My Big Idea: Tobias Kormind of 77 Diamonds

Hi Tobias! What's your elevator pitch? 

We craft exquisite jewellery of the finest quality, deliver unparalleled customer care and turn heartfelt love stories into pieces that last a lifetime: all this while providing customers with a second-to-none online experience to offer direct access to one of the world’s largest diamond selections. So high craftsmanship made accessible, the best of both worlds. 

Why does the market need it? 

Personalisation is becoming more and more popular, and people are very keen to tell their story through their jewellery. It used to be that couples opt for a classic yellow gold ring on their wedding day, or propose with a simple solitaire. Today, our clients are more eager to 

Where is the business today? 

Five years ago, we had four showrooms, today we have 13. Our success boils down to the way we interact with our customers, and the incredible convenience we offer by giving them the creative freedom to design their ideal jewellery piece. 

What made you think there was money in this? 

We opened 77 Diamonds back in 2005, and at the time, online diamond jewellery brands weren't too highly considered. People were wondering how something like this could even work. But it was clear, even then, that online retail would soon take over completely: we saw this opportunity and took it. But there was also a key aspect to why we started — we honestly wanted to make beautifully designed diamond jewellery accessible to more people, because everyone deserves to express their love with a piece that will be handed down generations. 

What's your biggest strength? 

Probably the quality of our website, the quality of our jewellery and above all the quality of our service. We understand on a personal level what our customers need, and the guidance they are also looking for — we have made it a fine art to provide to that need and that is what has ensured our longevity. 

What is the secret to making the business work? 

As I said above, probably the most important aspect is to retain a level of human compassion and understanding, and have that filter all through the business, especially when it comes to engagement rings, wedding rings and bridal jewellery. Customers value transparent, honest advice — they don’t want to be taken advantage of in one of the most significant and symbolic moments of their lives. 

How do you market the company? 

We are very proud of the fact that we offer what might be the largest selection of diamonds in the world at fair prices. I think our customers also value our transparency and the quality of our service. 

Tell us about the business model 

We allow customers to create a jewellery piece in three simple steps: first they select their favourite setting in the metal colour of their choice, then they can choose to have this piece set with the diamond or coloured gem of their choice, as a third and final step, they can add an engraving to their ring. We then handcraft this unique piece with the exact diamond or gemstone selected, taking care to get every detail right. Our customers love to have this power of choice and really finetune their diamond search: as we add more features and options to our site, we can only benefit the customer more. 

What were you doing before? 

I was working in finance and luxury, and my co-founder, Vadim Wienig comes from a family of diamond sellers that can be traced back to Antwerp. Our shared knowledge has helped build a brand that has withstood the test of time, and is now fully established as a reference for online diamond jewellers. 

What is the future vision? 

We obviously want to expand and evolve as a brand, develop our offering and increase our number of coloured gems available on our website. We are also actively looking over our supply chain to bring sustainability to the forefront and promote responsible sourcing, not only for us or for the benefit of our customers, but for the jewellery industry as a whole.