Archive for the ‘Jewellery News’ Category
Is this the most exclusive shopping street in London?
The Duke of Westminster is turning Mayfair's Mount Street into a magnet for the super rich.
In these days of austerity you may be interested to learn that the super brands are fighting with each to join Balenciago, Christian Louboutin, Marc Jacobs and Stephen Webster into Mount Street and join the Duke's long term plans.
With rents in the street having increased by 300% in the last six years there has been some high profile casualties along the way, Nicky Clark the renowned hairdresser who charges £300 for a cut is reported to be leaving the street as the landlords doubles the rent and also a long standing independent chemist that has been there since 1894 has been forced out and Allens reported to be the oldest butcher in London could be next, how many more have to leave due to high rent?
So who will shop in a street like this our super rich bankers? Well I am sure there will be temptation is there enough of the super rich to help pay the sky high rates that the incumbents will pay, I truly believe this street is actually for the super rich Chinese and Russian visitors who are flocking to our shores.
So even if the humble shopper can only afford to window show there, what can we learn from the establishments that have set up there, well I believe the thing you will notice if you take a walk along the street compared to the typical high street or shopping mall is the individuality of each shop, the stunning window displays and the members of staff waiting to greet you on arrival.
And dare I say, if you are brave enough to cross the threshold you will be greeted by fully trained members of staff who are there to offer you a shopping experience you will never forget. And of course help you spend a lot of your hard earned money.
But even if the Mount Street experience is for another life still is definitely worth a visit, yes it is home to the most expensive cheese and pickle sandwich @ £8 in London and some of the most exclusive shops but it will offer a wonderful inspiration into the world of fashion and beauty that you can take with you for free.
Best of all is the variety of bespoke establishments that have set up around the area that can offer you all and in some cases more than they do without the huge brand premium
Trust me there really is an alternative to the decaying high street and the super brands with their super high prices you just need to know where to look.
Feel free to give me a call I let’s talk super rich ideas at prices that suit your budget
Is there a Silver Renaissance happening?
With all the major jewellery brands such as Theo Fennel, Tiffany, Stephen Webster, and Cartier to name just a few launching silver ranges, the jewellery trade is having a Silver Renaissance.
If you take a look at the facts Sterling Silver has been used in Jewellery for thousands of years, it is a precious metal that is durable, long lasting, softer than Gold, Platinum and Palladium and costs considerably less than other metals, however these characteristics give Silver its own unique look and feel.
Why a Renaissance?,
The reason for this shift is clearly to attract a new customers base to the brand.
Tiffany’s have been doing this successfully for years with queues stretching around the silver counter at the Bond Street Store. Not surprisingly other major brands want a piece of this action.
Yes you are still paying a huge premium on the price of the piece in comparison to going to a non branded designer jeweller but it is still affordable to the majority of people.
So should you consider silver?
In my opinion, you should. Silver is a great metal that can be infused into any design, including necklaces, earring, pendants and dress rings for the girls and cufflinks and rings for the boys.
Did you know that you can even use fantastic gemstones into your chosen piece, it may not add extra value to your design but it certainly gives you the wow factor and most of all is longer lasting.
It may surprise you to know that when talking about Silver, your options are endless. I would welcome the chance of speaking to you. So why not drop me a line and say hello
What’s in a Spring Colour?
February can be a very strange month, bringing cold and snow, the shortest number of days, nights start to tease us getting lighter and lighter and saying Spring is just around the corner.
Fashion House get ready to burst into their latest collections and can get people excited about what the new trends have to offer, mixed in all of this we have one special day that is known as the one of the most romantic days of the year – Valentine’s Day – all in all February is a great mixture of events to kick start 2012 and lift those spirits.
So what is on the agenda
Pastel colours are in with a strong emphasis on candy, greens, orange and purple. Great colours for a designer jeweller to work with.
But it keeps getting better, patterns are going to be huge look out for the florals the colours here are quiet stunning. I particularly love the latest designs from Dolce and Gabbana with their striking mix of greens and purples I can certainly see a stunning amethyst piece working here.
So with that in mind, I thought I would share some thoughts around precious stones and how they will compliment that new outfit.
This week I have chosen
Green tourmaline
The tourmaline is a unique miracle of colour. The gemstone comes in green, red, blue, yellow, offering plenty of choice here to blend with the pastels.
