01/02/2025 General News
It won’t surprise you to learn that February is one of the busiest months in the jewellery profession, writes Angela Marshall. Valentine’s day may be something of a cliché, but the fact is that many people use the day as an opportunity to express their love for their partner. That could mean seeking out an engagement ring after a proposal, but equally there will be many who simply want to give their partner with an original and unique piece of jewellery.
But if you are heading for the High Street, finding that one-off piece is not as easy as it sounds. You may have noticed a certain ‘identikit’ nature to retail; as you pass from shop to shop, you get a sense of déjà-vu; the realisation soon kicks in that most retailers are sourcing their stock from the same wholesalers.
Look in any retail jeweller’s window, and you will see much the same pieces. You can’t blame the traders for this, in the current climate they have to play it safe and offer what has mass appeal. But that does mean that finding something quirky, something personal, something individual, is increasingly difficult.
There is another factor when it comes to buying jewellery in the High Street, and that is pricing. Mark-ups can be anything between two and a half times and four times, and can run to much more than this. So not only is it hard to find that distinctive piece, but you will end up paying a hefty price for it. This is how up-market jewellers can afford to give you a glass of Prosecco while you make your choice.
Both of these factors are why we are seeing many more individuals (as opposed to traders) attending jewellery auctions in the saleroom. More and more buyers are realising that vintage, pre-owned pieces offer significantly better value, are often much more interesting, and provide a more sustainable solution, compared with buying high mark-up, mass-produced jewellery on the High Street.
Jewellery auctions generally offer a huge variety in terms of choice and price, with all sorts of styles, stones and periods, from the 18th century to the present day. A typical Keys jewellery sale will have upwards of 300 lots, pretty much every one of them unique.
At an auction, you will find many unorthodox gemstone and material combinations that are not generally found in the catalogues of most big retailers. High Street retailers can’t hope to offer the types of unique, vintage, and sometimes out-there jewellery pieces you will find at an auction.
What’s more, in the saleroom, jewellery is sold at its market price – as opposed to its retail price. You might be shocked at how big the difference can be.
But the main reason for seeking out that Valentine’s jewellery gift in the auction saleroom is that this is where you will find the unique, the personal, the quirky. It is a refreshing antidote to the increasingly identikit nature of our High Streets, and with live online bidding it is easy and accessible. So it’s no surprise that an increasing number of shoppers are choosing to buy jewellery this way.