Nicholas Theochari- Founder & Managing Director, MDT DESIGN
My journey into jewellery began in 1975, when I started my apprenticeship as a young man with a passion for creating beautiful things with my hands. From the very beginning, I was drawn to the idea of making jewellery that was more than beautiful, pieces that would carry meaning, become part of someone’s story, and last lifetimes on.
At the age of 21, I took my first step toward that dream and began my own wholesale manufacturing jewellery business. But my true ambition was always to work directly with clients – to sit with them, understand what they wanted to create, then design and make their jewellery personally.
In 1988, I proudly opened the doors to my first retail store, originally known as Melbourne Diamond Traders. As both head jeweller and head salesman, I finally had the opportunity to do what I loved most – meeting people, designing the jewellery they had only imagined, and then going back into my workshop to bring it to life by hand.
In 1992, the business evolved into MDT DESIGN, a name that reflects the former Melbourne Diamond Traders and what has always been at the heart of my work: design.
Today, from our Collins Street boutique and workshop in the heart of Melbourne, I continue to create alongside a team I’m incredibly proud of. Everything we create is made on-site, with precision, care, and a commitment to traditional handmaking.
What brings me the greatest joy through my many years in the jewellery industry, is the moment a client sees their finished piece for the first time – when a sketch and a dream become something real that they can hold in their own hands. I love working with my three Kids, Kosta, Ellen and Steven, and happy that we can all contribute to what I had started all those years ago.
Jewellery Awards
With over 40 years at the jewellery bench, I have been honoured to have many of my designs recognised in Australia’s most respected jewellery design competitions. These pieces represent moments in time where my creativity, technique and craftsmanship came together to create work that resonates beyond the Melbourne workshop and goes into my personal life.
Below are the jewellery award winners and finalist designs that I personally designed and handmade from start to finish.
My Jewellery Award Winners, finalists and highlights
1997 – “Meteor” – FINALIST
De Beers Australian Diamond Jewellery Design Awards 1997
An early finalist piece that holds a special place in our studio history.
2006 – “Diamond Dalliance” – FINALIST
Jewellery Association of Australia (JAA) Awards 2006 – “Dare to Shine”
A design that played with form, balance and diamond placement.
🔗 Diamond Dalliance — 2006 Finalist
2006 – “Three Wise Men” WINNER
Gemmological Association of Australia Coloured Diamond Award 2006
A technically complex design blending Argyle pink, champagne and white diamonds with multiple gold tones.
🔗 Three Wise Men — 2006 Winner
2010 – “Marquessa” ENTRANT
Jewellery Design Awards 2010 (JDA)
An elegant interpretation of the marquise silhouette, tested through tension and flow.
2011 – “Mati” – WINNER
Diamond Guild Australia Jewellery Awards 2011 – Fancy Cut Category
A refined marquise centrepiece with a confident, classic aesthetic.
2013 – “Bella” Entrant
Diamond Guild Australia (DGA) Jewellery Awards 2013 – Fancy Shape Category
A platinum trilogy ring that elegantly balanced proportion and brilliance.
2016 – “Forward” – FINALIST
Jewellery Design Awards 2016
A forward-looking design balancing tension and fluidity.
2017 – “Pente” – WINNER
Jewellery Awards 2017
An outstanding tension-set creation celebrated for its clarity and design harmony.
2017 – “Pyramid” – FINALIST
Jewellery Awards 2017
A mokume-gane ring that explored layered texture and metal movement.
2019 – “Xenya” – WINNER
Jewellery Awards 2019 – Tension Set Category
A triumph of technical tension setting and contemporary engagement ring design.
2022 – “Freeflow” – FINALIST
Jewellery Association of Australia (JAA) Jewellery Awards 2022 – Diamond Category
A fluid and expressive piece demonstrating line and movement in diamond form.
2025 – “Susta” – WINNER
Australian Jewellery Awards 2025 – Diamond Jewellery Category
A recent award-winning design featuring dynamic pavé and form.
What This Legacy Means to Me
These awards are more than just recognitions, they are milestones marking decades of my dedication to the jeweller craft, innovation, and expression through jewellery. Each piece reflects a moment in time where my designs met technique in a way that connected with judges, industry professionals, and – ultimately – the people who wear the stunning pieces I have designed.
At MDT DESIGN, this legacy continues. While MDT DESIGN has had many jeweller’s whose work has also been recognised under the MDT DESIGN name, the above reflects designs where I have personally been credited as the only designer and maker. My legacy now in generational with all 3 of my kids being involved in the business and I have created a team of amazing designers and jewellers to surround me.
