In the world of high-end jewelry, many craftsmen hide behind the velvet curtains of their showrooms. Erica Diggs is not one of them. While she carries the title of “celebrity jeweler,” Diggs is quick to point out that the label isn’t just about her star-studded client list—which includes names like Chris Brown, Odell Beckham Jr., and Raekwon—it’s about the persona and the hustle that got her there.
Diggs’ journey wasn’t paved with family legacy or formal apprenticeships. Instead, it was built on a foundation of raw ambition, calculated risks, and a relentless ability to network. From hopping on the PATH train to deliver grills to the New York Giants in Secaucus, to sending bold DMs to industry heavyweights, she has navigated the “ice” business with a level of transparency and grit that is rare in a trade often shrouded in mystery and inflated price tags.
Today, she stands as a premier jeweler to the stars, bridging the gap between luxury and the streets for top-tier athletes and musicians alike. Now, with a new show on the horizon and a mission to educate the public on the “boogers” often found in low-quality diamonds, Diggs is shifting from just selling jewelry to setting the gold standard for the industry. I sat down with her to discuss her point of entry, her divine intervention with Breezy, and why she’s the “super favorite” of the NFL’s elite.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: What is it, in your opinion, that truly makes you a celebrity jeweler?
Erica Diggs: What makes me a celebrity jeweler is not just… let me take the “fake voice” off and lemme be real with you — it’s not just because I do jewelry with celebrities, okay? What makes me a celebrity jeweler is the persona that goes into what I’m doing. So yes, I serve celebrities, but I walk around like I’m a celebrity. I feel like I’m a celebrity.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: What was your initial point of entry into the jewelry business?
Erica Diggs: My initial point? I love jewelry. I love sparkly stuff, but I never imagined that I would go into the jewelry business. What really brought me there is that I needed more money to take care of my family and doing jewelry was a surefire way to make good profit.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: Who were some of the people you started working with early on that helped get you to where you are now?
Erica Diggs: The people that I started working with, I’m gonna say the first influential person that I worked with in jewelry was Hazel E from Love & Hip-Hop and she started introducing me to people and it kind of went up from there. I had a network of people, but who fucked with me first and who dealt with me first in jewelry was Hazel. Then what happened from there, I used social media. I utilized social media to seek out more celebrities and I remember I tweeted Tank one day and this is me in the middle of a kind of a soft takeoff in my jewelry career; I sent him a tweet and I said to him, ‘What do you think about this piece?’ and it was a beaded piece that I made and he said, “I love it!”
Took me by surprise, you know what I’m sayin’? Because I ain’t think this light-skinned nigga was gonna like what I had to offer, you know what I mean? [laughs]. It began a beautiful relationship — really nice guy. Him, Brian White… Once he followed me back, we DM’ed each other and I met him at the studio. I was motivated! Did I make a ton of money off of him? No. But did I meet a lot of people and further my career? Yes. People have to realize that yes, your work is valuable and it means something but, we pay a lot of money as retailers for celebrity endorsements and there’s a reason why—because celebrities are the real influencers. They say that we’re Instagram influencers, but the real influencers are the celebrities and you can’t take that away from them. A celebrity endorsement will get the regular people that are not famous to buy your product. It’s important.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: Tell me about some of your clients in the NFL.
Erica Diggs: My favorite is Demontre Moore. Also Shaun Rogers. He’s my favorite too but Demontre’s my super favorite. I’ve worked with Odell Beckham Jr. — life-changing right there. I thank God for him and his family, especially his father because they opened a lot of doors for me and introduced me to a lot of people. You notice as I’m talking, that I speak about people who are introducing me to people and building a network; so not only am I getting my jewelry on these celebrities, but they’re helping me build my network which is priceless.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: How did that connection with Odell Beckham Jr. and other players from the New York Giants come about?
Erica Diggs: I connected with Odell through Demontre Moore. At the point I was dealing with them, all of them were playing with the Giants and I lived in Brooklyn but I would jump on the PATH train, cross the bridge, jump on the ferry, cross the bridge, go to Secaucus. There’s a spot in Secaucus where a lot of ‘em live in these condos and apartments. It’s a cluster of them in a few subdivisions across Jersey, you know? I would go and I would kind of hang out, bring jewelry, do my work but at the same time sit, chill, talk, eat… whatever. It was always a vibe going over there. I miss those days. Demontre called me and he was like, “Odell Beckham Jr. wants some grills…” and I was like, ‘Who is that?’ I didn’t even know. And he’s from New Orleans too. I didn’t know. I had no idea! I went over there and Odell ended up ordering 3-4 sets of grills and just kept going from there. So, it’s word of mouth.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: You also have a great story about meeting Chris Brown. How did that happen?
