Company&Industry FAQs

What is the Desert Diamonds-What Women Want® business concept?

Our business concept is simple…to create a collection of the highest quality 18k gold jewelry that could compete with the high-end jewelry market in terms of exceptional quality. We use only the highest quality diamond simulant stone, superior settings and gold weight usually reserved for high-end brands.  Luxury at affordable pricing that delights the customer!

This has evolved over time to incorporate further collections, such as 925 sterling silver with rhodium plating, semi-precious stones and colored simulants, and 925 sterling silver with high quality 18K gold finish. “Women everywhere can buy themselves for themselves”. This, we genuinely believe, is what women want. Women can afford luxury jewelry without the designer price tag.

How was Desert Diamonds-What Women Want® started?

While living in Saudi back in 1995, the founder and Managing Director of Desert Diamonds-What Women Want®, Sally Cowley, was introduced to the concept of high-end jewelry featuring high grade, hand cut diamond simulant stones through a glamorous friend who was wearing a stunning pair of brilliant cut loop earrings. Sally could not believe they were not real diamonds and were so affordable, and immediately set about acquiring a piece of jewelry for herself!

This set off a chain reaction of interest from family, friends and work colleagues who also had the same immediate positive reaction. Given the interest generated in these stones, Sally wasted no time in building up a range of products, to be made available directly through home parties and local women’s events.  There was certainly a gap in the jewelry market at that time for classic and timeless 18k gold jewelry designs that were within the means of all. Given the affordability of our high-grade diamond simulant versus a real diamond, it didn’t take long before the word was out. This led to women approaching Sally to supply high quality product for them to distribute directly and share in her success. This was the start of Sally’s journey to build a recognized global brand – she introduced the world to the Desert Diamonds-What Women Want brand in 2002…the rest is history.

What is the origin of the name “Desert Diamonds”?

The term Desert Diamonds is a fictitious term used sometimes in the Middle East for the quartz stones that are found in the desert. At the time that Sally lived in Saudi it was common for people to walk through the desert and pick up quartz stones and have these stones polished into look alike diamonds and then set into jewelry. This is where the term Saudi or Desert Diamonds originally comes from. In the early days these quartz stones were used in our jewelry, but with evolving technology we found higher quality diamond simulant stones on the market that better matched the fire and brilliance you acquire from a natural diamond. This is where we are today.

As the business originated in Saudi it seemed natural to use the term Desert Diamonds to reflect where it had all started. Our Brand is registered as Desert Diamonds-What Women Want® which represents our positioning. We do not refer to our stone as a Desert Diamond but as a Diamond Simulant so not to create confusion in the market.

How is Desert Diamonds-What Women Want® jewelry sold throughout the world?

At Desert Diamonds we recognize the importance of personal service in jewelry sales. We understand and encourage the need to touch and feel our fabulous jewelry, and that is why we are the only diamond simulant manufacturer / marketer offering our unique “personal shopping” model to our valued customers, in addition to online sales.

Our jewelry is sold predominantly through direct selling methods. These include “Sparkler Parties” our home jewelry parties, catalogue sales, community events, private viewings, wedding fairs and trade events. Due to demand and significant brand awareness we have expanded to incorporate e-commerce through our official website www.desertdiamondsco.com. Our distributors have also expanded their businesses through retail channels such as Bahrain Duty Free, Red Sea Mall – Jeddah, Sharannis Spa – Abu Dhabi, and many more locations that can be viewed through our authorized website.

Can I start my own Desert Diamonds-What Women Want® jewelry business?

Start your own business and build your future by becoming a Desert Diamonds Authorized Consultant! Desert Diamonds-What Women Want® are currently recruiting consultants world-wide.

• Excellent earning potential - supplement your current income or build a successful business and earn a full-time income doing something you love.
• Full support from our professional team.
• Flexible working hours to suit your schedule.
• Low startup costs - our Start Up Kit contains 100% jewelry product. We will give you a beautiful display box and marketing materials to get your business off to a great start – FREE OF CHARGE.

Our Guarantee of Success - we guarantee that you will recoup your initial investment in the first month or return your unsold jewelry for your money back (conditions apply).

For more information on our exciting business opportunity visit our website http://www.desertdiamondsco.com/join-our-team or contact us at ddglobal@desertdiamondsco.com

Where does the simulant stone industry sit in the worldwide jewelry business at the moment?

There are varying kinds of quality found in the simulant market today. Generally simulants of inferior quality can be found set in plated metal or silver. Our simulant is of the highest rating amongst simulants available in the market and is specially sourced for our product to
maintain an excellence in standard. To the untrained naked eye it is impossible to tell the difference from a real diamond. Our stone has a lifetime guarantee, which is a testimony in itself to the exceptional quality. The stone is mounted in a high quality 18k gold setting usually reserved for high end brands, however our jewelry is priced so that luxury is available to all women today.

We are certainly reaping the rewards in this economic downturn through the recognition of value.  We are very well positioned for women who are still looking to indulge in luxury as a “feel good item”. Given the decline in spending, Desert Diamonds is in a niche positioning in terms of high quality luxury product at very affordable pricing.

Are your customers proud to reveal the fact that they are desert diamonds and not carbon diamonds?

Our customers are always very happy to purchase our jewelry but revealing the truth is a personal decision and always mixed. We have those who have some very beautiful jewelry with natural diamonds who feel that they can complement their collection with our jewelry and no one would suspect.  Others are proud to show off their Desert Diamonds-What Women Want® jewelry, receive the adulation and then tell that the stones are not real and watch their reaction. Some of our customers are able to have a jewelry piece customized to their specifications with a view that one day they may be able to afford a natural diamond, so why wait to have what you want because cost gets in the way.  Then you have those who will only ever buy the real thing. This may mean that all they can afford is a low quality diamond. When they compare their diamond with our diamond simulant stone they are usually a bit disappointed in the look of their low quality diamond considering how much they have paid for it.

In the European market diamond simulants are very well accepted and usually mixed in with other precious stones. Most people may only buy one real diamond in their lifetime (engagement ring) but they can still have the look at a price that is affordable to all making an ever-increasing demand for our product.

Are high quality simulants carving a new niche in the jewelry industry?

Diamond simulant jewelry has been around for a long time and has an established place in the market. The difference here is the use of high quality diamond simulants set in hand crafted up-market settings using 18K gold and other precious metals. In the luxury market this is the gap that we fill very successfully.

Over the last few years there has been a lot of talk about conflict diamonds/ blood diamonds and even though a lot has been done to control this, consumer confidence has suffered. More and more people feel a moral obligation and diamond simulants are the compromise that they are looking for. Look at where the fur industry is today and how well accepted faux fur has become. Consumers have a lot of power, and some diamond supply companies are well aware of this which has led to some positive moves being made.

Has the financial crisis affected worldwide views on glamour?

Fashion and glamour is a big part of a woman’s confidence and self esteem. As such we don’t believe the financial crisis is having negative impact on how women dress and accessorize - they still want to feel and look great. Desert Diamonds-What Women Want is in a very strong and positive position. Given our three distinct lines of DD-18k gold (classic and timeless collection), DD-925 (silver/rhodium plated fashionable line) and DD-925 18K finish (premium and fashionable collection), we have developed a large range of affordable, high quality jewelry that certainly fits with women’s spending power today. Women can have the look of quality diamond jewelry without the price tag!