awards
Nicholas Theochari: A lifetime of craftsmanship
2025 JAA Australasian Jewellery Awards | Diamond Award Winner
For as long as Nick can remember, he has loved creating things with his hands. Growing up in a European family, the household was always busy with building, repairing, and making whether it was constructing chicken coops, fixing engines, or working on cabinetry. From a young age, he was drawn to the satisfaction of craftsmanship and the precision that came with it. But it was the fine detail and artistry of jewellery making that truly captured Nick’s heart. During Nick’s school holidays, he would help out at a local jeweller, and it didn’t take long for him to realise this was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. At just 15 years old, in 1975, Nick began his jewellery apprenticeship. Six years later, in 1981, he took the leap and opened his own business—MDTdesign. Now, 44 years on, the passion that first inspired him continues to shine through every piece he creates. What makes Nick’s journey even more special is that it has become a family affair. In 2002, his son Kosta joined the business as an apprentice jeweller, continuing the hands-on tradition. Fourteen years later, his son Steven came on board to manage the social media and marketing, bringing a fresh, modern perspective to the craft. Then, in 2022, his daughter Ellen joined, taking care of stock control and administration. Having his children work alongside him has been one of the greatest joys of his career, it’s a reminder that creativity and craftsmanship can be passed down, just like fine jewellery itself. | .jpg) Image: Nick working at his jewellery bench |
At MDT design, they are passionate about creating entirely handmade pieces. Every design begins as an idea, then comes to life through skill, patience, and precision. No castings, no shortcuts. Nick loves the process of transforming raw materials into something meaningful and beautiful. Each ring, pendant, or bracelet tells its own story, and that story often begins with a spark of inspiration.
For Nick, creativity comes from experimentation and a willingness to try new things. He is constantly exploring different techniques and ideas like his Award-Winning design, made from a continuous piece of gold forming two spirals, symbolising life’s journey. These challenges keep the work exciting and fuel his passion every day.
Every year, his team enters industry awards, not just to compete, but to challenge themselves. Most of the year, they design for their clients, creating bespoke pieces based on their stories and desires. But the awards give them a chance to design freely, to make something purely from their imagination. Often, these pieces would never exist otherwise.
Winning an award brings credibility and recognition, but more importantly, it proves that traditional handcrafting still has a vital place in a world increasingly dominated by computer-aided design.
To anyone thinking about entering jewellery awards, his advice is simple: just do it. Whether you win or not, you’ll end up creating something extraordinary—something that pushes your skills and reminds you why you fell in love with jewellery in the first place.
At MDTdesign, after 44 years, that
love still burns as brightly as ever.
You can find the 2025 Diamond Award winner, Nick, at MDTdesign.
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Diamond Award Winner | Susta
Description | Made by hand 18ct rose gold double spring design ring set with two brilliant cut diamonds with a swinging pendulum in platinum set with sixty four brilliant cut diamonds.
Motivation | Susta (Greek meaning Spring) The smaller spiral represents my childhood and the lager spiral represents adulthood. The diamond pendulum represents my spirit and the spiral is to show the journey of my life, going up the spiral to the centre diamond which represents the peak of my life's journey which would be my beautiful family and the achievements in my career.
Materials | Rose gold | Platinum | Diamonds
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