Q&a / How De Beers Jewellers is winning over China’s Gen Z – Tmall, WeChat and sustainable diamond mining
- De Beers Jewellers and De Beers Forevermark CEO Céline Assimon reveals how the brand weathered the pandemic and its digital strategies for connecting with a new generation
- Since taking over in September 2020, Assimon has brought sustainability into the spotlight, highlighting the brand’s work with South Africa’s mining communities
In the latest in our series of interviews with luxury leaders, Céline Assimon, CEO of De Beers Jewellers and De Beers Forevermark, shines a light on the brand’s strategies during the pandemic and how it is connecting with clients in a new era.
When you look at the number of female CEOs ... there is a handful of us females. It starts with education, promoting women, and encouraging them to want more and to be ambitious in their careers
What are the strategies and changes you brought to the brand since taking over in September 2020?
There are two big changes. First, putting creativity back at the centre of our value proposition. It takes a long time to develop jewellery and high jewellery in particular, but we were able to make changes and pivot really quickly, bringing more pieces that are bolder and bigger, and overall, pieces that are more creative than what we had done in the past.
The second is going back to our core values: safety, and another value that is at the core of who we are as a brand – not just De Beers Jewellers, but the group in general – sustainability. In other words, how do we go back to who we are as a jewellery house and communicate more about what we do? Sustainability is at the core of our value proposition; we want our diamonds to be worn with pride and when I joined the brand, I thought that the brand had been a bit silent about the beautiful things that we are doing.
We are supporting communities and we maintain acres and acres of land in South Africa. Yes, the [diamond] mining process definitely has an impact [on the environment], but [we think about] how we can mitigate the impact and turn it into something positive for the community.
How has De Beers embraced digital platforms to reach customers?
We have been selling quite a few designs during lockdown, [including] an over 10 carat yellow diamond, which is a pretty significant price point. Some of those pieces were sold through virtual appointments.
I think the jewellery industry in general was a bit reluctant across the board to embrace digitalisation, and I think this was an obstacle that all of us leaders in the industry had in our heads. We were worried that we would not be able to sell high jewellery in the digital network, [but] I think the lockdown really broke the bias because customers got used to using technology. So, for me, the physical and digital experience will work hand in hand in the customer journey no matter what the price point. I really believe in that now.