Our History
Sami first started selling jewelry with nothing more than a bikini and a passion for fashion. Walking the beaches of Florida, Sami sold turquoise and silver jewelry to tourists. Sami's spirit of adventure led her to continue selling jewelry in airports, seeking opportunities for travel. On one of her many adventures, she found her way to our beautiful Sonoran desert, and decided to lay down roots.
Sami opened her first store in Scottsdale, AZ, in 1976. Her store was a small department, located in a flower shop. Sami's wanderlust led her to Fountain Hills, where she immediately fell in love with the beautiful mountains and desert landscape. Little did she know, hidden within those mountains was a gem that was even more impressive. Sami dreamed of opening her own location, where she would be able to focus on colored gems and custom jewelry.
In 1987, this dream became a reality, when Sami opened her first standalone store in Fountain Hills. This is when Sami discovered the Arizona Amethyst, and started to share this beauty. Although Sami always loved colored gems, none captured her heart in the same way as the Arizona Four Peaks Amethyst.
As Sami's passion grew, so did her dreams of expanding her store, and building on the Avenue. In 2001, Sami started taking the steps necessary to build her own store on the Avenue of the Fountains. However, with the recession in the wake of 9/11, Sami knew her dream would most likely not become reality. This is when fate intervened. The same evening that Sami felt she would have to give up her dreams, she purchased a winning lottery ticket. The rest is history.
In 2013, it was time for Stephenie, Sami's daughter, to put to use all the knowledge she had gained from working with her mother throughout the years. With Stephenie's cultivated love for gemstones and her natural talent for marketing, she grew Sami Fine Jewelry into the profitable and truly unique store that it is today.
Stephenie has been nominated for Fountain Hills Businessperson of the Year, and Sami Fine Jewelry has received several awards and publications. In recent years, Stephenie has looked into expanding our American Gem Collection. Not only do we showcase Arizona Amethyst, Peridot and Garnet, we have a wide variety of gems, hailing from Maine to California.
Stephenie's spirit of adventure, which she inherited from her mother, continues to bring prosperity and excitement to Sami Fine Jewelry.
