Exclusive interview: Talking jewellery with Mr. Fred Mouawad, fourth generation Co-Guardian of Mouawad
What does it mean for a Jewellery house to acquire a stone like The Dynasty and the Dragon diamonds?
It is always an honor to have played a role in shaping the journey of incredible diamonds such as the Dynasty and Dragon. Such acquisitions and our own contribution to them in terms of artistry allow us to continue the legacy of the brand in crafting the extraordinary, and also to pay homage to and continue what our father began with his passion for acquiring rare gems and creating masterpieces.
How does Mouawad choose what to buy from the exquisite diamonds sold in auctions?
We focus on the larger and higher quality rough diamonds when we buy at tenders. This strategic focus allows us to collect enough gems to then create magnificent jewelry ensembles. In terms of smaller diamonds, these are mostly acquired by Mouawad in their polished form.
When do you decide to give up a diamond from your collection and put it up for sale? What role Mr. Robert Mouawad plays in this context? We are in the business of creating unique pieces and offering them to our clients and therefore all our diamonds and jewelry are available to be acquired. Our father Robert Mouawad is no longer involved in the operations of the company. He handed over the reins of the business to the next generation, myself and my two brothers Alain and Pascal, in 2010. The business is now fully run by us as the fourth generation Co-Guardians.
How would you differentiate Mouawad from other Jewellery brands?
We focus on crafting the extraordinary from rough to jewelry. This is an extremely important differentiator, the fact that the entire process of craftsmanship is in-house. Also, as a fourth-generation family business with a long and impressive heritage in this domain we focus on perpetuating this heritage in the long term and on servicing our clients and their desires with the signature excellence they expect from Mouawad.
What is your assessment of the performance of the jewelry market in the Middle East?
The region generally is going through a difficult and challenging period. However, we are confident that the situation will improve in the near future.
What does Mouawad has to offer its bespoke clients in the region?
We have the ability to design and procure gemstones based on any realistic request. Our strength is this ability to service clients from their initial idea to the final jewelry creation, delivering to them extraordinary craftsmanship with better value than our competitors.
Kindly explain Mouawad point of view regarding Lab Made diamonds and its use in Jewellery.
There is short-term confusion in the market, but it’s only a matter of time before consumers realize that lab-grown diamonds are simply a low-cost artificial replica of natural stones. Therefore, consumers should be very careful about investing in lab-grown diamonds. With improvements in technology the production costs will go down to a few dollars per carat. This means lab-grown diamonds are not rare and can be produced without any limitation. As a result, consumers will practically lose any ability to resell their diamonds for any significant value.
There is a strong trend about the sustainable Luxury, what is Mouawad’s policy on this subject?
We strongly believe in sustainable luxury. We only buy gold and diamonds, whether in the rough or polished, from reputable sources that abide by the highest standards of ethics. We also do our utmost to provide transparency to our customers, so they know the journey of their diamonds from the initial rough to becoming Mouawad jewelry. We also believe in supporting the under privileged communities in diamond producing countries through the Mouawad Diamond Impact Fund.
The retail market is changing, what’s your thought on e-commerce in terms of jewellery and marketplaces?
We will soon be launching our e-commerce site. More and more of our customers are spread across the world and as contemporary consumers they want a way to interact and buy from the brand online.
It has been said that there is no wedding in the Gulf region without Mouawad. How do you feel about this and where is Mouawad’s current position?
That is certainly how we want to be remembered. In the Gulf region we probably have the most extensive inventory, expertise, and ability to cater to any wedding. We pride ourselves on providing high quality jewelry that offers value and a memorable way to commemorate one of the most important milestones in anyone’s life – and we certainly believe that the “Mouawad” brand adds an extra cachet to any luxurious ceremony. |