Erica Diggs: Chris Brown! [smiles]… I met Chris Brown through Tank; working with Tank. Tank hit me up and he was like, “Yo E, I’m doing a music video. Bring some jewelry. Put some ice on us. Shine us up!” and I said, ‘Say less. I’ll be there.’ I didn’t ask him what the video was about; I didn’t ask about if there was going to be any money, I just got my ass up and I got to it. I did my research and I found out that the name of the song was called “Shots Fired” feat. Chris Brown. I got on my knees and I prayed to God… I swear. I said, ‘Lord, if I am following your will, and this is the right direction that you want me to go into, let me meet Chris Brown tomorrow!’
The next day we get to the video, I meet Omarion. I met Tyrese. That was the beginning of a beautiful relationship with me and Tyrese. I met Jaleel White — and he wasn’t nice to me. There’s a few situations with celebrities… very very few [times] when they were not cordial in meeting me and one is Jaleel White and two is Tracy Morgan. He wasn’t nice.
So I’m there in the video and they’re treating me so well, you know? I had just got out of a terrible relationship and my self-identity and self-confidence was challenged. I knew who I was, but having that challenge so much left me in a hazy area. They accept me and my black ass for who I am. So I went to the video shoot and I forgot that Chris Brown is supposed to be there… but then I noticed that the room started gravitating to the right. Chris Brown was in the room. Because I had my “little” section with my jewelry right there, Chris noticed the jewelry and came to my section and he started small talk with me and that began another beautiful relationship. I love Chris Brown; he’s always been my favorite, he’s my Michael Jackson and my prayer was answered. I knew at that moment that jewelry was the right direction for me to go into.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: You’ve also worked with legends like Jim Jones and Raekwon. How did those connections form?
Erica Diggs: Raekwon? I believe I initially met him on Twitter, but I never ever spoke to him until I actually met him in person… Blannon [Campbell] brought me to Raekwon’s birthday party and we started speaking. Shortly after we met in person and Raekwon commissioned me to make a Buddha pendant. Absolutely gorgeous! And he still wears it to this day and this was like in 2014 or 2015.
How did I meet Jim Jones? Again through social media. Through Instagram, I remember my former best friend, Ron Rich, he went to a — this was back when Diplomats was touring and we went to a Diplomats concert and just so happens that Jim posted a picture on social media. I commented under it, I laughed and then he laughed and he responded back. So I took the liberty because this is what I do and slid in his DM, ‘Hey. Thank you for acknowledging my comments. I’m a jeweler out here in New Jersey and I would like to work with you one day…’ and he said ok. He followed me back but he didn’t work with me, not initially. [laughs] He waited until I grew up. When I was ready and the time was right, the opportunity was there.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: What are you currently working on?
Erica Diggs: I’m working on restructuring my grills business. I’m trying to make it affordable. The more I try to make things more affordable, the more the cost of gold goes up. It’s ridiculous now! So I’m incorporating a few things into the way that I make grills to still try to be cost-effective and still give high-quality grills and it’s a challenge. I’m working on my website and I’m also working on a show that I have at the IFC with Jim Jones called Drip With Diggs and it’s just me giving commentary about jewelry. My purpose for this show is to bring transparency in jewelry because nobody really knows. This is my purpose for having the show—is to teach people.
The Bigger Picture
Erica Diggs’ story is a masterclass in the power of the “ask.” Whether it was tweeting a Grammy-nominated singer or sliding into the DMs of a Dipset legend, her career proves that in the modern era, the gatekeepers are only as strong as your willingness to bypass them. Diggs didn’t wait for an invitation to the inner circle; she built her own station right in the middle of the room and waited for the stars to gravitate toward her.
As she moves forward with her upcoming show Drip With Diggs, her focus is shifting from simply crafting pieces to protecting the culture. By exposing the difference between “VVS” and “doogie” diamonds, she is positioning herself as more than just a vendor—she’s becoming a consumer advocate in an industry that often thrives on misinformation.
For Erica Diggs, the jewelry business was initially a means to provide for her family, but it has clearly evolved into a calling. She remains a rare figure in the game: a jeweler who isn’t afraid to be “real,” a fan who became a peer to her idols, and a businesswoman who knows that the most valuable thing she can offer isn’t the gold—it’s the network.
