From stocking up on toilet paper to finding great deals on face masks, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the way we buy things. A Vancouver jewellery company says the pandemic has also made us want more from the fine stones and metals we adorn ourselves with.
Natasha Peck is one of the owners, designers and lapidarians at Kingdom Fine Jewelry. Peck and her husband Dylan Lee have been in business for seven years but have been in the jewellery industry for many more. Despite the pandemic, Peck says business hasn’t slowed much -- just transitioned.
“It’s been fairly busy but there has definitely been a pivot,” Peck said. “I think with most businesses we've seen a lot of people moving online and we definitely noticed that as well."
More custom, more personal
Instead of coming into her micro store or gallery located on Commercial Drive, many looking for an engagement ring during the pandemic meet with Peck over a video call. From there Peck and the client talk about how the piece should look which can be designed from the ground up, a modern twist a classic design or switching out gemstones on designs already existing in the shop’s catalogue.
This approach can be more attractive to clients as jewellery giants tend to sell many similarly designed pieces says Peck.
"I just think that especially in today's day and age I think that people want something a little bit more unique," Peck said, adding she and her husband went through that exact experience when they were married in 2019.
“We realized is there aren't a lot of companies out there that are offering kind of unique fun designs and so that's why we decided to pivot our business,” she said.
Engagement ring trends you should know
As for the designs future fiances are looking at, Peck says there are three which have remained consistently popular. Those designs include the classic three-stone ring and the traditional solitaire, but Peck says cluster rings, which can include variously coloured and sized stones, are especially trendy.
"People are kind of leaning away from just the traditional diamond,” Peck said, mentioning how Kingdom specializes in different types of gemstones like all sorts of different-coloured sapphires and opals.
Things to know before you buy
Peck has two pieces of advice for people going on and buying their first engagement rings.
1. Do your research
"There are a lot of people out there that will position themselves as experts or maybe sell you one thing but you'll be getting another," Peck said.
Peck also warned that some less trustworthy stores can dupe customers by passing off plastic as a piece of turquoise or dyed halite as other gemstones. The same thing can happen in the precious world of sapphires and diamonds Peck says.
2. Know your partner
"Come in with an idea of like who they are which of course you'll know and like are they the adventure type, are they the rock 'n' roller, do they love colour do they like a more minimalist style. From there that's when we can really get custom and build something from the ground up that's perfect for that person."
‘Pent-up demand’
As the pandemic seemingly winds down with fewer case numbers and more vaccination numbers, Peck is expecting many couples to get hitched this summer.
"I expect a really big pent-up demand, I expect things just to come full force," she said.
