Daniel Joines
POLISHED DIAMONDS - New Regent Street
Dan started his career in London working for oil giant Chevron, in charge of cash and banking across Eurasia, London, Benelux, and West Africa, while completing a chartered accounting degree at Reading University in the UK.
You may or may not remember Victor Kiam, who became the famous spokesman for the Remington shaver back in 1979, with his catchphrase, "I liked it so much, I bought the company." Well, this is exactly how Dan went from Accountant to Jeweller.
Dan purchased an engagement ring online and was so inspired by his experience he subsequently acquired the company and relocated it to New Zealand. At that time the company was called Diamond Geezer, so he became Dan the Diamond Geezer, which almost sounds like a character from a Guy Richie movie.
The name transition came into play when Dan received a phone call from a satisfied customer who lived in Sydney and had purchased a $65,000 4 ½ carat diamond ring. She rang to tell Dan that she loved the ring, the price, and the experience but didn’t like the name Diamond Geezer. I suppose telling her friends that the ring came from the Diamond Geezer didn’t quite ‘cut’ it.
Dan’s vision was to create a premier business focused on delivering exceptional customer experiences and offering the finest quality jewellery so to tie in with that vision the name Polished Diamonds was born.
In 2003, he harnessed cutting-edge architectural Computer-Aided Design software to provide the ability to design the most precise diamond rings and fine jewellery. Additionally, early adopters of 3D printing technology to produce wax replicas of each ring, which are then cast into Platinum or Gold. Dan says this process eliminates human error, so the design each client confirms is then meticulously transitioned into the physical ring. Each item is then traditionally hand-finished by their team of master goldsmiths.
We asked Dan about the journey into a brick-and-mortar storefront, starting with his first store on New Regent Street. He had taken an option on a store in New Regent Street when the earthquakes hit, delaying his opening a few years, but he was the first business to reopen on the street.
He loves his spot on New Regent Street, as he says it suits the artisan-style business and is supplemented with great food, beer, gin, whiskey, and coffee. What more could you want?
Dan said he grew tired of operating out of a faceless suburban building after the earthquake and wanted to return to the city. He decided to adorn a hi-vis jacket, hard hat, and steel-capped boots to be able to enter through the cordon and be in his store. He recounts that, back then, he was the only car in the car park and loved watching the numbers grow from one car to two cars, then a dozen, and now he has to compete for a car park.
Dan and his team have supplied rings to every continent on Earth, including Antarctica, Africa and Europe and have accolades that include winning “Best Retail” and “Best Wedding Jewellery Design,” 10,000 satisfied customers and physical stores now in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. Dan’s commitment to service is at the next level, once delivering a ring to a lady in Sydney, although he said she paid for the flight ticket.
When I asked about the future, Dan said he is currently looking to expand into the UK and US markets and hopes that someday Polished Diamonds may become a global brand. We love our entrepreneurs, as they live local, make local, and are the characters that differentiate us from other shopping destinations.
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