“We realized there were still plenty of opportunities to enrich these connections with our clients, keeping them engaged and inspired and helping them celebrate their special occasions, whether via FaceTime conversations, bespoke in-home experiences or virtual appointments,” Mercedes Abramo, chief executive of Cartier North America, wrote in an email. “Via private, one-on-one viewings, clients could see close-up views of new creations and hear firsthand from various experts from the Cartier workshop and the Cartier archives.”
Last year the jeweler also hosted its first livestreaming show on Alibaba’s Taobao Live during the Chinese retailing giant’s 11.11 shopping festival, the online event that reportedly drew more than $70 billion in sales. The show featured more than 400 Cartier watches and jewelry items, including a necklace valued at $28.3 million, according to the Business of Fashion/McKinsey report.
Of all the experiences made possible by technology, however, the ability to offer customized, one-on-one styling services — over platforms such as WhatsApp and WeChat — may be the most appealing for high-end jewelry consumers.
“We have personal shoppers at the end of every chat,” Ms. Virk of Threads Styling said. “It makes us much more accessible. Curation and convenience — that’s the ultimate luxury.”
And it’s not limited to big spenders.
In September, the jewelry industry veteran Rosena Sammi founded The Jewelry Edit on the premise that access to styling advice should be democratized. The website offers a selection of pieces from $50 to $4,000, with an emphasis on creations by Black and Asian designers, as well as those focused on sustainability.
“Our store is like any store — you can just buy,” Ms. Sammi said during a recent video call. “But the real magic is if you engage. We’ve developed an algorithm to measure your face and suggest earrings and we combine that with a stylist. You can tell them about your job and lifestyle, or send a pic of the dress you’re wearing.”
