History

In his day Wilco Van Deijl was the highest qualified jeweller in South Africa, being awarded a FGA in 1967, and a GG from GIA in 1979.

Hermine complimented Wilco’s passion for excellence with her innate elegance and, TOGETHER, this formidable husband-and-wife team founded a legacy known today as: The jeweller of choice for all generations.

Wilco Van Deijl wins the bronze medal (highest annual award) of the British Horological Institute and is honoured with a Fellowship (FBHI) by this institute. This achievement becomes the cornerstone of the Van Deijl brand.

Wilco Van Deijl wins the bronze medal (highest annual award) of the British Horological Institute and is honoured with a Fellowship (FBHI) by this institute. This achievement becomes the cornerstone of the Van Deijl brand.

Husband and wife, Wilco and Hermine Van Deijl, open the doors of their first store in Parow and start a family legacy founded on style, quality and fine craftsmanship.

Wilco Van Deijl continues to excel in the art of watchmaking and becomes a master watchmaker of the South African Watchmakers Association.

Wilco Van Deijl obtains the Gemological Diploma of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). 1976 - Further developing his expertise, Wilco Van Deijl is awarded the qualification: Graduate Gemologist (GG) by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

Wilco Van Deijl becomes a fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (FGA). 1988 - Following in the footsteps of a master, son Henri Van Deijl is also honoured as fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (FGA).

A legacy continues and the company is officially handed down to three younger Van Deijls: Ernst, Liebrecht and Henri. 1994 & 1995 - Van Deijl opens two state-of-the-art destination stores, one in Tyger Valley Centre and the other in Somerset Mall.

1997-1999 – Van Deijl wins the Shining Light Award for excellence in diamond jewellery design for three consecutive years. 1999 - The Gemological Institute of America awards Henri Van Deijl the Gemological Diploma (GIA).

Van Deijl celebrates a new addition by opening Van Deijl Watches, a specialized watch store, in Tyger Valley Centre. Henri Van Deijl obtains the qualification: Graduate Gemologist (GG) from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA); and Van Deijl designer, Janine Basson, wins second place in the Anglo Platinum endorsed competition, the Plat Africa Awards.

Van Deijl wins the Shining Light Award for excellence in diamond jewellery design. 2006 - Van Deijl Tyger Valley is extended to include a luxurious conference area and cutting-edge equipment to showcase Van Deijl designs in 3D.

Van Deijl Watches (Tyger Valley Centre) doubles in size and becomes one of the largest specialised watch stores in the Western Cape. A Mont Blanc Boutique showcasing writing instruments, leather goods, watches and ladies’ jewellery is added to the existing collection.

The Gemological Institute of America awards the Gemological Diploma and the qualification Graduate Gemologist (GG) to longstanding employee, Attie Dijkstra. Designer Janine Basson, wins the "Wax to the Max" design competition, endorsed by the Jewellery Council of South Africa.

Van Deijl celebrates 50 years as one of the most prestigious jewellers in South Africa. Honouring a heritage steeped in integrity, Van Deijl continues to strive for innovative creativity and opens a dedicated PANDORA store in Tyger Valley Centre, celebrating a successful partnership of many years.

Van Deijl opens its brand new flagship store in Tyger Valley Centre, a large, double volume destination store, integrating both a beautifully manufactured jewellery collection and a meticulously selected and exclusive watch collection.

Van Deijl honours its staff by creating the Van Deijl Employee Trust. Van Deijl Manufacturing Jewellers is established as a Level 2 BBBEE contributor, focusing primarily on manufacturing jewellery for the B2B market. The Van Deijl – PANDORA partnership grows from strength to strength and Van Deijl opens a new standalone PANDORA store in Paarl Mall.

Van Deijl embraces growth and development by launching a brand new website as the foundation of its on-line community.

Van Deijl remains committed to excellence by expanding its manufacturing capabilities with the acquisition of a state-of-the-art laser engraving machine and a laser welding machine. These advanced additions enhance the workshop's ability to perform specialist work and offer high-quality jewellery repairs.

Van Deijl seamlessly integrates cutting-edge technology with core design principles, embracing the CAD process as a complementary alternative to traditional drawings. This allows Van Deijl clients to visualize bespoke design concepts in 3D.

Van Deijl is proud to expand its range of exclusive services, now partnering with PANDORA Western Cape to handle all repairs in-house. This collaboration takes place in the state-of-the-art Van Deijl workshop, ensuring the highest level of craftsmanship and efficiency.

Two Van Deijl designers, Ann ten Cate and Kim Nel, earn recognition among the top ten finalists in the prestigious PlatAfrica Awards, endorsed by Anglo Platinum.

The Van Deijl Gemmological Laboratory expands with the acquisition of two cutting-edge lab-grown diamond scanners to so provide an even more precise and accurate analysis of Van Deijl diamonds. In addition Van Deijl gemmologist, Lezanne Bothma, obtains her Graduate Gemologist Diploma (GG) from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

Van Deijl designers, Ulandie Booysens and Kim Nel, achieve remarkable success at PlatAfrica 2023, both finishing in the top eleven. Kim Nel earns a prestigious 4th place finish, marking a standout achievement in the competition.

The Van Deijl Gemmological Laboratory continues to expand its offerings by acquiring advanced spectroscopic equipment for specialized gemstone testing. In August 2024, gemmologist Lezanne Bothma is honoured for her dedication to the field, earning the prestigious title of Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (FGA).

In the 2024 PlatAfrica competition, which celebrates 25 years of South African design excellence, three Van Deijl designers - Kim Nel, Ulandie Booysens, and Milodri Dickens – are ranked among the top eleven. Notably, designer Milodri Dickens proudly secured third place, showcasing outstanding talent and innovation.