When is the best time to go from workbench to a showroom or studio?

Michelle Oh’s showroom in Shoreditch, London

Many independent jewellers work from unconventional spaces before taking the plunge and opening a showroom or retail space. From kitchen tables and bedroom benches to shared studios and communal workspaces, a jeweller doesn’t need much physical space in order to work and manufacture designs.

The outlays of renting your own space that is public-facing, or at least available to be visited by the public, are significant, particularly in cities like London or Manchester where retail rents are high.

During the final week of the GoldDust Masterclass, we look in depth at the different options available to jewellers; and cover how different jewellers create unique and personal spaces in which to showcase their work and style to potential customers, and also which type of spaces are the most successful.

But which type space is best for an independent jeweller? The answer depends on where you’re at with your business, how you operate (ie do you make your work yourself or is it produced elsewhere) and where you want to position yourself in the market.

Small Scale Designer Makers

If you’re making all your piece by hand by yourself, usually a shared studio or even home set-up will suffice. If you’re not meeting customers or are building up your stock, working from home is great to keep your overheads low - jewellery benches don’t take up too much space and you can keep all your tools and materials in one place which is a bonus.

Be aware - make sure your home and/or business insurance covers any loss or theft of materials (gemstones, tools etc) in case of a break-in.

If you do want to meet clients to show them your work, have an initial meeting or hand over pieces, there are lots of ways to do this whilst keeping the meeting the right side of professional - first impressions do count, so the right venue and atmosphere is important and must reflect your brand values. We discuss this in more detail in the GoldDust Masterclass.

A Showroom or Studio Hybrid

One of my favourite types of space for a jeweller is a hybrid workbench/showroom space. This allows you to really showcase your style and create a space that reflects what you are about as a brand, and where your taste lies. This is important to the client as they ideally want their taste to align with yours - so the more ‘markers of taste’ you show, the better. Every visual element in your space matters - from furniture style, cabinet displays, paint colours…they all build a picture of your brand and act as reassuring and inspiring visual details to connect you to your customer.

Lots of mid-level independent jewellers combine their workspace spaces with a client area - either tastefully cordoned off with screens if there is only one room, or including your workbench as a feature. Lots of the most successful jewellers (Michelle Oh, Rachel Boston, Jessica McCormack) have their workshop on site, and customers love to know that the pieces are made right there, and often want to see some of the making process.

Obviously renting a studio or showroom on your own can be expensive, but it doesn’t need to be a traditional retail space (ground floor, open to the public). You can think outside of the box - even leaning in to the more unusual spaces that might create an exciting and special feel to the experience of visiting there. A loft space in a warehouse, a room in an old office block - as long as the foundations are there you can make it your own.

A Retail Space

An often eye-watering expense, a small retail space can be worthwhile for jewellers if the footfall brings in sales that otherwise wouldn’t have happened. There’s a lot to be said for a high street presence, especially in an area where there are lots of workers mulling around at lunchtime, or Saturday shoppers passing by. This does mean that you’ll have to open over the most busy times of the week which are inevitably the weekend days, which doesn’t appeal to some jewellers.

Presenting another opportunity to really showcase your brand, you can build a whole world inside a shop or boutique that shows the customer your style and taste, imbuing a confidence and connection that is hard to replicate online.

A public-facing space like a shop also allows you to chat and speak to the customers in person, which can be a huge benefit. Make sure you allow for all the additional expenses that come with a retail space though, including insurance, a safe, protection from burglary or theft, alarm systems and a suitable door lock or buzzer system. This obviously depends on the price-points of the pieces you’re selling but there is a significant outlay at any level once you’re public facing.

Which type of space is for you?

If you are meeting with clients and selling a lot of bespoke pieces, a showroom or a retail space is the best option. However, there are some high-end jewellers who run thriving businesses without this kind of space (we discuss this in the GoldDust Masterclass) but in general clients spending large sums of money feel reassured by the physical presence of a showroom, as well as the space allowing you to strengthen customer confidence and build your brand more fully through design and style.

It also allows you to show collections in person, exciting examples of engagement rings, as well as multiple diamonds and gemstones you may have in stock.

If you’re not ready - financially or otherwise - to take this leap, make sure you are maximising every opportunity you get to meet clients in person. Create other assets that bring a sense of professionalism to your brand, such as an exceptional website (which in the absence of an actual store is all you have) printed letterhead, beautiful packaging and gift-wrapping. The tiny details matter a lot with high-value purchases, and in a world of online designers and brands you need to think about how you can stand out, and go the extra mile with your customers.