This Jeweler Is the Dodgers’ Go-To for Standout Tennis Necklaces
A second-generation jeweler, Arik’s father set up shop in Istanbul, Türkiye in 1973; Arik opened Happy Jewelers in Orange County 25 years ago. Though he is an avowed Dodgers fan, Arik’s business caters to teams across Major League Baseball. “Happy Jewelers has become a destination,” he says. “Other teams that play the Dodgers or the Angels come visit the store to take out new chains or to come pick up a new piece of jewelry for their girlfriend or their wife.”
In fact, his entrée to the major league wasn’t via the Dodgers, but the Chicago White Sox. “Frank Thomas from the Chicago White Sox started using me through a friend of his that wasn’t a baseball player,” Arik says. “He and his wife, Megan, started referring me to a lot of their friends and it just became from one team to another.”
Yamamoto was introduced to Happy Jewelers by his teammate Kiké Hernández, who likes to take big swings with his bling. This season, the utility player gave Arik full creative license. The result: a double-strand tennis necklace with multiple shades of blue sapphires. Other pieces in his collection include a rainbow sapphire tennis necklace and a multicolored ruby necklace.
