Los Angeles, CA — Dave Bindra’s childhood evenings were painted in hues of sunsets, an early sign of his lifelong fascination with colors. Today, he stands captivated by the brilliance of sapphires and spinels, a Los Angeles businessman whose life revolves around the world of gemstones.
Within the walls of B&B Fine Gems, located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, Dave Bindra, 38, serves as the Vice President and Head of Acquisitions. The “B&B” initials pay homage to his parents, Lavi and Ruben Bindra, who established this wholesale gemstone company in 1984. This family legacy is carried forward today, with six full-time and three part-time employees, including Dave’s sister, Sabrina, managing operations.
While B&B Fine Gems guards its revenue figures closely, Dave Bindra reveals that the company’s extensive dealings with approximately 100 major global entities place it among the top 10 wholesalers in the industry by volume.
One of these esteemed partners is Shah & Shah Distinctive Jewelers, situated in Washington, D.C., whose owner, Colin Shah, credits Dave Bindra with being a pivotal influence. Their connection began when Mr. Shah reached out to Mr. Bindra on Instagram in December 2019, confessing his apprehension towards colors in gemstones.
“Prior to meeting Dave, color was really scary to me,” admits Mr. Shah, 48. “But we started this amazing conversation about how restricted I felt with diamonds and how scared of color I was.” In mid-2020, Mr. Bindra sent a selection of medium-blue sapphires, tourmalines, and spinels to Mr. Shah, who enlisted a goldsmith in Virginia to craft them into exquisite jewelry pieces. This venture proved to be a resounding success, and Mr. Shah’s business soon found a harmonious balance between diamonds and colored gemstones, all thanks to Dave Bindra’s influence.
The bond between Dave Bindra and Colin Shah extends far beyond business dealings, as the two communicate daily, sharing photos and even planning vacations. In Mr. Bindra’s own words, “I FaceTime him more than my mother.”
Dave Bindra’s father, Ruben Bindra, acknowledges his son’s contribution to the company’s evolution. “I taught him the buying,” Ruben Bindra, 67, explains, “but he learned on his own how to recut the stone and make it the best it can be.”
In the gemstone industry, stones are often sold by weight, leading cutters to resist excessive trimming in the pursuit of higher prices. Ruben Bindra affectionately refers to his son as “Mr. Wonderful” but also “the Butcher,” recognizing Dave’s unique ability to bring out the best in gemstones through cutting.
For customers like Ms. Jacques, B&B Fine Gems is distinguished by its curation and quality. “Whether it was the beauty of the cut that brought out the life, or their matching pairs — it takes a lot of goods to find two that match well — I could always tell the effort that Dave took,” she notes.
This meticulous focus on gemstones extends to B&B Fine Gems’ office decor, characterized by blank white walls, a stark white table, and monthly-replaced white orchids. For Dave Bindra, this minimalist environment ensures that gemstones have the undivided attention they deserve. As he aptly puts it, “We don’t want to distract you.”
Dave Bindra’s dedication to the world of gemstones continues to infuse vitality into B&B Fine Gems, while his quest for perfection leaves a vibrant legacy in the realm of precious gems.
