Meet Don, a passionate entrepreneur who turns love stories into timeless treasures through customised diamond rings. Specialising in bespoke designs for couples, their business is dedicated to creating meaningful pieces that reflect each couple’s unique journey.

With a keen eye for detail and a deep appreciation for craftsmanship, Don works closely with clients to design one-of-a-kind rings that symbolise commitment, love, and personal style. Whether it’s an engagement, anniversary, or a special milestone, each diamond ring is meticulously crafted to celebrate love in its most beautiful form.

What inspired you to establish Diamond Ateliers and focus on creating the perfect customised ring for young couples in Singapore?

For me, I grew up surrounded by jewellery—my granddad was a retailer and my dad is a manufacturer. After I graduated, I noticed many of my friends were starting to get engaged.

As I looked around, I realised the retail scene in Singapore was very expensive. I thought there had to be a better way, and that’s when I decided to go bespoke. At Diamond Ateliers, we offer two key differences.

First, we cut out many middlemen. Our business is built around customisation rather than mass production, which keeps our costs lower than traditional retailers. Second, we focus on offering a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Many people appreciate that added personalisation when it comes to engagement rings. Traditional retail models rely on mass-producing 200 to 300 ring designs and then charging high fees for any edits. But we design piece by piece, which brings more cost efficiency.

Our bespoke pricing is one of the most competitive in Singapore. As the business grew, I realised there’s strong demand from people wanting something special and unique. That’s how this journey started, and I’ve been doing it for nearly six years now.

Can you describe the process at Diamond Ateliers? How do you ensure each couple is involved in every step of the ring creation?

One key difference is that many couples come in together. They select sample rings they like, and we work with them to identify what can be customised. Once they confirm the design direction, we go into a design phase, creating a 3D CAD for their approval.

After the bride-to-be approves the final design, we discreetly work with the groom to finalise the proposal timeline. That way, the surprise and excitement of the proposal are preserved.

With over 1,000 couples having collaborated with you, what have you learned about what couples value most when designing their ideal ring?

For many women, the engagement ring is an emotional and symbolic product—it marks a major life milestone.

Most Singaporean couples are pragmatic. They’re not looking for the cheapest option, but they want value. They want transparency, trust, and a better deal than retail.

Many also want their ring to reflect something personal—something slightly different from what’s mass-produced. That balance of affordability, uniqueness, and trust is what we’ve built our brand on.

Most Singaporean couples are pragmatic. They’re not looking for the cheapest option, but they want value. They want transparency, trust, and a better deal than retail.

How do you balance maintaining transparency in the design process with ensuring the exclusivity and quality of each custom piece?

We try to make each ring as unique as possible, but to be truly one-of-a-kind, the design must deviate from standard trends. For instance, rings with vines, leaves, or intricate motifs are more unique, but such styles might not appeal to 80–90% of the market.

Most of our clients still prefer classic, minimalistic styles with subtle customisations like engraved initials or coloured stones on the inside. While we cannot copyright every design, we educate our clients that to achieve true exclusivity, they must opt for more distinctive design elements.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced since founding the company in 2019, and how did you overcome them?

The hardest part was building trust and a customer base from zero. You’re essentially proving that your business idea is viable. When I started Diamond Ateliers in 2019, I still held a full-time job. That helped me with cash flow while building the business on the side.

During those early stages, the business wasn’t generating enough for me to draw a salary, but life expenses continued. Balancing both roles was incredibly challenging. I worked hard during my off days to build something sustainable.

As for the product itself, certified diamonds—whether natural or lab-grown—have helped tremendously. They can verify the diamond’s authenticity using the certificate number inscribed on it. That transparency has reduced issues and built trust.

What do you think makes a good entrepreneur?

Perseverance. The beginning is always the hardest—you’re uncertain if your idea will work or whether it can support your livelihood. To push through the uncertainty and continue despite setbacks requires grit. Life throws ups and downs, and entrepreneurship is no different.

But every crisis brings opportunities. Many successful companies were born out of downturns. I believe it’s a good time for new ideas and business models to emerge.

Looking ahead, what are your future plans for the company?

At Diamond Ateliers, I’m committed to building a strong brand. Our retail space is only a month old, so the focus now is on refining operations and scaling gradually.

We aim to position ourselves as a next-generation retail brand by doing things traditional jewellers avoid—like live streaming, integrating AI, and using AR to enhance customer experience. These are plans I hope to execute in the next 6 to 12 months.

What’s your vision for Singapore in the next five years?

I believe Singapore will continue to be a great place for entrepreneurship, thanks to our stable economy. However, our domestic market is small, which limits growth for product-based businesses.

Costs are also high, especially when scaling operations. I think we’ll see more consolidation in the coming years. But compared to other global economies, Singapore remains well-positioned to thrive, and that gives local entrepreneurs a solid foundation to grow.

Connect with Don: DiamondAteliers, Instagram and TikTok.