Often two or more colours are found in a single tourmaline crystal which is great compliment to the patterns. Also rare and very highly esteemed are tourmalines which appear to change their colour and cat's eye tourmalines. Having said all, green is regarded as the classical tourmaline colour.
If you ask a gemstone merchant about a tourmaline, green, in most cases it will be the first colour they will think of.
However, even among the green tourmalines there is a broad spectrum. Some of them are very light, others so dark that the green colour can only be recognised when the stone is held against the light. There are green tourmalines in fine leek hues, but also in intense yellowish-green, olive green and brownish-green nuances. And there are especially wonderful tourmalines in the range from blue-green to dark bottle-green. These, indeed, are its best colours. They are rare and much sought-after. Green tourmalines are very popular as precious stones among women, but many men have started to change this trend by liking them too.
There is a green tourmaline out there waiting for you whatever the budget you just need to seek out a specialist jeweller, so don’t wait come say hello and see what options are available for you today
Creating your unique Vintage engagement ring
The most desirable aspect of moving away from the traditional solitaire ring and opting for a vintage style is a simple but effective one. There are no limits when creating your own unique design.
So how do you start?
Some choose to visit local antique stores or go to a more recognized area like Burlington arcade where you could be blown away by the styles on offer and the sparkle of the diamonds. The range is most often old cuts and tend to look a little tired in comparison to today’s modern cuts. I have even found the gemstones could fail to do it for you as they did for me.
But please don't despair and don't be put off because unless your looking for a second hand ring then your visit is not a wasted one, your there to view the style, the era and the design.
Another great place to look is your local library where you will be able to scour the books from the Edwardian and Victorian times. Or the internet for that specific idea and era, don’t forget to search historian sites not those that just sell, as you may well find the information to be incorrect.
Once you have done your research and have some images to play with you will then need to seek out a bespoke jeweller who can transform the ideas you have gathered and infuse them with a modern feel to create your own unique ring, now that’s exciting, right?
To give you an idea of what is possible I have included a sample image for you to view. I have taken a ring from the Edwardian times and created a more modern looking engagement ring, this particular ring was used by De Beers in their promotions for the millennium.
So everything is possible, the world is your oyster when it comes to the style you want to achieve. Your design, inspiration and creativity is just a phone call away, and all at a price that suits you.
The future is Vintage
What Are Vintage Engagement Rings?
The term “vintage jewellery” refers to jewellery that is either old “ Antique“ or is new but takes its inspiration from different eras throughout history. Vintage engagement rings are appealing to many women because they represent a classic and timeless style and generally considered out of the norm from the traditional solitaire ring.
It is important to remember that one can either buy a true vintage ring from an antique shop or get your personal jeweller to become innovative with a style that mixes the modern feel with the ever popular vintage touch.
Designs for Vintage Engagement Rings
Nearly any ring dating back several decades could potentially be considered vintage. However, most of the true vintage rings come from the late 1800′s to early 1900′s. Georgian, Edwardian, Victorian, Art Deco and Retro era rings are some of the most popular styles available.
Allow me to explain in more detail to help you with ideas:-
Georgian Vintage engagement rings
This era ranges from 1714-1837. Jewellery from this period may well have diamonds, coloured gemstones such as rubies, sapphires and emeralds.
Edwardian Vintage engagement rings
Edwardian engagement rings are a stunning example of lady-like, intricate designs. The quality of craftsmanship is superb, with delicate filigree patterns, the mill grain details and fancy scroll designs swirling between tiny diamonds surrounding the centre stone, Awe inspiring
Victorian Vintage engagement rings
A defining characteristic of Victorian engagement rings is the use of yellow or rose gold mixed with a layer of platinum with engravings on the sides of the band.
The diamonds are often the “old-mine” cut (today’s modern cushion cuts, and tiny pearls or other embellishments are popular among the Victorian designs).
Art Deco engagement rings
The Art Deco Style is certainly the most desirable of all the vintage engagement rings. With its geometric, sleek lines which give an air of elegance. These rings often have different coloured gem stones or black diamond’s which will always appear striking against the white gold or platinum settings. With the geometric shapes as a guide, it is common to find trapezoid, triangle or kite shaped diamonds set into the modern Art Deco ring
Retro Vintage engagement rings
Coming from the 1960’s – 1980’s the designs are confident, big and bold and greatly reflect the mood of the time period.
