SHY DAYAN
FGI Rising Star Winner, FGI Member
For over 25 years, Shy Dayan has designed a continuously evolving collection of contemporary fine jewelry that redefines modern luxury. Established in 1993, ShyCreation was born of Shy’s lifelong passion and commitment to creating exquisite jewelry designs. Shy began his career as a master jeweler, transforming rare gems and unique stones into statement making, couture-quality creations. Shy’s signature yellow diamond jewelry earned him industry wide recognition for producing impeccably handcrafted, one-of-a-kind pieces.
As the vision for his jewelry brand evolved, Shy found himself drawn to reinventing his collection by pairing his existing quality with fresh, wearable designs. Today, ShyCreation is America’s fastest growing jewelry brand with a young, energetic team led by Shy and his family.
Q and A with FGI President and CEO, Maryanne Grisz
What city were you born in?
Tehran, Iran
What is your star sign?
Pisces
What were you obsessed with when you were a child?
I loved random facts and general knowledge – I would read the encyclopedia from cover to cover.
What do you value most in a friendship?
I think honesty is the important trait of friendship – being able to trust someone’s words and intentions is very important.
What’s your proudest moment?
My eldest son just turned thirteen and when I see him do the right thing even when it’s hard – I feel incredibly proud.
What’s the best part of your job?
I design all of our styles alongside my siblings – my brother, David and my youngest sister, Kathy. Being able to collaborate with my siblings is the best part of my job.
What’s your biggest fear?
I’m not a big fan of heights.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever eaten?
I’ve been doing a lot of grilling this summer – There’s nothing better than a perfectly grilled steak.
What’s next for you in your career?
We have a lot of exciting projects and designs in the works but I’m most looking forward to our upcoming men’s collection – the designs are very cool and it’s something new for us.
What’s the last thing that made you laugh out loud?
My four year old plays guitar and sings all his own songs – he calls himself a “fessional” – as in “professional”.
Who or what in your life brings you the most joy?
My kids for sure.
How do you spend your day, or what does an ordinary day look like for you?
I start every morning with prayer. My sister (Kathy) also got me into morning meditation. I work with my family (my parents and siblings) and we have family lunch together every day.
What approach would you take differently if you had to build a business from scratch today?
There are so many things but I’d have to say being more selective about our direction.
What is your favorite quote of all time, and why?
It’s more of a proverb than a quote: The quiet lion is the king of jungle, not because he is the biggest or fastest animal, but because he has faith in himself – self doubt holds you back from reaching your highest potential.
What book/s will you recommend that everyone should read once in their lives?
How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
How do you maintain a work-life balance?
I don’t know if I do but I’m working on it.
What are the biggest challenges you faced in your career and how did you handle them?
The 2008 Recession was a major pivot point in our business. It was very challenging but we came out of the other side stronger than ever.
What is the best advice someone ever gave you?
My uncle used to say “hard times are this best thing that can every happen to you.”
Who inspires you the most and why?
My sister, Kathy Dayan. Kathy is our company’s creative director and I admire how imaginative and artistic she is – she really thinks outside of the box.
What’s next?
I was honored to receive the FGI Risng Star Award in 2024 this year for the second edition of the Jared Atelier collection, a high jewelry collaboration “Shy Dayan of Shy Creation”. Jared has been a wonderful partner and I’m honored to have been part of their team to create this collection and collaboration.
More information: https://www.jared.com/jared-atelier-shy-dayan?icid=MM:J:ShyAtelier