Astrea London Appoints Michelle Aherne to Lead Global Growth

London: Luxury lab-grown diamond house Astrea London has appointed Michelle Aherne, former senior executive at Watches of Switzerland Group, to a key leadership role as the brand looks to strengthen its international retail expansion.

Aherne joins Astrea London after more than 12 years with Watches of Switzerland Group, where she built a strong career across jewellery buying, luxury retail strategy and brand development. She previously served as Head of Jewellery Buying for the UK and played an important role in growing the group’s jewellery business.

In a LinkedIn post announcing her move, Aherne reflected on her 12-year journey at Watches of Switzerland, calling it “nothing short of extraordinary.” She also noted that the period included major milestones, including strong like-for-like growth during her time overseeing jewellery, while describing her next chapter with pride, gratitude and excitement.

Her appointment marks an important step for Astrea London as the brand focuses on expanding its luxury lab-grown diamond positioning across global markets. With her experience in jewellery buying, premium brand management and retail development, Aherne is expected to support the brand’s next phase of growth across existing and new regions.

Astrea London was founded by entrepreneur Nathalie Morrison and has positioned itself as a high-end lab-grown diamond jewellery brand built around responsible luxury, craftsmanship and sustainability. The brand focuses on certified lab-grown diamonds, fine jewellery design and ethically conscious production, aiming to offer a modern alternative within the luxury diamond space.

The brand has also gained global visibility through its association with actress and businesswoman Sarah Jessica Parker, who is linked with Astrea London as Global Creative Director and founding partner. This gives the brand a stronger lifestyle and luxury storytelling identity as it seeks to build recognition beyond traditional jewellery retail.

Astrea London’s collections include lab-grown diamond jewellery across rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets, with a focus on elevated design, certification and sustainable luxury. The brand operates across key international markets and has been expanding its retail presence in locations including the UK, Europe and Dubai.

Commenting on the appointment, founder Nathalie Morrison said the move is an important milestone for Astrea London as the brand accelerates its international retail expansion. She added that Aherne’s experience in managing premium global brands and developing jewellery collections will be valuable in supporting the company’s next growth phase.

With this appointment, Astrea London is signalling a sharper focus on leadership, retail scale and global brand positioning. For the lab-grown diamond sector, the move also highlights how luxury experience from established jewellery and watch groups is increasingly being brought into newer diamond brands built around sustainability, technology and modern consumer demand.