ADCO Diamond is a name synonymous with diamond trading. Meline and Norair Arslanian, Armenians living in Beirut, Lebanon, escaped the civil war raging there in the 1970s and settled with their two daughters in the Boston area to live in peace. The Arslanians (the “A” in ADCO) founded the business in 1980 as diamond wholesalers. Back then many of the diamonds were supplied by extended family members in Europe and Africa, who themselves had already been in the diamond mining and polishing business for decades. Diamonds, as they say, is in this family’s blood.

The two daughters (Aline and Rina) who arrived with their parents in 1975, went on to study biology and graphic design respectively at Boston University, when they too were drawn ineluctably to diamonds. After graduating from BU, they both enrolled at the Gemological Institute of America in Santa Monica, California before joining the family business. Combining backgrounds in science and art, Aline and Rina speak with authority and creativity on all aspects of jewelry creation.

With Aline and Rina on board, ADCO’s wholesale business evolved into the retail business it is today. Still operating as a family business, ADCO has established itself as a reputable retailer in Boston that has exponentially grown its clientele. Beyond specializing in loose diamonds for engagement rings, wedding bands, and all other precious gems, ADCO has branched out into custom jewelry design.