African wearing red lipstick woman smiling Ursula Pule, the creative director of Nungu Diamonds.
Sir Thomas Browne said: “Rough diamonds may sometimes be mistaken for worthless pebbles”.
Ursula Pule, the creative director of Nungu Diamonds, certainly knows the difference.
During August we are shining a light on women who are breaking barriers to carve their way in what’s perceived to be dominantly male territory.
The light surely shines bright on Pule, whose mission within the diamond industry, apart from excellence in jewellery, has evolved into educating the unenlightened as to what to expect from a young, driven, previously disadvantaged female entrepreneur.
We caught up with her to chat about Nungu Diamonds and her passion for the precious gems.
Watch video
Where does your love for diamonds come from?
My husband. His love of diamonds and the diamond industry bit me hard, and the more I learned, the more I loved it.
What do diamonds mean to you?
They are part of my heritage, and now part of my legacy. Being mined here, and us being able to cut, polish and set them here in South Africa enables me to be part of changing the narrative about diamonds and the African continent. And I get to make a living.
What inspired you to work in the industry?
Seeing how much diamonds are loved around the world, more so South African diamonds. I wanted to understand why back home, the care isn’t the same. This led to my husband and I starting a jewellery brand that would strive to further educate our people about the beauty and value of diamonds.
How did Nungu Diamonds come about?
It started as a curiosity and became a passion. The diamond industry is intriguing, more so diamonds themselves. We love to say the industry picked us.
What separates Nungu Diamonds from other companies?
We do - my husband and I. It’s in our sales process and how we treat every client as we would want to be treated – taking time to understand their needs and how best to take care of them. We offer a truly personalised service.
What role do diamonds play in the African luxury industry?
In my opinion, one of the biggest! The African luxury industry is evolving and becoming much more distinctly Africa in the most robust way. We are taking our love for grand design and putting it at the forefront of our luxury language.
Watch video
What words of advice do you have for women starting their own business or wanting to start their own business?
Start! And always learn from praise-givers and critics alike. This will give you knowledge and direction about how to channel your business to where it is needed. No matter what it is, you will always bring something different to that industry.
What's the highlight in your career so far?
It would be our clients – all of them. It’s gratifying to see people happy and blessed by what they have purchased; marking a milestone moment with a diamond.
If you had to pick your favourite piece of jewellery, what would it be?
I love eternity bands. Rings that have diamonds or other precious stones set all around the band of the ring with no start and no end. I love that, because whether you buy one for yourself or receive it from a loved one, it is an eternal promise of love and memories.
Related Topics: