Premium jewellery: not for everyone, but is worth it
In any industry, there is a division into mass products and premium products that are “not for everyone.” jewellery manufacturers also orient their products in the same way.
Unlike popular mass-market jewellery, where once a piece is replicated as long as there is demand, premium jewellery is a triumph of individuality, high design and impeccable quality. Such works are usually attributed to the sphere of “jewellery art” – in contrast to the mass market, which often operates with the concept of “products”.
Premium jewellery: more than price
For the European market, the terms “luxury jewellery”, “exclusive” or “premium” have become cliches that have partially lost their meaning due to the active “product” advertising of jewellery manufacturers. “Uniquely low price per gram of gold”, “exclusive collections at a special price.”
However, a “golden ring with a large diamond” is not always a premium piece of jewellery. Real products of this segment are impossible without the bright creativity of the designer, honed by years of skill of the jeweler, the use of complex techniques, and of course – without precious metals and expensive stones.
The cost of premium jewellery, as a rule, starts from 5-7 thousand dollars, and some of them can be purchased not only as jewellery, but also for collection purposes.
A very special group of premium items is made up of luxury jewellery – “aerobatics” of jewellery art, whose representatives do not leave the catalogs of the largest auction houses Christie’s and Sotheby’s. The price for them starts from 80-100 thousand dollars. As a rule, these are exclusive copies, the names of the authors of which have already gone down in history (Harry Winston, JAR, Cartier, Chaumet and others). We will devote a separate article to luxury jewellery.
But back to our main theme – premium jewellery. Unlike mass-market products, the premium jewellery segment is aimed at the middle class, if defined by world standards. Buyers of premium jewellery are interested in exceptional products that reflect their taste and personality. Of course, the individuality of the jewellery creator is also always present in branded products.
A little about historical roots
In foreign terminology, premium-class jewellery is usually called “fine jewellery”.
The jewellery craft flourished as an art in the 17th and 18th centuries in England and France with the rise of jewellery houses serving the jewellery needs of monarchs and aristocracy. The oldest jewellery houses in England are Garrard (founded in 1735) and France – Mellerio dits Meller (in 1613), Chaumet (in operation since 1780), Cartier (since 1847), Boucheron ( founded in 1858) exist to this day.
The Russian jewellery school emerged in the 18th century thanks to Peter the Great. One of its most famous representatives was Carl Faberge, who received the title of court jeweler.
