Rosy Khodr reflects on the legacy that shaped her, her journey through diamonds, fashion and business, and her vision for the future of regional luxury.
1. What was the turning point that brought you into the jewellery and diamond industry? What gravitated you towards them in the first place? Was it the science behind them, their history, their beauty, or something more personal?
There was never really a turning point, because jewellery was never something I consciously chose as a career. It was something I was born into.
Jewellery has been part of my family for generations. My grandfather was a jeweller, my father is a diamond grader who worked in New York setting diamonds for Graff, and there are jewellers on both sides of my family. My motherโs two brothers are jewellers as well, so I grew up completely surrounded by diamonds, gemstones and craftsmanship.
It was simply part of everyday life for me โ almost like drinking water or having bread on the table. I was exposed to stones from such a young age that I could recognize differences between them before I even understood the technical knowledge behind what I was seeing.
What started as something I inherited, however, became something I genuinely fell in love with. Growing up around people with such deep knowledge of jewellery gave me an appreciation for it that goes far beyond its beauty. I learned very early that behind an exceptional stone there is knowledge, precision, craftsmanship and, ultimately, a story.
So, in a way, jewellery didnโt become my profession. It became part of who I am.
2. How did your professional experience influence your understanding of luxury as a business โ not simply as something beautiful to look at?
Growing up in this industry taught me very early that luxury is not simply about something being beautiful or expensive. There is so much more behind it: quality, craftsmanship, knowledge, rarity and trust.
My experience with diamonds especially taught me to look at details that arenโt always immediately visible to the eye. When you understand what goes into selecting an exceptional stone, you develop a completely different appreciation for value.
At the same time, my experience in fashion and business taught me that luxury also needs emotion. People donโt simply buy a beautiful object; they connect with what it represents and how it makes them feel.
For me, true luxury is where expertise, beauty and emotion come together.
3. If you had to describe the DNA of By Rosy in three words, what would they be?
Timeless. Sophisticated. Distinctive.
I want By Rosy to have a strong identity without feeling confined to a particular trend or moment. The pieces should feel relevant today, but still be something a woman can wear years from now and feel that they belong to her.
I also want them to have a presence. Not necessarily because they are extravagant, but because there is something about them that makes you look twice.
4. How do you balance the technical precision of diamonds in By Rosy with the emotion and storytelling that jewellery carries?
For me, the technical and emotional sides of jewellery are inseparable.
My knowledge of diamonds allows me to be very selective about what goes into a piece. I understand the importance of the stone itself, its proportions, quality and character. But once you put that stone into a piece of jewellery, it becomes something much more personal.
Jewellery can mark a moment, celebrate an achievement, become a family heirloom or simply make a woman feel beautiful and confident.
Thatโs what I love about it. The diamond may be measured technically, but its meaning can never really be measured.
5. You have an unusual perspective on luxury: you donโt simply wear diamonds, you understand them professionally. How has becoming a diamond grader changed the way you see jewellery? Do you believe they complete a fashion look, or can they actually become the look?
Becoming a diamond grader changed the way I look at jewellery completely. I donโt see a diamond simply as something that sparkles. I see everything behind that sparkle โ the quality, proportions, characteristics and details that make one stone different from another.
It has also changed the way I approach jewellery within fashion. I donโt believe jewellery always has to complete a look.
Sometimes, the jewellery is the look.
A remarkable diamond can completely define an outfit. It can change the mood, create a focal point and become the element that people remember. I love that power โ when jewellery doesnโt simply accompany fashion, but becomes part of the identity of the woman wearing it.
6. At what point did fashion become more than a personal interest and become part of your professional identity?
Fashion was always something I naturally gravitated towards. I have always loved the way clothes, jewellery, beauty and styling can completely transform the way a woman presents herself.
Eventually, I realized that my understanding of jewellery and my love for fashion were not separate interests. They naturally complemented each other.
Jewellery is one of the most personal forms of fashion because it stays with you. A dress can change from season to season, but a piece of jewellery can become part of your signature.
That intersection between jewellery and fashion became a very natural part of my professional identity.
7. You move between the worlds of business, diamonds and fashion with remarkable ease. Do you see these as separate chapters of your career, or as different expressions of the same vision?
I see them as different expressions of the same vision.
My background in business taught me discipline and how to build something with purpose. Diamonds taught me precision and gave me an understanding of genuine quality. Fashion gave me the freedom to express that knowledge creatively.
They all influence the way I think about By Rosy.
I donโt look at a piece and ask only, Is it beautiful? I think about the quality behind it, how it will be worn, how it makes a woman feel and whether it has the character to remain relevant beyond a particular moment.
For me, all three worlds come together in that way.
8. Weโre seeing a growing appetite for Arab designers and regional luxury. Do you think the world is finally looking at the Middle East differently?
Absolutely. I think the Middle East has always had an incredibly sophisticated relationship with luxury, jewellery and craftsmanship. What is changing is how much the rest of the world is beginning to recognize and appreciate the creativity coming from the region.
There is so much talent here, and what excites me most is that we donโt have to imitate what already exists elsewhere. We have our own heritage, our own aesthetic and our own understanding of luxury.
I think the next chapter is about taking that heritage and interpreting it in a contemporary way โ creating something that feels distinctly regional while speaking to a global woman.
The Middle East isnโt simply becoming part of the global luxury conversation. We are contributing to where that conversation is going.
9. What advice would you give to a young woman trying to establish her own style rather than simply following trends?
Donโt let trends decide who you are.
Trends can inspire you, but personal style comes from knowing yourself โ understanding what makes you feel confident, beautiful and comfortable in your own identity.
Experiment. Try things. Make mistakes. Sometimes you discover your style by wearing something you thought you would never wear.
But most importantly, donโt dress or accessorize simply because something is popular. Choose pieces that feel like you.
The women whose style we remember are rarely the ones who followed every trend. They are the ones who developed a point of view of their own. Your style should be recognizable before your name is.
