Despite the worst economic crisis the world has seen since the Great Depression in the 1930s, diamond-focused jewellery company African Romance has grown by 300% during this period.

Although this is significant, African Romance CEO Mohseen Moosa acknowledges that this growth has come off a low base and the challenge for the company will be to record similar growth levels outside of a recession period.

"The company is two-and-a-half-years old and the business model that it is using is obviously working. By the end of 2010, the company would most definitely [further] double its revenue, or maybe triple its revenue, should market conditions be favourable. The key for the company, at the moment, is to entrench the brand in the marketplace," says Moosa.

Reflecting on the effects of the global skills crisis on the company, Moosa points out that its staff complement grew by 25% during 2009.

The company has a number of skills development programmes that it has been running since the inception of the business. This is mainly owing to the increasing technological advancement of the equipment used by African Romance to produce its finished product.

One of the processes that the staff at African Romance had to be up-skilled in is the process of producing Triple X Diamonds, reportedly regarded as the best diamonds in the world. This includes designing and cutting, and the use of polishing machinery to attain scientifically determined parameters in order to achieve XXX-rated diamonds. The Gemological Institute of America and other European institutions check all diamonds to verify compliance with international standards.

A hallmark of a product purchased from African Romance is the company's ability to track the diamond through the whole process to the source of the diamond.

All of the diamonds acquired by African Romance are purchased at diamond tenders. These diamonds are then given a unique bar code, which details the company that mined the diamond and where it was mined. This bar code is present throughout the jewellery manufacturing process and is laser cut into the diamond. This ensures that all diamonds are legally mined and are conflict- free.

Moosa reports that, if the South African jewellery industry is to compete internationally, it will need a serious skills rethink.

"South African diamond jewellery design schools are not up to international standards and, therefore, the industry can't compete on the international market. However, the work done by these further education training colleges is key to the industry. Government needs to offer support to these colleges so that South African diamond industry participants are recognised on the same level as participants from Israel and India," says Moosa.

Like many other South African companies, an event that African Romance is looking forward to is the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Moosa reports that the event is the perfect opportunity for the company to put its best foot forward to showcase what it describes as a world class facility, which houses the best skills on the continent that work with among the best diamonds in the world.

In keeping with the spirit of the event, the company has launched a range of jewellery that has a unique 2010 theme. A jewellery range that has rich African design elements has also been launched to coincide with the event.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

>> African Romance has launched a range of jewellery that has a unique 2010 soccer World Cup theme.

>> The company expects to at least double its revenue by the end of 2010.