The Plus 100: Online Shopping

How can you find your way around the immense world of the web? What are the most authoritative and safe sites for buying fine to high-range jewelry? Below are eight reference points to start surfing.

1stdibs
Title Cristina Miller, Chief Commercial Officer, 1stdibs
Where New York
Why It is the largest fine jewelry store with over 125,000 items

1stdibs started in 2001 with a few dealers hand-selected at Marché aux Puces by his Founder Michael Bruno. It made its debut as a listing site for antiques dealers with no ability to purchase online. Today it is a thriving and global destination for those who must have “first dibs” on treasures that would otherwise be inaccessible. Chief Commercial Officer Cristina Miller talks about these almost twenty years of evolved business. «Today luxury retail chains experience increased pressure as online sales accelerate. 1stdibs evolved from a product-listing site to a global e-commerce luxury platform over the last years (in 2013). Moving the industry online has been beneficial to all parties we serve: dealers, global consumers and interior designers. The growth has been largely organic and driven by the high quality of our supply: we are the largest fine jewelry store in the world with over 125,000 items. We have dealers on the platform from 30 countries, and the 50% is outside the U.S. We have buyers in 141 countries and 40% of our traffic is from outside the U.S. We see customers becoming more and more comfortable buying expensive pieces on- line. We have pieces representing the full spectrum of periods and styles. In 2018 we did $250 million of sales on the platform, and we will do more than $300M in 2019. Ninety thousand unique products were sold last year. On average, new customers spend $4,000 in the first year, with an average order value that has increased 25% since the launch of the e-commerce in 2013.»

Swoonery
Title Jean Z. Poh, Founder of swoonery.com
Where New York
Why An e-shop and a private jewelry salon creating an ecosystem made of brilliant designers and skilled craftsmen

Stone and Strand
Title Nadine McCarthy Kahane Founder of stoneandstrand.com
Where New York
Why An online space for fine jewelry, combining relatable customer service with a hand-picked offering of expressive pieces

Latest Revival
Title Dalia Oberlander, Founder and Ceo of latestrevival.com
Where New York
Why An e-commerce transforming the buying experience into an emotional, unique and special affair

Auverture
Title Bibi Van Der Velden, Co-founder auverture.com
Where Amsterdam
Why Allowing for the purchase of a precious jewelry piece as part of a more personal experience

This digital platform puts the focus on creative fine jewelry, telling the story behind each jewel and each designer. Auverture.com is one of the most well-respected online shops at the moment. Here you can find and buy jewels created by the true elite when it comes to independent brands. «We have created a real family that brings together the designers we present, and this is the idea we want to share with our clients», says designer and co-founder Bibi Van Der Velden. «Our main goal is to become a hub for fine jewelry all over the world, being a part of the evolution of personal expression with unique jewels. We choose brands we love, for their unmistakable style. Recently, a client pointed out that, though the site offers a wide range of designers, there is a sense that all of the pieces come from the same “family”. There’s an amazing momentum connected to the online fine jewelry business. We see a large growth of clients who are buying instantly, without any point of prior contact, but there will always be clients who want a personal connection before purchasing a piece». This more relaxed approached to craftsmanship and luxury carries over into a new way to make purchases. A team of experts is available to help customers choose jewelry. This can take place over the phone, in chat, online, via email, WhatsApp, Instagram, or by making an appointment at the Amsterdam showroom. Thus the buying experience is like a unique journey, finding the right piece that perfectly reflects the personality of the wearer.

EIP Privé
Title Alison Loehnis, President of net-a-porter.com and mrporter.com
Where London
Why Offering a new luxury digital destination, providing access to personalised services

Earlier this July, the luxury e-commerce platform Net-a-Porter plunged into the unthinkable an EIP Privé (Extremely Important People) service, an exclusive digital destination of high jewelry and watches. Offering “try before you buy”, personal shoppers and even bespoke requests, Alison Loehnis, President of Net-a-Porter and Mr Porter, explained: «EIP Privé will offer clients a truly unique opportunity to discover the world’s most exclusive high jewelry maisons through a highly personalized, invitation-only service.»

CaratLane
Title Mithum Sacheti, Ceo at caratlane.com
Where Chennai, India
Why The first omni-channel jewelry platform offering an extensive range of jewels

Founded by Mithun Sacheti a decade ago, CaratLane began as a jewelry e-commerce platform and is now India’s first omni-channel jewelry brand with 70 stores across the country and a huge team of sales people that offer “Try @ Home” services. «An online jewelry website was a unique and courageous idea back in 2008. People were buying jewelry purely as an investment rather than to wear. In a bid to change this mindset, CaratLane was launched. To date, the company strives to make beautiful-looking jewelry accessible, affordable and forever wearable, » says Sacheti, who made jewelry shopping possible with a tap of your finger. The extensive range of gold and diamond-studded jewelry starts as low as INR 5,000 and goes up to INR 2,00,000, offering something for everyone. The most popular online price brackets range from INR 15,000- 25,000 rising to INR 35,000 while buying through “Try @ Home”. CaratLane has come a long way and grown exponentially with revenues increasing by 44% last year alone and 70 stores sprouting up in the last 7 years. The largest Indian jewelry & watch group - Titan, also acquired a 72% stake in the last 4 years, creating a plethora of opportunities for CaratLane and helping to build the omni-channel strategy.

77Diamonds 
Title Tobias Kormind, Co-founder and Managing Director of 77diamonds.com
Where London
Why A market leading customer experience, choice and value in multiple languages

After being named the Digital Innovator of the Year at the Professional Jeweler Awards 2019, Tobias Kormind revealed his short-term development plans for his company, a new point of reference on the market. With an expected turnover for 2019 of £30 million and a recent booster of as much as £650,000 by an “angel investor,” Tobias can say that his omni-channel model is a true success and is in tune with the next generation of diamond jewelry consumers, offering a totally engaging and integrated shopping experience, online and offline. His products can be purchased online in 72 countries and he has three showrooms (London, Manchester and Frankfurt, with another opening in 2020 in the UK), and about 70 employees.