A cut above: Innovation at The Village Goldsmith

Over the past two decades, co-director and founder of The Village Goldsmith, Ian Douglas, and his team have developed a new way of securing a diamond. “Jewellers have been trying to do it for over a hundred years,” says Ian. “It’s the holy grail.” Instead of the traditional claws that clasp the stone, their design, called Floeting®, uses a laser-cut groove on the underside of the stone to secure it. 

“The result is a diamond that scintillates and sparkles,” says Chris Benham, co-director. “As soon as you cut into the underside of a diamond, the light return is affected… A big part of our research and development process was to think of a way to achieve this without fundamentally affecting the sparkle.” 

The Village Goldsmith launched the design in 2021 to huge success in New Zealand and abroad. “We always felt it was bigger than us in terms of the opportunity,” says Chris. “That’s why we sought partnerships.” Enter Tiffany’s, perhaps the best-known name in the world of things that glitter. Designer and artist Pharrell Williams was also taken with the design. In 2025 he released a range of jewellery using the Floeting® technology. 

Despite its success, The Village Goldsmith has very consciously kept to a single showroom. Starting in Kelburn in 1981, it moved to Victoria Street in the central city in 1997. The space includes a workshop and design studio. “We always believed you can grow the value of the brand, not by opening bricks and mortar… but by creating new and original concepts,” says Ian. 

The single location keeps overheads down, and lets the team focus on designing. It also means they can retain the bespoke customer experience they have become known for. Clients can sit down with a designer and have sketches made in front of them. Designs can even be 3D printed to try on. The experience is involved and personal; a counter to the ‘add to cart’ jewellers that have become commonplace. 

The jewellery industry is, however, susceptible to the whims of the economy. Conscious of this, The Village Goldsmith worked with WellingtonNZ to enhance its online presence and ready the website for the Floeting® launch. “[It] was extremely valuable,” says Chris. "WellingtonNZ provided us with an opportunity to work with specialists.” The team also attended workshops that focused on strategy and how to drive traffic. A long-standing association with Callaghan Innovation via WellingtonNZ provided access to scientists and engineers who worked on and tested the Floeting® diamond. 

Despite economic pressures, the team relies on some constants in life. “One thing that is somewhat recession-proof,” says Chris, “is people fall in love and get engaged, no matter what’s happening.”

On occasion, Ian is invited to a client’s wedding. For one coming up, it will be the third generation he’s made jewellery for. For many, a ring will be one of the most significant purchases of their life. Being there for such important moments shows just how integral Ian is to the Wellington community. Just like a village goldsmith.

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