Founded in 1968 by Ziad H. Noshie, Almaza (which means “small diamond”) has been serving the Houston community for over 42 years. Mr. Noshie creates one-of-a-kind pieces from precious metals and gemstones. Since 1970, he has received 64 design awards both nationally and internationally for his unique work. Almaza, which has been established in the heart of Rice Village since 1992, also provides expert jewelry repair and appraisals.

The steady success of this shop is attributed not only to the exceptional, award-winning merchandise, but also in no small part to Mr. Noshie’s open, generous personality. He attends to each of his creations with painstaking detail, the way an artist would tend to his canvas and oils. Mr. Noshie’s commitment to excellence and incredible workmanship was recently recognized by the Better Business Bureau. This past March, Almaza was given the 2010 Awards for Excellence Pinnacle Award, which is the top honor the BBB can bestow.

A first-generation jeweler who was born in Ghana, West Africa, Ziad Noshie’s passion for jewelry and gemstones was stimulated by his upbringing. Having grown up in the diamond trade, he quickly developed an affinity not only for diamonds, but for colored gemstones and the fabrication of jewelry as well. Mr. Noshie studied jewelry design and manufacturing in 1966 at what is now the Glassell School of Art in Houston, Texas, and continued to refine his skills on his own. In addition to jewelry design, Mr. Noshie is an accomplished vinter who has won numerous awards for his wine. Like his award winning jewelry designs, Mr. Noshie does not sell his wine, preferring to generously share it with family, friends and clients.

In 2005 Mr. Noshie was inducted into the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Circle of Honor for his donation of the Quetzal, a jeweled bird objet d’art, to the GIA’s Collection. Quetzal, which took 11 months to handcraft, is a 3-dimensional, life-sized replica of Guatemala’s national bird. Quetzal can be found perched on a branch of Moroccan black coral at its home in the main rotunda of the GIA Museum in Carlsbad, California.