HPARGOTOHP STYLINGNATALIE
as i type this, I am distracted by the diamond ring on my finger (admittedly, one of the most ‘1%’ problems I have ever experienced). It catches the light and winks at me; I, in return, ooh, aah and glance admiringly at it. If I was someone who swooned, that’s exactly what I’d be doing.
I suppose you must be wondering when the Big Day is. But there is no Big Day, there isn’t even a significant other (a couple of insignificant others, maybe). The ring – a Sophie Bille Brahe Plein de Lune gold band with six diamonds sprinkled on the front – sits not on my ring finger but my index finger. Reader, I bought it myself.
The reason for this extravagant selfgifting? I blame it on one of the happier consequences of 2020 and a post-lockdown style fug. Shoes and handbags lost all relevance when life was reduced to the confines of a Zoom grid, but jewellery could add a much-needed swish of glamour, even to five-day-old pyjamas.
There was also an emotional, talismanic appeal. I had been feeling desperately lonely for the past few months, but kept on getting up, kept on going: buying a diamond ring for myself, with money I had earned hard by myself, felt like a fabulous gesture of independence and self-love.
What I am not alone in is my renewed love of jewellery. According to global fashion search platform Lyst’s Jewellery 2020 report, the Zoom effect saw searches for jewellery increase by 28%, with demand for bold pieces, such as oversized drop earrings, chokers and crystal pendants, increasing 225% year-on-year.
Men are not immune either: the report found 57% of searches for ‘silver chain necklaces’ were by them (put it down to the Connell effect). Our shopping habits have changed dramatically in the past few months (did you see trackpants acquiring wardrobe hero status? Me neither). But we are still shopping, and increasingly making a beeline for ‘special’ pieces that will outlast fickle trends. And what could feel more special than a beautiful piece of jewellery?
Cecily Motley, co-founder of Motley, which has shaken up the often antiquated jewellery world by teaming up with exciting, independent designers, says, ‘In
March, we saw a 10% increase in selfpurchases. Buying jewellery at a time of turmoil is as old as the hills, but we are seeing women investing in designs that bring them joy.’ The Screw You collection by Frances Wadsworth Jones, which launched during lockdown, performed particularly well. ‘I think the sentiment resonated!’
According to Tanika Wisdom, buyer at Matchesfashion.com, we are beginning to think of jewellery in the same way we might once have considered other accessories. ‘In the past, a woman might invest in a handbag from a luxury fashion house; now they are investing in special jewellery pieces that they can wear regularly, such as a pair of earrings by Jade Trau or Mizuki.’
That regularity is essential to jewellery’s appeal. Increasingly, we are moving away from the idea that pieces should be gawped at in the box and never worn. Life’s too short, right? ‘I create jewellery for all types of women and their different styles,’ says Valerie Messika, the founder and artistic director of Messika, whose knockout pieces are a Beyoncé favourite. Her advice is simple: ‘Find the piece which you love the most. The goal is for you to treat yourself, so I recommend looking for jewellery that will best complement your daily life.’
Jewellery doesn’t need to be expensive to be special. ‘Women today know what they like and invest in quality, but that has often been out of their price range,’ Cecily says, adding that brands such as Motley, which offer quality and design at an achievable price, make that possible now. ‘There is a real sense of “I can wear this and have fun in this, and still pass it down to my daughter.”’
Or consider Pandora’s charm bracelets, which mark their 20th anniversary this year and start at £10 per piece. ‘Over the years we’ve noticed our best-sellers evolve together with our fans’ lives, so we can really see the connection to our customers as they grow,’ says Stephen Fairchild, the brand’s chief product officer. ‘[They collect] as a way to express themselves and their priorities or passions, each telling a story through their own bracelet.’
Indeed, from multi-carat diamonds to cotton friendship bracelets, jewellery tells a story in a way that other accessories can’t. The beauty of buying it for yourself is that you are taking control of the narrative.
‘[It’s] a form of self-recognition that allows us to create meaningful reminders of specific moments in our lives outside of the traditional milestones,’ says Noura Sakkijha, on the art of self-gifting. Noura is cofounder and CEO of Mejuri, which sells fine and semi-fine jewellery without the mark-up prices (it boasts a 30% monthly repeat purchase in an industry traditionally fuelled by occasional gifting and has raised $32 million in funding to date).
‘Fine jewellery has been typically positioned in a traditional fashion – men buying jewellery for women on special occasions. We wanted to change this narrative and created Mejuri primarily for women to buy jewellery for themselves – no occasion necessary. As of today, 75% of our customers are purchasing for themselves. We love the idea of women investing in themselves, not only through their purchasing habits but also in their everyday lives. A single diamond hoop starts at £180, so I have been known to say to my girlfriends, “Just buy yourself the damn diamond.” Because if they love it and can afford it, then they don’t have to wait for it.’
Indeed, isn’t it time we realised that life doesn’t begin when someone else comes along to buy you a diamond ring? Sometimes you just have to say ‘I do’ to today.