Some styles were created to bring attention to the larger centre stone with swirling and dramatic lines of diamonds and coloured gemstones. Other styles during this time tend to focus on one large diamond often a fancy cut shape such as marquise, oval, pear, heart, emerald or asscher. Presenting more of a cocktail ring if comparing it to a modern ring.
So there you have it, a short outline of the many different styles that make up this amazing vintage era.
Next week I will talk about how to research with ease ways of creating your own unique vintage engagement ring
However, if you can’t wait, come say hello and let’s talk Vintage
Jewellery trends for 2012.
Over the last few weeks I have been scouring the latest fashion reports on the trends and planned forecasts for the coming year, which colours are hot, what’s in and out and the predicted styles that will have everyone looking.
But for some reason I always end up with an unanswered question about who actually makes these decisions? Do they use survey groups? Or are the words from the late but brilliant Steve Job’s still ringing in the industry “you don’t ask them you just tell them”.
Even with my skepticism I do honestly feel that the predicted forecast for the jewellery trade is correct. There has been a move away from the traditional solitaire stone diamond ring to more elaborate designs.
Vintage and Art Deco is back. “Renaissance 2012”, as I would like to call it seems to be high in demand and beautifully endorsed by the forthcoming celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
But let’s not panic, this of course does not mean you will be scouring antique shops, markets or even the famous Brighton Lanes to find that all important ring, it’s about finding the right bespoke jeweller who is able to work with you in creating a stylish look covering the 1930s to 50’s period infused with a modern feel.
One of the options I love when asked about this period is that no matter what your looking for, the design concepts are endless, remember this was an era of choice, variety and style.
Being part of “renaissance 2012” opens doors to the imagination and allows both you and the designer to be so creative in the design, and of course let’s not forget that all important budget to suit.
Over the coming weeks I will unravel the wonders and differences Vintage and Art Deco rings had to offer then and now.
However, if you can’t wait and would like to find out more, maybe start a design or simple a chat then please feel free to get in touch and let’s talk Renaissance 2012.
Ready, Set, Go. The Sales start but not for Designer Jewellers, why?
You may well have been planning months ahead on finding that special ring and seen something that caught your eye in Tiffany’s or De Beers, but like everyone, the economic climate makes us wait for the sales in hope of any kind of a reduction on price to help before heading to the stores to buy.
How disappointed would you be when you visit the store only to find, “no sales”. I’m sure you would be like me and ask, Why?
As you stand there, across the road Prada has long queues for its Winter Sale.
Well let’s take a deeper look at Prada. Along with many any other high street retailers the need to clear way for the next season, the new styles and ever changing market makes them an inviting choice. We all love the idea of being able to buy a designer label in the sales and quite frankly who cares how long they had a sale on for, right ?
I myself had my eye on a great Ted Baker jacket that I had seen just before Christmas and thought I would wait for the sales, I was so disappointed to find it was not in the sale, even though there were many others reduced, just not mine. Did I have to compromise to simply get any Ted Baker jacket in the sale or do I walk away. Well a hard decision but one that became very easy for me when I realized it was not the brand name I wanted but the design of the jacket, so I left.
Designer jewellery stores avoid all of this disappointment and hype by simply saying no to SALES, SALES, SALES
Firstly their products are not seasonal but pure classics, lasting a lifetime. Secondly if they did it would be seasonal and chances are the market would dictate this to be twice a year. How would that help you? Not everyone wants to propose, say happy birthday or celebrate their anniversary in January or June. Image the timeline you would have to wait to achieve your goals in finding the right piece of jewellery, at a sale price at a given time. Do you really need that extra stress?
My fear is, if you have found a piece in a designer Jewellers store or website and it’s a little over budget, you may find yourself disappointed when you realize there is no sale, no reduce costs and no interest in helping you the consumer. Nothing is more upsetting than finding that perfect design you have fallen in love with but now it’s out of reach, unless of course it’s the brand name you want then your choice is simple, pay the price for the name no matter what.
Did you know the best and most exciting option in my humble experience is an easy one, forget the brand name, the dictating designer and visit your own designer, discuss your options, choose the colours you want and finally, you become the designer.
Now nothing says “I love you” more than a piece of jewellery you designed and best of all at a price that suits your pocket not the high street.
