The jewellery remodelling trend continues to drive sales.

There was a time when having a piece of jewellery hand-crafted especially for you was the preserve of the rich. Personalised jewellery has been the ‘next big thing’ for some time now and industry experts see no sign of the demand slowing down.

co-owner of Ace Jewellery, Edward Peters comments on what this trend means for independent jewellery retailers.

Mass market appeal

While high-end bespoke jewellery has always been available, some pioneering big name brands have made personalised jewellery trendy and affordable, particularly in the charm-bracelet market. ‘Limited edition’ beads and trinkets have really resonated with customers who want to stand out and show off their own unique style. Similarly, the Sex and The City phenomenon has also driven this trend.

“Just the other day a customer asked us to create a personalised name necklace, similar to the one worn by Carrie in the show. The idea that you can have a bespoke piece of jewellery that you have had a hand in creating has become very appealing to many people. This has encouraged a ‘creative streak’ in customers that we are now seeing extended to many other forms of jewellery.”

We are regularly contacted by customers enquiring about where they can go to have a piece of jewellery made. They will often have an old piece of jewellery that they no longer want to wear or some loose stones, and they come to us for advice and creative inspiration. Our creative team are highly experienced at taking a germ of an idea and helping customers to turn that idea into their perfect piece.

An affordable luxury

The economic climate is also driving customer creativity, says Edward. “When economic times get tough, people are less inclined to buy new jewellery, particularly given the high price of gold at the moment.”

“Just last week a customer brought in a pair of diamond earrings, a sapphire pendant and a gold chain that she had bought on impulse. She wanted to treat herself to some new jewellery without spending any more money. Our jewellery designers remodelled the stones into a stunning 3-stone ring, with the sapphire as the centre piece flanked by the two diamonds. She was delighted to find that the scrap value of the gold chain paid for the full cost of the remodel, and she still had some cash left over.”

“The growth in personalised jewellery buying is a really great opportunity for us as an independent jeweller, as we have a much greater ability and willingness to respond to a customer’s individual needs than the chains, who often prefer a ‘one size fits all’ approach to what they will stock.”

If you have some jewellery that you no longer like wearing now is the perfect time for you to turn it into something that you would love to wear again at little or no cost. Take a look at some of our case studies to see how we can help you achieve your creative jewellery aspirations or get in touch with us here.