Affordable Elegance: The Sparkling Success Story of Maddox Jewelry and Ms. Charo Cordial
Thursday, November 06, 2025
Maddox Jewelry President and CEO Ms. Charo Cordial
Nestled in the shoe-city turned jewellery hub of Marikina, Metro Manila, Maddox Jewelry is making waves in the Philippines’ diamond market by tackling the longstanding barrier of cost. Founded and led by visionary entrepreneur Charo Cordial, the store and online brand seeks to bring quality diamond jewellery within reach of more Filipinos.
Ms. Charo Cordial shares how she started in the jewelry business
Meet the CEO: Charo Cordial
Ms. Charo Cordial’s journey is one of entrepreneurial pivoting and ambition. She shared that even when she was still a kid, since they were really not from a rich family, she started young when it comes to being an entrepreneur. Coming from a farming family in Bicol, her daily baon to school was often simple - root crops like kamote or saging na saba along with a 5 pesos weekly allowance. Instead of spending it for herself, she would buy chocolates and would sell it to her classmates.
Ms. Charo took up Agricultural Engineering in College and passed the Licensure Examination for Agricultural Engineers then she landed a job at Kubota Philippines, she was the first woman hired in the company as an engineer and worked there for 15 years.
Then came pandemic and she find ways to be productive while just staying at home so she sell her used but good bags and other priced possessions. She saw the power of live-selling early, using Facebook/Instagram live streams to connect with buyers in real time. What started out as just a hobby to pass time became a pivotal career that change her life.
Her business mission: Make diamond jewellery accessible and trustworthy to every Filipino, with authenticity certificates and showroom transparency.
Her leadership extends to mentoring resellers — providing a platform for stay-at-home parents or aspiring entrepreneurs to sell jewellery without heavy investment.
The Business: Vision and Location
Maddox Jewelry is headquartered in Marikina City, Metro Manila, with a physical showroom at 1011 J.P. Rizal Street, Concepcion Uno. It specializes in jewellery made largely with natural diamonds set in 18-karat gold and occasionally personalized jewelries and more.
The brand’s vision is encapsulated in its own words: “We wish for every woman to own luxury jewellery for less.” This is reflected in Ms. Charo's experience around affordability, online-first operations (reducing overheads) and live-selling sessions that engage customers directly.
Key aspects of the business include:
- Transparent pricing with certificates of authenticity for each piece.
- A reseller/live-selling programme, allowing individuals to sell the pieces without upfront inventory cost.
- Active live-selling events (via Facebook) and strong social-media presence.
Why It Stands Out
In an industry often associated with high mark-ups, Maddox Jewelry claims to differentiate itself by cutting out middle-men, operating primarily online, and buying in bulk. Its process emphasises quality control: from hand-picking loose diamonds to artisan settings and polishing.
While many luxury jewellery brands focus on exclusivity and high price tags, Maddox emphasises accessibility without forgoing “real natural diamonds”.
Challenges & Considerations
Ms. Charo shared that although their business is doing really good right now, they are also very cautious when it comes to scams and bogus buyers. All their jewelries are certified and comes with a certificate once they buy it. They can be assured that it is 100% authentic and that they can very well choose at the Marikina showroom or via Facebook page live while doing online selling.
Maddox Jewelry’s approach resonates in today's Philippine market for several reasons:
- As online shopping and live-selling become more mainstream, the brand is riding that digital wave.
- Marikina, known for its craftsmanship and shoe-making heritage, provides a context of artisanal and local manufacturing culture.
- By reducing cost barriers, the brand potentially brings diamond jewellery into the ownership horizon of mid-income Filipinos.
Looking ahead, some potential growth paths include:
- Further expansion of physical showroom presence (if they choose brick-and-mortar growth).
- Development of in-house design or custom-design services to differentiate further.
- Strengthening after-sales support and transparency (given the customer-review variation).
- Potential export or regional expansion, leveraging online and live-selling expertise.
Maddox Jewelry under Charo Cordial’s leadership offers a compelling narrative: luxury made more inclusive. The brand bridges the gap between high-end jewellery sensibilities and practical Philippine market realities. For buyers wanting diamond pieces without ultra-premium price tags, the brand presents an interesting option. Just like their brand tagline, "Tara na sa Maddox, sa sobrang mura, mapapa-negosyo ka!".
In the end, Charo’s story — from engineer to jewellery entrepreneur — reinforces that innovation in business isn’t always about inventing whole new product categories, but often about reframing value and access.
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