Jeweller - October 2022

Local Brands | FEATURE
L to R: Opal Minded; Autore Pearls
who believes that the pandemic made people re-think their lives. She
says that offering consumers transparency at every step - from the
mine to Ellendale Diamonds, to the retailer and to the eventual buyer,
is critical.
“The pandemic, having clipped the wings of us all to be able to travel
and source worldwide with ease, we believe has benefited homegrown
Australian brands tremendously,” she explains.
“As consumers we have looked to what is available within our own
backyard, it has given us a sense of we are in this together and
should support our own brands and businesses. We have been given
a glimpse of how precious life is and therefore, how important it is to
seize the moment.”
Price also believes that the “consumer more than ever is ethically
and socially aware and wants reassurance that the pieces they are
purchasing have a transparent, ethical supply chain. We champion
this transparency.”
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Based in Sydney, SAMS Group Australia has a proud and long family
connection with the Australian jewellery industry with brands such as
Classique and Pink Kimberley.
The company launched a new range of branded Australian jewellery -
Sapphire Dreams – in September 2021.
Steve der Bedrossian, CEO told Jeweller, “I love Australian products,
and I always try to use unique materials that are sourced in Australia.
The colours of Australian sapphires are amazing, and there was no
brand around Australian sapphires, so I realised that it was something
that I could create.
“Sapphire Dreams is the first of its kind and the only Australian jewellery
brand that celebrates Australian sapphires and their breathtaking colour
range, which is unlike anywhere else in the world.”
Pearls
No discussion of Australian jewellery brands would be complete without
acknowledging the wide variety on offer when it comes to pearls.
Autore Pearls operates 10 South Sea pearl farms, located in Australia
and Indonesia, and is headquartered in Sydney. Each year more than
350,000 pearls are harvested by Autore Pearls, spearheaded by the
man who founded the company in 1991 – Rosario Autore.
Autore is another who believes that the pandemic gave local brands
the opportunity to deepen a connection with the Australian market.
“As the second largest producer and quota holder in Australia, I can
confidently say Australian South Sea pearls are widely recognised on
the international market as the best and most valuable in the world,”
Autore says.
“During the pandemic, tourism to Australia was completely blocked,
creating difficulties from a retail perspective for the pearl industry.”
He continues: “Tourists would usually come and buy the beautiful