Manu Bhardwaj may not have attracted Dragon money with his online bespoke jewellery business but that hasn't stopped his business from shining like a well cut diamond. New Business checks out Durham Rose
What prompted you to get involved in bespoke ring design?
Before I proposed to my now-wife, Pip, I did not want to purchase a generic, off-the-shelf engagement ring, instead I wanted to have some input into the ring's design.
After visiting over twenty jewellers and trawling online sites, I found that most jewellers used only very rudimentary hand sketches to demonstrate what the ring I was commissioning would look like, giving the jeweller a fair amount of leeway in interpreting the ring design.
From this experience, Pip and I identified a gap in the market to offer a bespoke service where potential clients were able to view 3D images of their design before purchasing.
How do you differ from a traditional jeweller?
We specialise in bespoke rings primarily, but can make any other piece of jewellery. Using similar CAD software to that used by architects, we can create an unparalleled level of customisation to our clients designs. If a client has seen a diamond ring that they like, we'll virtually recreate it into a 3D model and then help them add those vital, personalised touches to make it their own. Then our workshop team will build it using the very finest, hand-selected diamonds and materials. However, as we don't have showrooms, overheads are kept low, enabling us to pass significant saving to our clients.
Talk us through the buying process?
Clients can visit us in person at one of our offices and go through the design process with our team face-to-face. Or, more popularly, clients do everything online via meeting screen-sharing software. Once a client books an appointment, we call them on the phone and will send them a link which gives them a live view of the jewellery designer's computer screen. The client can then sit in front of either their computer or tablet, click the link, and together we will use our software to design their ring from the comfort of their own home or place of work.
The process usually takes around 45 minutes to an hour for the initial consultation. Once they've finalised their design we make a 3D wax model of the ring to ensure that everything works from a design and manufacturing perspective. Once the client is happy with the design and the raw casting has been made, the ring is polished in preparation for the stones to be set. The finished ring is given a final polish and is then quality assessed by a trained goldsmith to ensure that the ring has been made to the highest possible standard. Once approved, the ring is sent to be hallmarked.
How did your appearance on Dragons' Den impact the trajectory of Durham Rose?
Although the Dragons did not invest in Hot Pink as we were known at the time, we received a huge volume of traffic because of it and used it as a springboard to help us grow the company quicker and as it grew we decided to change its name. I combined mine and Pip's middle names, Durham and Rose.
Why buy such a key purchase as an engagement ring from Durham Rose?
We are better, faster and more cost-effective than many other alternative jewellery retailers. We take time to get to know our clients to be sure that each piece of jewellery perfectly reflects their personalities and tastes, allowing for a unique, meaningful journey as opposed to a simple transaction.
What does the future hold for you?
At present, Durham Rose has delivered rings to every continent except for Antarctica. We hope to expand our international client base and open several more design studios in the UK and around the world.
