AURA: Setting a New Standard for Excellence in High-End Jewelry Care

Identifying a niche is one thing, but true entrepreneurship lies in turning that idea into a reality. That’s exactly what alumnus Guillaume Gabadou has accomplished with his company AURA.

When thinking about typical Les Roches alumni careers, selling bespoke ultrasonic jewelry cleaners is not the first thing that comes to mind. It’s equally unlikely Guillaume Gabadou, a graduate who began his post-Les Roches career as an Events Manager at Sofitel in Luxembourg, ever imagined he would be launching a business in that very niche.

After his initial venture into traditional hospitality, the allure of luxury became irresistible. It was during his time working for a prestigious Switzerland-based watchmaker that the seeds of his eventual business idea began to take root.

Now on the brink of launching his product – a jewelry cleaner that combines cutting-edge technology with delicate design to restore luster in just five minutes – Guillaume took the time to share with us his unconventional career journey and his new business venture, AURA.

A wealth of experience

“I’m a firm believer that, if you want a good career in hospitality, you have to move around,” he says. “You must have different experiences, meet a variety of people in all kinds of businesses, try to get the best out of each company and evolve as much as possible.

“And while I may not have gone down a traditional hospitality route, I’ve definitely gained a wide range of experience from the different roles I’ve had and it’s all been important in preparing me for my next chapter.”

Following his time at the Sofitel and just over a year and a half at the Hotel Peninsula in Paris, Guillaume secured a position with a high-end watch dealership, which thrust him into a week-long steep learning curve due to his lack of prior industry knowledge. After two successful years there, Guillaume joined Piaget, a watches and jewelry brand that is part of the Richemont Group, where he became deeply immersed in the luxury world, selling exceptional pieces to a diverse clientele.

“This Maison taught me the art of selling delicate pieces, but most importantly, it helped me understand the varied needs of our customers, ranging from large families pooling together for a birthday gift to high-net-worth individuals seeking exclusivity and uniqueness.”

Valuable insights

Guillaume then spent some time working as Deputy Director at a Piaget boutique in Paris before transferring to the company’s headquarters in Geneva. There, he leveraged his field experience to support the Customer Service department in upholding the company’s promise to its clientele.

However, it was during his tenure at Cartier as the Senior Performance Customer Service Project Manager that he began to develop the ideas that would eventually lead to the launch of his own business.

“Much of my time was spent analyzing the performance of Cartier’s repair network and ensuring the service met our high standards,” he says. “I was also responsible for supporting the department in developing policies to prevent issues before they arose and to maintain high levels of customer satisfaction. It was very much a quality control and performance role, which provided me with valuable insights into the maintenance and repair of luxury pieces and, more importantly, what exceptional client service truly looks like.

“After a couple of years, the constant travel between Paris and Geneva became challenging, especially with a house renovation underway and a baby on the way. It felt like the right moment to settle down in Paris and focus on starting my own project.”

A chance to shine

That project, my brand, is AURA, a company specializing in cutting-edge ultrasonic cleaning devices designed for discerning clients who wish to preserve the beauty of their valuables and for hotels, jewelers and other businesses looking to provide a distinct and unique experience to their customers. With the prototype already developed and market research completed, Guillaume anticipates the first products will be available by October 2024.

“I’m focusing on jewelry initially,” he says. “But there is definitely the potential to broaden the scope to other high-end goods in the future.”

“Currently, if someone wants their jewelry cleaned, they have two options: either follow the advice on the Maison’s website to clean it themselves with a toothbrush and soapy water or take it to a boutique for professional cleaning, which can take hours due to traffic and even weeks if the boutique does not have an ultrasonic machine. My objective is to provide a direct solution to customers, allowing them to safely and effectively clean their jewelry at home.”

“I’m not restricting sales to any particular sector either. But I’m initially focusing on hospitality because that’s my background. I believe this could diversify the in-room experience for the hospitality industry, offering guests a unique and memorable moment during their stay. That said, this solution has potential in various industries where high-end customer service is crucial, such as the yacht industry, airlines, country clubs and airport lounges.”

Steep learning curve

So has the road to launch been a smooth one? According to Guillaume, it’s been a journey characterized by challenges and new experiences.

“I’ve never done anything like this before,” he says. “You’re creating a machine, there’s electronics, design, industrialization and an entire process that must be followed. There are regulations, logistical implications and stock levels to manage. I’m learning something new every day.

“Some days are truly exciting. Everything aligns perfectly and it feels incredible. But on other days, setbacks make you question everything and it can be tempting to give up. For me, the biggest challenge has been finding a balance between these extremes and continuing to move forward.”

Luckily for Guillaume, his outlook appears perfectly attuned to striking that balance and achieving his goals.

“As well as ensuring there’s a market for what you want to sell, you have to accept you will make mistakes along the way – and that’s perfectly fine,” he says. “I’ve made many mistakes on this project, including building a prototype that cost me quite a lot of money but ultimately never saw the light of day.”

“It’s all part of the process and that’s how you learn. Sometimes you make bad decisions. The key is to ensure they’re not too bad. For me, it’s about setting daily goals, reflecting on my progress and asking myself if I’ve accomplished something meaningful. If I realize I’ve spent time on something unproductive, I simply drop it, move on and be glad I didn’t waste too much time.”

To learn more visit the AURA website.