Want to know how and why?
Come say hello and let’s talk
The changing face of the high street.
So the report is done, no doubt paid for by us the tax payer, and the government will consider its findings and launch a response in spring of 2012. This report in my humble opinion is flawed, allow me to explain.
The high street retailer is experiencing many issues and is forced to be content with increased rent, rates, parking charges and lower margins. Mary Porter has stated that the introduction of more market stalls is the way forward to all the high street woes. Simply taking the consumer from the stores to the streets in this “most often” cold and windy climate to traipse around market stalls is the answer to all the economic issues the retailer is facing, is that what you really believe?
Surely the issue here is a simple one, The retailer is unsure how to adapt to the changing world, their answer to the falling foot fall is to slash prices and yearlong sales in a poor attempt to attract customers to spend money with them.
In a recent report earlier this week, it was reported that by 2015 only 40% of consumer spending will be done on the traditional high street, if correct this will compound the high street retailer even further.
So what is the answer?
On this occasion, one answer does not fit all. For my industry we need a clear understanding to what is actually happening around us.
• Stop trying to compete with cyber space deals.
• More training, bringing back the awe inspiring tradition of the Jewellery trade.
• Knowledgeable people about the industry that can offer first class help and guidance.
• Be in a position to fully embrace modern technology and combine with the classic traditions of care and attention.
• To offer an experience that the customer will never forget.
• Bring back customer service and not be price led.
I don’t for one moment believe that some, if any of my suggestions above would ever be implemented, but for someone that is passionate about the Jewellery trade and clients I can only hope that the future will be a better place for our trade.
I made the change. I moved away from the high street and became more interactive, I don’t mean by becoming “cyber” but by taking the time to meet people face to face, at a location and time that suits them and allowing the customer to truly experience the meaning behind the age old concept of buying and creating jewellery.
Offering modern technology infused with age old tradition.
Now that is what I call change
Are you ready to shop, till you drop?
The media are shouting from the rooftops that this coming weekend will the busiest weekend for the shops as people in their 1,000’s head to the stores to buy their Christmas presents
Will you be one of them?
Or will you be buying from the comfort of your own home on your PC, MAC or Mobile device?
I have a question for you?
How about an alternative to the above options and some free impartial advice?
If the answer is yes why not get in touch and allow me to guide you through this madness
Some advice for the first time proposer
So you have decided to “ Tie the Knot “ and start the time-honoured of life as 2, united by love and committed to a future of weddings, births and challenges as a couple.
I would like to say Congratulations!
But where do you begin?. How do you choose that perfect engagement ring?. How-much will it cost?.
You never really pay too much attention to those jeweller’s shop you pass by and now the ring has become the key focus and everything becomes exciting and frightening all in one moment. There are so many questions and your unsure who to turn to for the right help and guidance. Help is really at hand and don't worry.
So how do you go about choosing the right ring and what are your options?.
You could start like many by researching on line, you enter the world of Cyber information about the 4C's, maybe the differences between platinum and gold and so the story continues. The question here is, will it help you in making the right choice, chances are it won't, but could simply send you into a spiral world of crammed text and discounts of up to 70% to get you away from the high street jeweller.
Talking about the high street.
You could take what you have researched on line and visit your local jewellers they will be packed with lots of sparkling diamond rings, but will they listen to you? Talk to you about the person that you are buying the ring for? or just try to sell you what they have? will they truly have the passion and time to help you choose your ideal engagement ring?.
Just more unanswered questions.
But there is an alternative to the above, and that is to speak with an independent and personal jeweller someone who can take you on a journey who will listen to you, and advise you on choosing your own unique and bespoke engagement ring.
Did you know that commissioning a bespoke engagement ring costs a lot less than you think and offers a wonderful and romantic way to start your engagement. Designed with you for the person that you want to spend the rest of your life with. But the excitement doesn't stop there with the introduction of 3D designing and 3D modelling your jewellery can be created with this amazing technology and all without paying a premium and comfortably within your budget.
So there you have it, three ways to buy an engagement ring, on line, in a shop or with a personal jeweller.
If you would like to discuss the many options available to you today with a personal jeweller, then give me a call on 0203402511 or drop me an email atdavid@yourpersonaljeweller.co.uk I would love to hear from you.
“ Inspiring design to create and cherish “