Moissanite Company Turns $10K into $10M with Ethical, Affordable Jewellery
In just over three years, a young Australian couple has turned a humble $10,000 investment into a booming ethical jewellery empire worth over $10 million. Founded by Makayla and Tom Donovan in 2021, The Moissanite Company is shaking up the fine jewellery industry, proving that luxury doesn’t have to come at the cost of sustainability or affordability. What started as a side hustle from their home in Brisbane is now one of the fastest-growing Moissanite jewellery brands in Australia.
While working full-time jobs in marketing and as a dietitian, respectively, the pair noticed a growing demand for high-quality, affordable engagement rings that didn’t compromise on ethics. The jewellery market was saturated with expensive mined diamonds and generic designs. That’s where they saw the gap.
With just six ring designs and a self-built website, they launched The Moissanite Company from scratch. There were no flashy investors or big marketing campaigns, just a deep belief that modern couples deserved ethical sparkle without the markup.
They handled everything themselves, from photography to packaging, minimising costs while maximising impact. Their goal was modest: sell 50 rings before Christmas. Instead, they sold 500.
Moissanite, an artificially created stone with fire and brilliance that rivals diamonds, lies at the heart of their success. It’s conflict-free, environmentally friendly, and significantly more affordable, making it the ideal centrepiece for their designs.
As more couples shifted toward conscious consumerism, TMC’s message hit home. Their handcrafted rings quickly earned a loyal following across Australia. Today, they offer a full suite of engagement rings, wedding bands, and custom designs, each made to order with care and precision.
The company’s growth has been largely organic, fuelled by word-of-mouth, glowing reviews, and stunning Instagram content. Customers weren’t just buying jewellery, they were buying into a value system that reflects transparency, ethics, and emotional storytelling.
By 2024, The Moissanite Company hit $10 million in total sales. What’s more remarkable is that they did it without compromising their values. Every piece remains handcrafted, and every gemstone is responsibly sourced.
Makayla and Tom now run a full-time team and continue to expand their reach. But their mission hasn’t changed: “We want luxury to feel inclusive. We want people to feel proud of what they wear, not just because it’s beautiful, but because it’s thoughtful.”
The story of The Moissanite Company is more than a business success; it's a blueprint for a new kind of jewellery brand. One that’s not just selling sparkle, but shaping a future where ethical elegance leads the way.
At Franc Laurent, we celebrate such stories because they align with our journey, championing Moissanite as the future of fine jewellery, where conscious choices and timeless style coexist beautifully.
