A Conversation with Gem IQ on Digital Jewelers | Halo Diamonds
I recently had an online interview with John Huh from Gem IQ for an episode of their Digital Jewelers podcast series. I was asked a simple question: What is Halo Diamonds really about?
The answer has always been very easy for me.
Halo Diamonds was never created to be just another jewellery store. We have always wanted to build something more personal. We wanted a place where clients could feel comfortable, ask questions, take their time and know they were receiving genuine advice.
As a family run business we are very hands on. We do not have layers of staff or a high-pressure sales environment.
When you visit Halo Diamonds, you are speaking directly with the people who own the business, source the diamonds & design the pieces. You will be greeted by myself (Angela), my husband (Zac) or my mother in law (Alison).
At the core, our passion lies in natural diamonds and gemstones. We have always, and will always, remain true to this, which is why we offer Only Natural Diamonds & Gemstones at Halo Diamonds.
We offer a variety of products, from engagement rings to classic diamond tennis jewellery and other bespoke fine jewellery. Every piece we create begins with understanding the person behind it.
The Halo Diamonds Experience
One of the things I spoke to John about during the interview was how different buying jewellery can feel.
Many people come into a fine jewellery store feeling nervous or overwhelmed, particularly when they are looking into purchasing an engagement ring. They are often worried about making the wrong decision, spending too much or not knowing enough.
I understand that completely.
Personally, I have never liked pushy salespeople. When I shop, I want someone to be honest with me, to tell me what suits me and what does not. I want someone to guide me in understanding the value of what I'm buying and not merely trying to over sell me on something I may later regret. And, this is exactly how we approach Halo Diamonds.
We are focused in understanding our clients' wants & needs. Our job is to help our clients in finding or crafting the perfect fine jewellery for them, and this does vary from one client to another. Our aim is to offer value and genuine relationship.
Sometimes a client arrives with dozens of screenshots saved on their phone and already knows exactly what they want. Other times, they walk in with no idea where to begin.
When that happens, we simply start at the beginning.
We encourage clients to try on different styles, different diamond shapes and different pieces. Or simply trying to understand whether our client prefers a natural diamond, a natural gemstone, or a combination of both! What matters to our client is the most important and, very often, understanding what someone does not like is just as important as understanding what they do.
To me, this process is a little bit like matchmaking.
Every natural diamond and gemstone is unique. Every client is unique. My role is to understand both and bring them together.
Jewellery Without Borders
Although we are based in Perth, many of our clients live elsewhere.
Over the years, we have created bespoke pieces for clients across Australia and internationally. We regularly work with clients in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne and regional Western Australia - mainly our clients within the farming community. We also work with clients overseas, mainly in London, Jakarta, Hong Kong, and Singapore, on both bespoke and readily available fine jewellery pieces.
One of my favourite client stories involved a gentleman in London who discovered us through Instagram.
He had found a ring on our website and reached out to enquire. During our first FaceTime call, I actually encouraged him to consider working with someone local should he feel more comfortable to do this because it was such an important purchase.
I told him that even if he chose not to buy from us, I would still be happy to guide him through the process.
But that honesty was what convinced him to proceed with us.
He purchased the ring, and over the years we have stayed in touch. Since then, he has returned for several diamond rings, a pair of diamond studs and other fine jewellery pieces. Twice a year, approaching his anniversary and the month before Christmas, he always called me to get something special to be sent over to London.
To me, this is why trust matters more than anything else.
When clients know that you genuinely care about helping them, rather than simply making a sale, the relationship becomes something much more meaningful.
Why We Share So Much Online
Today, more than half of our new clients discover Halo Diamonds through Instagram.
Everything you see on our website and social media is written and managed by me personally. I think of it as a diary of our business. I love sharing the pieces we create, the stories behind them and glimpses into the workshop.
Most people never get to see how jewellery is made. They do not see the bench jeweller working on a custom ring, the gemstones being selected or the many small details that happen behind the scenes.
By sharing that process, we invite our clients to become part of it.
That is also why quality photography and video matter so much to us.
Fine jewellery can look very different depending on the lighting. A diamond may appear one way indoors and another way outside in natural sunlight. In Western Australia, where we spend so much of our time outdoors, I often take clients outside the store so they can see how a piece of fine jewellery truly looks.
When we work with interstate or international clients, that becomes much harder.
I spend a lot of time photographing and filming our jewellery because I want our clients to see the piece as accurately as possible. My goal is never to make something look overly edited or unrealistic. In fact, I have always disliked jewellery photographs that look more like a computer rendering than a real piece.
I want our clients to open their parcel and think:
“It looks exactly how I imagined, or even better.”
Writing, Education and Building Trust
John mentioned during the interview that he read a couple of my blog posts!
I have always loved writing and reading.
That is why I created The Diamond Guide, as a space for me to cover my passion which covers natural diamonds, natural gemstones and various fine jewellery topics.
For me, it is important that our clients understand what they are buying and why it matters.
Awhile back, I wrote an article about natural diamonds and the reasons we specialise exclusively in them. Shortly afterwards, I received a phone call from a gentleman who had found the article online.
For almost an hour, he asked me question after question.
At the end of the conversation, he told me he was actually a geologist. He had called because he wanted to know whether I had truly written the article myself or whether someone else had written it for me.
To which I told him, I wrote every single word myself.
He was happy with that and told me over the phone that he was in the market for an engagement ring with natural diamond and that was the reason why he came across my post. We made an appointment and we crafted a beautiful solitaire style engagement ring centring a cushion cut diamond for him. Him and his fiancée are now married and they just had their very first baby girl just 2 months ago!
Moments like that remind me why we do what we do.
What You Can Expect at Halo Diamonds
When you visit Halo Diamonds, whether in-store or online, I hope you feel welcome.
You are never under any pressure to buy.
You can try on as many rings as you like. You can ask as many questions as you want. There is no such thing as a silly question.
We know that fine jewellery is not a mundane purchase. Hence, certain things or topics may feel foreign.
Our role is to guide you, answer your questions honestly and help you find something that feels exactly right.
Because at Halo Diamonds, jewellery has never been just about the jewellery.
It is about the story, the relationship and finding the perfect match.
To My Existing Clients
I hope you know just how much we adore and appreciate you. On behalf of our family, thank you for your continued support of our small family business.
To my clients here in Claremont and within the Perth Metro Area, I always love our little catch-ups and seeing you walk through the door.
To my regional clients, many of whom are part of the farming community, I truly adore each and every one of you. You all have such strong family values, something I love and relate to deeply.
To my clients interstate and overseas, although I have not met many of you in person, we speak so often online that I feel I know you all so well. I am incredibly grateful for your trust, friendship and support.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. You are the reason Halo Diamonds is what it is today, and every one of you holds a very special place in my heart 🤍
