When shopping for designer jewellery online the most important factor to consider is the quality of the materials used to create the jewellery. You should always ask your jewellery designer whether their designer jewellery is created using genuine gemstones and real pearls as many independent jewellery designers use artificial gemstones and glass pearls (Swarovski pearls are also artifical pearls).

If you want to purchase high quality jewellery online you should always check the type, origin and carat weight of each gemstone or pearl used in the design. A reputable jeweller will always be able to provide you with this information.

The type of metal used to create the designer jewellery is another important factor which should be part of your buying decision. Most independent jewellery designers use inferior quality materials to reduce their own overhead costs. These materials include 'goldfill', 'gold vermeil' and plated silver. Goldfill and plated silver are base metals plated with real gold or sterling silver however they are typically very thinly plated and this plating will wear off quickly. Gold Vermeil is actually sterling silver plated with solid gold. Although gold vermeil is created from a composition of precious metals and does typically have a slightly thicker plating it will still wear out and will not stand the test of time. These materials are intended for use in costume jewellery which will be worn only a few times. If you want designer jewellery that will last and last then you should only consider buying designer jewellery handmade in solid gold, platinum or sterling silver.

When shopping online for contemporary designer jewellery you should also check the origin of the gemstones and ensure that any Diamond jewellery you are considering purchasing is created using only conflict free Diamonds. A reputable jeweller will always be happy to provide you with a studio certificate stating the gemstones, pearls and precious metals used to create your jewellery.

When purchasing designer jewellery online you should also check whether the jewellery has been handmade or mass produced. Handmade jewellery is typically of a higher quality than mass produced jewellery. If a piece of jewellery is handmade and hand finished you can be assured of high quality and attention to detail. A piece of high quality handmade jewellery will always hold its value more than mass produced jewellery. A unique, one of a kind piece of high quality jewellery will always be in demand.

An important point to consider when shopping for designer jewellery online is the retailer selling the jewellery. Most designer jewellery retailers are resellers selling the work of other jewellery designers or have an 'own brand' jewellery collection which is produced for them by a manufacturer. The jewellery retailers product knowledge will be greatly superior if the retailer has sourced every component of the jewellery and handmade the jewellery in house. If the jeweller has created the jewellery in their own workshop they will also be able to customise or alter the jewellery to suit your requirements.

To assist our customers in their buying decision we have both a gift suggestion service and a bespoke jewellery design service. All of our designer jewellery is available for purchase online and comes with a 7 working day returns period (excluding made to order items).