By Keletso Mkhwanazi.
As a young boy, the “King of Diamonds” always had high aspirations. But there was something about jewellery that especially sparked an interest in him. Skilled jeweller Billy Dlamini was determined to start his own jewellery company and had to overcome many challenges to achieve his dream. Now Billdore Jewellery in Durban manufactures and exports jewellery that Dlamini says is reasonably priced.
Being a black man and running the firm without any financing had been the hardest part. “Starting a business was straightforward, but moulding it for stability and growth was more important. My business is still far from where I want it to be, therefore, I’m still working to build it now,” he stated.
Creating the best jewellery at an affordable price has always been his aim. “My business’ continued existence and relevance for more than 10 years is undoubtedly my greatest accomplishment, despite the fact that I still have a lot to do. Although it wasn’t simple, neither is life in general,” he said.
Employing the appropriate people to help manage his business was critical. Dlamini said he had entrusted these roles to family members. “It was crucial for me to choose people who are as passionate about jewels as I am since we all work together to provide the greatest services possible to all of our customers, and I will always be grateful to them,” he told Vutivi News.
He said wedding rings were his biggest seller. “After a few years, I realised that wedding rings were the item that sold the most, so I made the decision to concentrate more on it while maintaining my attention on the other products.” And while load-shedding has left some customers unhappy because it has impacted the turnaround time of his products, Dlamini aims to open a new branch in Johannesburg towards the end of the year. He currently has four permanent employees who all have jewellery design qualifications, and occasionally hires a student for work experience.