Growing up in a small town called Hofmeyr in the Eastern Cape’s Karoo region, where the nearest airport is a three-hour drive away, young Axolisiwe Mbontsi – known as Axel – never imagined he would one day be crafting exquisite diamond jewellery for discerning clients across Johannesburg.
Today, Axel & Co (formerly Axel Diamond) stands as testament to how passion, precision and persistence can transform humble beginnings into sparkling success.
“I’m a farm boy, basically,” explains Mbontsi, reflecting on his journey from rural Eastern Cape to running his own jewellery business in Johannesburg. And his dreams never included jewellery design until he enrolled at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), where he initially intended to study architecture.
“They had a programme where they introduced all the design courses in the same faculty,” he recalls. “I saw the jewellery design and manufacturing course and thought, this is different. We use the same design software as architects – we just design on a smaller scale.”
He completed his three-year national diploma in Jewellery and Manufacturing in 2011, and then spent a year doing gemmology training, which taught him to grade diamonds and gemstones. This comprehensive education proved invaluable when he entered the industry in 2013 as a sales manager, eventually progressing to managing director before launching his own venture in 2018.
“I was basically running someone else’s business, which taught me the skills I needed for running my own manufacturing operation,” he explains.
Axel & Co officially began trading in 2019, but it was the launch of their manufacturing facility in August 2023 that truly accelerated growth. Today, the company employs four people.
“The growth is quite scary,” admits Mbontsi. “A year ago, I was only thinking for myself and family. Now I wake up thinking about people who depend on this business for their livelihoods. It’s a big responsibility.”
The company specialises in both bespoke pieces for private clients and manufacturing services for other jewellery businesses. Recent highlights include a stunning diamond-encrusted ring and a memorable 22-carat gold lion bracelet weighing 120 grams – a three-month project that became deeply meaningful for both creator and client.
However, success hasn’t come without challenges. Equipment maintenance poses difficulties, as many machines are imported from overseas. “If something breaks, we sometimes have to ship it back overseas because South Africa doesn’t have technicians for these specialised machines,” he explains.
This technical reality has shaped his expansion strategy. Rather than having back-up equipment sitting idle – which would require significant capital investment – Axel & Co sometimes collaborates with other manufacturers during equipment downtime.
Looking ahead, Mbontsi envisions doubling or tripling the business size while maintaining its commitment to quality. His acceptance into the De Beers Enterprise Development Programme, after being unsuccessful for the previous cohort, validated this vision and direction.
The three-year programme aims to empower small and medium sized businesses in the diamond beneficiation sector by providing mentorship, skills training and business acumen while fostering economic growth and job creation. “They saw the growth and potential in my business, and I will forever be thankful” he reflects, acknowledging how the programme has already shifted his business perspective in just a few short months.