1. CURRICULUM VITAE
Nicholas Wratten BSc (Hons) DGA
14 College Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL53 7HX
n.w.wratten@gmail.com | www.wdiamonddesign.com
Nationality: British | Mobile: 07815 633379
 Profile: Luxury Designer & Entrepreneur with international business experience in a blue-chip company,
seeking a challenging and varied position to develop my commercial and creative expertise.
 Key Achievements: Establishing and successfully running my own luxury diamond jewellery business.
Posting to Sotheby’s Auction House head office in New York. Representing Sotheby’s at auctions,
valuations and client development events in Paris, London, Geneva, Germany and in the United States.
BESPOKE DIAMOND JEWELLER London & Cheltenham
www.wdiamonddesign.com September 2010 – Present
Experience:
 Successfully establishing a profitable luxury, bespoke diamond jewellery business.
 Leading the production and execution of the brand and website (www.wdiamonddesign.com), by
coordinating and managing illustrators, web-designers, website coders and photographers.
 Meeting with clients to explain the process of selecting a diamond and creating a bespoke engagement ring.
 Commissioning and creating precious diamond rings up to the value of £30,000.
 Organising and executing the launch of the brand at a private client drinks reception.
 Overseeing the ongoing digital marketing strategy while establishing PR and editorial connections with
journalists at major magazine brands in London, e.g. Vogue, Cotswold Life, The City & Mayfair magazine.
Skills:
 Formulating a business plan and marketing strategy to take the product to market by drawing on
industry contacts and experience.
 Creating a design concept for the company branding, logo, website and marketing material.
 Building relationships with clients in private meetings by presenting my qualifications and portfolio.
 Negotiating the sale and purchase of diamonds and rare gems with suppliers, manufacturers & clients.
 Managing and overseeing the supply chain and manufacture to execute the product on time and budget.
 Creating interesting visual proposals to communicate the product & service to the client and to win
business, in addition to developing digital media (Facebook & Instagram) and blogging.
 Managing my own company accounts and finances, administration, daily operations and diary.
 Creating the marketing concept for ‘The Vault’ – a ‘private members’ area to website.
 Locating and buying diamond stock at the correct market price by applying gemmological knowledge.
 Attending private functions to promote the brand and build contacts.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT for ‘HANCOCKS-LONDON’ London
www.hancocks-london.com October 2009 – September 2010
Experience:
 Working with private clients to provide professional gemmological advice in sourcing luxury gems and
diamonds in additional to providing design and manufacture recommendations.
 Negotiating the sale and purchase of these diamonds in additional to rare antique jewels.
 Co-managing the re-branding of the company website while learning and executing the photography of the
stock to expand the company web presence.
 Bringing new client business to the company and contributing to the overall profit margins.
 Coordinating and overseeing important PR events including photo shoot with Harpers Bazaar and Kate
Moss in Claridge’s, London.
 Representing the company at International Arts Fairs (Masterpiece, London), as a sales representative and
to further the business development and client contacts of the company.
Skills:
 Successfully commissioning diamond jewels for private clients that I introduced to the company, up to the
value of £10,000.
 Organising a client reception for the company with guest speakers.
 Applying my gemmological training to source gemstones for sale and to seek rare jewels at premier auction
houses including Sotheby’s and Christies.

2.  Overseeing the entire manufacture and pricing structure for individual sales.
TRAINEE SPECIALIST – SOTHEBY’S AUCTION HOUSE New York, USA
October 2008 – October 2009
Experience:
 Attending meetings with Sotheby’s VIP clients to document and value rare antique jewels and diamonds.
 Working as part of a team to contribute towards detailed proposals and marketing material to pitch to VIP
clients in order to sell their collections at auction.
 Consigning jewels and diamonds for our international auctions with total sale values up to $50m.
 Managing the accounts of private clients and representing these clients while telephone bidding at auction.
 Providing current market information on diamond pricing and gem quality to clients at private viewings for
jewels often in excess of $100,000.
 Entertaining clients and developing client relations and contacts at private exhibitions.
Skills:
 Successfully consigning and selling two rare diamonds at auction (each 5.0 carats plus in size), for over
$400,000 in total sale value by,
 applying gemmological training to grade each stone and establish an adequate auction value,
 negotiating the auction value with each client to satisfy their demands and expectations.
 writing and presenting a proposal to the client by explaining benefits of selling in the current market.
 Grading diamonds and writing editorial descriptions of each jewel for the Sotheby’s catalogue publication,
distributed worldwide and to all Sotheby’s clients.
 Building relationships with private clients and achieving bids for key purchases at auction.
 Achieving an offer for a permanent position as a Junior Specialist in Sotheby’s, London.
GRADUATE TRAINEE – SOTHEBY’S AUCTION HOUSE London
April 2007 – October 2008
Experience:
 Meeting with VIP clients at the head office in London and throughout the UK and Europe to value antique
jewels and diamonds.
 Negotiating the consignment of high-value antique for auction in London and Geneva.
 Representing Sotheby’s at auctions in London and Geneva to provide specialist advice to clients regarding
current market prices, gem and diamond quality grading and provenance for jewels often in excess of
£50,000.
Skills:
 Valuing, pitching and successfully negotiating the consignment of a collection of investment grade
diamonds that sold at auction in Geneva for over $250,000.
 Hosting private client exhibitions and entertaining clients at boardroom lunches.
 Coordinating and organising a one-off fashion-show exhibition in Sotheby’s Bond Street galleries.
 Successfully applying for further training at Sotheby’s head office in New York on the first junior training
programme of its kind.
SALES & DIAMOND APPRENTICE – GREENS OF CHELTENHAM Cheltenham, UK
June 2005 – December 2007
 Providing sales assistance as a diamond apprentice while gaining gem-grading qualifications through the
Gemmological Association of Great Britain in London.
 Attending auctions at Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Bonham’s auction houses to source goods for sale.
 Helping maintain the company website by photographing stock.
 Gaining an internship and graduate traineeship with Sotheby’s in London to further my training.
ADDITIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS:
 Passing the entrance board and aptitude tests at RAF Cranwell to begin pilot training with the Royal Air
Force Reserve, (forced to leave due to a serious rugby injury).
 Working and volunteering for five consecutive years with the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, Fairford.
 3 months hiking and camping through Chile, the Andes, Argentina, Brazil and the Amazon.
EDUCATION: 2002-2005: Cardiff University: 2.1 BSc (Hons) Geography (RICS accredited).
2008: Gem Diamond Grading Diploma (GEM-A, London).
2004-2005: Royal Air Force Reserve (UWAS) – Trainee Pilot (left due to injury).

3. 1997-2002: Dean Close School, Cheltenham: A-Levels: Geography, Economics
& Business, Sports Science. 9 GCSEs.