A Gem of a Partnership: The Diamond Expert & SW

A professional partnership… with a personal touch.

Rhona Fitzpatrick is the founder of The Diamond Expert. With bases in Dublin and Dubai, the discreet family firm has a reputation for friendly, fast and famously reliable service – delivering handmade jewellery to trusted clients worldwide.

The Diamond Expert designs bespoke jewellery with a contemporary twist, creating magical memories that last a lifetime. Here Rhona provides an insight into what makes SW’s latest partner so special.

We are a female founded, family owned, private jeweller creating exquisite jewellery and a truly bespoke service.
I’ve always worked in the luxury industry. I was obsessed with horses from the moment I could breathe, and after university, I worked in the thoroughbred horse breeding and racing industry, where I became very used to dealing with high net worth individuals from all over the globe. After a decade in that world and a year of world travel, I landed in London, where my sister Orla lived. That’s where I met one of the owners of luxury Bond Street jeweller Boodles. It was my gateway into the jewellery industry and I’ve never looked back. I spent 10 years with them, immersed in the creation and sale of high-end jewellery, often travelling to meet clients all over the world. Then, after taking some time off to start a family, I was on a visit to Orla in Dubai where she’s lived for the last 20 years. She introduced me to the owner of a leading jewellery workshop there and he suggested I start my own business – and that was the moment The Diamond Expert was born!

Working with my sister is wonderful and we’ve built our business on the family values we share.
It’s been two years since Orla joined as my business partner at The Diamond Expert. She had worked in banking and finance for 25 years, managing global sales teams, but she was looking for a change. When I half seriously asked her to come and work with me, she said yes! Since then, she has been pivotal in helping to turn The Diamond Expert into a successful and rapidly growing business. Our skills complement each other so well – I focus on the jewellery and the clients, and she looks after everything under the hood to keep us a well-oiled machine. It’s wonderful to work with your sister and sometimes I have to pinch myself because it’s such a special and fortunate situation. In this industry, trust is a huge factor and to be able to have someone that you can rely on 100% is priceless.

Discretion is paramount to us. We operate quietly, respectfully and always with our client’s privacy at the forefront.
Getting to know our clients, understanding how they want the relationship to work and how we can best fit into their often busy lives is the starting point. Discretion is key and we pride ourselves on conducting business politely, professionally and privately. Schedules change, locations change and, when it comes to the jewellery, designs and timeframes can change. We understand that and we never let anything compromise our high level of care. We’re always happy to hop on a plane and hand deliver a piece of jewellery if it’s appropriate and if that’s what the client wants. We’re very flexible in terms of deadlines and deliveries. We are used to delivering that level of service and it’s a central feature of The Diamond Expert.

We create bespoke, fine jewellery that reflects our clients’ own style, lifestyle and story.
We have many different types of clients, with differing amounts of jewellery knowledge. What is most important is that first I listen and learn what it is that they’re looking for, what they like and also what they don’t like. I’ve become very good at knowing what suits someone even before they do! Clients often need that guidance and expertise, whether buying jewellery for themselves or a loved one. I will ask them questions, look at photos and always get it spot on.

Every piece created by The Diamond Expert is handmade in 18ct gold or platinum, using only certificated and certified, exceptional quality diamonds.
We focus on using the finest quality diamonds, gemstones and precious metals. Fine jewellery that will last a lifetime and accumulate plenty of precious memories along the way. We hand select only GIA and IGI certificated diamonds and we always focus on the physical stone because you can have the best looking diamond on paper but, in the flesh, it doesn’t perform. They’ve got to walk the walk!

We specialise in complex, highly personalised designs that other jewellers simply can’t deliver.
Our consultations are relaxed, informative and collaborative. We discuss the person, the gemstone and the design and then I give my guidance on the best way to proceed. We often get options on specific diamonds before they go onto the global market, so our clients are getting the best gemstones at the best rates and a completely unique design. This is a huge part of what makes up our personal service. It’s also the scope of our craftsmanship that sets us apart. The team in our workshop have a real ‘can-do’ attitude, whereas for other jewellers it’s often a ‘no’ before it’s a ‘yes’. We can create designs and achieve settings that you just won’t see anywhere else. We can make the impossible possible!

Our turnaround times are among the fastest in the industry – ideal for high performers on the move.
The skill and expertise of our workshop team means we’re always ahead of the game. Everything is handmade under one roof and we’re able to work flexibly, with speed. For example, if we’re sourcing a particular diamond for an engagement ring, we might source it from America or India – it might take two days to ship to the workshop. The CAD design is drawn up in a matter of hours, the mount is cast the next morning and, once that’s complete, it is given to the craftsman. He will set the stone, the mount will be polished and the piece of jewellery finished off and quality checked. If there is a tight deadline, we can do all of that within four to five days. Most retailers would quote three or four months for a bespoke piece like that.

With The Diamond Expert, there are no middlemen. You work directly with us, one-to-one, with absolute clarity and trust every step of the way.
We do the majority of our business with our clients on WhatsApp and we’re very quick to respond and deal with queries. When we first met with SW, we emphasised that our clients only ever communicate with me or Orla directly. That is a huge part of our personal service and essential to building long term trust.

Our remote process is efficient and seamless, yet deeply personal, wherever in the world you are.
We work with clients from all over the world – as far afield as Australia and America. Being part of a global market was always the plan but operating out of physical bases in Dublin and Dubai ensures we can connect with clients anywhere and everywhere. We often meet clients in London and various European cities. As a family run business, we have the processes in place to offer our clients complete confidence along with the personal touch. We always tailor our offering to whatever the client prefers.

Our clients return for life’s defining moments, from engagements to anniversaries and everything in between.
The engagement ring is often the first significant piece of jewellery you buy and it’s when we meet for the first time. But we have clients who have gone through their whole life journey with us! They might have two or three kids now and we’ve created their engagement ring, the wedding bands, the first-year wedding anniversary gift, the push presents, the milestone birthdays and anniversaries. It’s such a lovely journey to go on and build personal relationships with our clients. We have more than 80% repeat business which is really flattering and it’s lovely for us to be such a trusted part of our clients’ journeys.