Whiteflash—a full-scale jewelry manufacturer and retailer specializing in diamonds, designer engagement rings and fine jewelry—has been quietly serving customers from around the world for more than 13 years. Founder and CEO Debi Wexler said she first started Whiteflash in 2000 as an online business to provide premier jewelry and services to consumers at an affordable price. After a decade of online success in the U.S. and abroad, she decided to open a Houston store to serve a growing local clientele.

"Soon after starting our online business, we had people calling from all over the world," Wexler said. "Our biggest [markets] are Australia and Canada, but about 10 percent of our business is done here in Houston. We realized there was potential to grow that portion substantially. We now have a great platform to serve the needs of our local customers."

In August 2012, Wexler moved her operation from Richmond Avenue in Houston to Sugar Land Town Square.

"When we started, we didn't plan to be a 'brick and mortar' jeweler," Chief Operations Officer Eliezer Eber said. "Our local business grew quite naturally as more and more Houstonians went online to research diamonds. That led to our decision to open a showroom, and our research led us to Sugar Land Town Square as the ideal location."

After opening the new showroom, Whiteflash found a good partnership with Sugar Land, Eber said.

"Sugar Land is one of the highest quality and fastest-growing communities in Texas," he said. "This demographic is a perfect match for our expertise in top-quality diamonds and designer engagement rings."

Whiteflash now has about 30 employees and carries several international brand-name products, including Benchmark, Vatch, Verragio, Ritani, Mark Schneider and—as of November—industry-leading jewelry designer Tacori. The company employs several master gemologists to work both in production and sales to educate guests and visitors.

In 2014, Wexler said she plans to improve her company's online mobile presence and services.

"We have helped make the process of buying diamonds transparent," Wexler said. "Customers want to educate themselves on their own time, so we have a good web presence that we will continue to build on."

As the company has grown, Wexler and her staff have focused on quality business practices. In 2008, Whiteflash was certified for ISO 9000—a cross-border quality management system—and the company was granted membership to the American Gem Society in December.

In addition to offering top-tier jewelry, Whiteflash deals only with conflict-free diamonds and began its "Dreams of Africa" initiative in 2006 to help communities in diamond mining areas.

"We ensure all of our diamonds are conflict-free," Eber said. "It is one thing not to participate in this kind of trade, but we feel it is important to not just be neutral but to be part of the solution."

2150 Town Square Place, Ste. 330

Sugar Land 877-612-6770

www.whiteflash.com

Hours: Mon.–Fri. 10 a.m.–5 p.m.