Melissa Trafford-Jones: The process is actually the same as the way we grow diamonds. We use a seed or slice of an emerald and the HPHT [high pressure, high temperature] growth method, which involves a flux and very high temperature – around 1000 degrees. 

The emerald is created by dissolving the gem nutrients into a molten flux and allowing crystallisation on a seed of natural emerald. We are also growing coloured diamonds – pink, yellow and blue – which are becoming very popular and most recently, we have introduced coloured sapphires to our range. These are at a fantastic price point and will be very popular this spring.

IR: Lab grown diamonds are becoming a lot more popular now. How would you describe the competitive landscape?  

MTJ: Incredibly popular and not just with the millennial consumer. We are seeing high demand for fine jewellery pieces, such as tennis bracelets and diamond studs, that were once very much on the wish list, but may not have been attainable for most.

We sell a lot of tennis bracelets for 40th, 50th, 60th birthdays, or anniversaries, and are now adding a line of tennis bracelets starting at $1000, which means that these pieces of luxury are affordable to everyone. 

In terms of the competitive landscape, I am predicting a few more players to come into the market, but only to add onto their current retail offering. The industry is still playing catch-up, and there are certainly still jewellers out there who are refusing to move with the times. 

However, the consumer demand for lab diamonds is seeing them pop up in your general retail jeweller as a secondary offering. I have made a conscious choice to only sell lab-created stones as I can see the potential. I am very knowledgeable on lab-grown diamonds and my offering is unique.

IR: There aren’t many females in leadership in the fine jewellery sector. Why do you think that’s the case?

MTJ: It’s a funny one isn’t it. Traditionally, it’s been men who have run jewellery businesses, and it is still very heavily skewed. I don’t mind flying the female flag in the industry, to me it makes sense to have a female-led business with an understanding of what women want. Men appreciate the female guidance when it comes to buying an engagement ring that’s for sure.

IR: What would you say are some of the biggest problems and challenges with the traditional fine jewellery sector? What needs to change?

MTJ: I think Covid decimated a lot of businesses in the sector, predominantly because they didn’t have an online offering and couldn’t open their stores. The industry certainly needs to consider the new ways that not only millennials but all consumers are now shopping. They are no longer wandering down a High Street for inspiration; in fact, their shopping and decision-making process is entirely online. We see customers have read quite a bit about lab diamonds before they even make an appointment, the reason they come to us is that we are specialists in lab diamonds and they like our offering and the way we work. 

The conscious consumer wants information instantly, they want one-to-one personalised service, and they want to feel good about their purchase. Simply having a shopfront doesn’t work anymore, and that I think has been the biggest challenge for the industry to grapple with. Shopping has completely changed, and frankly overnight, so there is a lot of catching up for some. I set up my business during Covid and I was very aware I needed to go out with a unique offering and retail experience. We are different and I like it that way.

IR: What are your plans for Deltora this year?

MTJ: We are growing fast but smart. We have opened three studios in 18 months – Sydney, then Melbourne and now Brisbane. We have clients in the US, Dubai and Asia, and are looking at a jump into New Zealand 2023. 

We are growing our fine jewellery online offering with affordable pieces under $500. My mission is that luxury can be affordable for every woman and with lab diamonds this is possible.

IR: You previously launched another jewellery business called Gemma Stone. Tell me about that start-up and the lessons you learnt from that experience. 

MTJ: I learnt a lot from the business and the people I met along the way have been really good sounding-boards for my plans for Deltora Diamonds. In a start-up, you wear all the hats and it’s important to surround yourself with the right people to help you grow in areas you may not be as strong in. My background is actually media and marketing, so I was super comfortable with that side. Sales were also fine as I am a consumer myself, I always base the sales process on how I would like to experience a brand. Fortunately, today there are many tools to help with the financials and CRM.

IR: Prior to Gemma Stone, you also worked in property, wrote a book about breastfeeding and worked in television! What led you to jewellery and how have your previous experiences shaped who you are as a businesswoman today?

MTJ: What led me to jewellery was both a love for the jewellery [and] the business side of things to be honest. The rise of the conscious consumer really lends itself to a business that is all about sustainability in the jewellery industry, so that posed an interesting challenge to me. 

I strongly believe that a varied career has stood me well for the job I am in today. Every stepping stone and lesson learnt has allowed me to be both passion-led and business-minded, and for all those experiences that led me here, I am thankful. I think if I had been in jewellery my whole life, I would be blinkered to what I believe the industry needs now, and that’s a good shake-up.