After more than a decade in the corporate sector, Stephanie Tan transitioned from a career in marketing, sales, and technology to pursue her passion for gemstones and bespoke jewellery. Over the past three years, she has focused full-time on her business, Equatorial Bespoke Jewellery, which specialises in natural coloured gemstones and custom fine jewellery.
Tan’s corporate career spanned 13 years, beginning with four years in public relations and marketing, followed by nine years in various sales roles across publishing, conferences, events, and technology sectors. Despite her full-time commitments, she invested time in professional silversmith training and managed an independent jewellery brand that handled private commissions. This gradual progression eventually led her to establish Equatorial Bespoke Jewellery, located at Far East Plaza in Scotts Road.
With a Bachelor of Commerce in marketing and public relations from Curtin University, Tan applies a detailed and conscientious approach to her jewellery business. Emphasising both design and construction integrity, she prioritises educating clients about gemstone quality and treatments to ensure transparency in pricing and options. Her business model centers on bespoke commissions, custom gemstone sourcing, and a ready-to-wear collection, creating pieces ranging from rings and necklaces to niche items such as flat-back ear studs and navel rings.
Funding the venture required a significant financial commitment; Tan drew upon her personal savings and liquidated prior investments to support the business. The initial seven-figure capital largely went toward building a diversified gemstone inventory, including rubies, sapphires, emeralds, spinels, and Paraiba tourmalines. This range accommodates a variety of client preferences and budgets.
Prior to entering the jewellery market, Tan invested cautiously in technology stocks and exchange-traded funds, supported by advice from an investment analyst friend. Reflecting on her financial journey, she acknowledges that allocating substantial funds to ruby purchases early on limited her capacity to stock ready-to-wear items, highlighting the importance of maintaining liquidity in business operations.
One of Tan’s prudent financial decisions was selling her tech stock after it more than doubled in value over two years, using the proceeds alongside savings to fund her jewellery business. She views this choice as pivotal to advancing her career, even if it did not perfectly time the market.
Growing up, Tan cultivated frugal habits and saved for modest personal expenses, lessons that instilled patience and financial discipline. Her father’s advice to invest in career development influenced her steady commitment to learning her craft and building her enterprise. While she remains cautious with spending, starting her own business required her to take a calculated risk she might have avoided in earlier years.
Tan’s childhood interests in wildlife photography, filmmaking, and veterinary science reflected her longstanding fascination with nature—an interest that now informs her appreciation for the natural variations and colours found in gemstones. Outside work, she enjoys simple, unhurried days at home, often engaging with online content related to jewellery craftsmanship, animals, and travel.
Through dedication and strategic investment, Stephanie Tan has transformed a professional passion into a growing bespoke jewellery brand, blending artistry with business acumen in Singapore’s luxury market.