Jewellery fans who enjoy the work of a particular designer may want to order a special piece. The designer works to please the client, but within their distinctive style. Fernando Jorge is a Brazilian-born, London-based designer known for his fluid style and use of colour who is used to working with clients directly.  Know where to go. When I set up my brand four years ago there wasn’t one platform in London for new fine jewellery brands, and I showed independently, so if you were looking for something different it would have been hard to know where to go. Today there are a handful of good fairs and exhibitions that you can visit to see the work of new fine jewellers and to also meet and talk to them. The Goldsmiths’ Fair, which takes place every autumn in the City of London, has always been a good place to meet and discover contemporary jewellers. Also, in 2011 the London jeweller Stephen Webster set up Rock Vault with the British Fashion Council, which generated great interest for me and other jewellers. I’ve been very careful in selecting stores that allow me to meet people at events – it’s crucial in establishing a loyal client base.  Have good values. With young jewellers not yet established as brands you are investing in the jewellery itself, rather than its potential future value. One should look for originality and quality in the design, craftsmanship and materials. If these elements are consistently present, that’s probably the best indicator of a good investment.  Enjoy the creative process. First I make sure the client has realistic ambitions in terms of price, as bespoke may be more expensive than a ready-made piece, and that they understand how long it takes. I show them the collection, to find out what pleases them. Then I do sketches. Showing them these is very exciting. We make any changes and once it’s agreed I find the stones and fix the price. It’s a true collaboration – I want them to be totally happy because they are commissioning and paying, but they are showing off my work and my technique and I want to be proud of the piece.  Know what you want. Often people have seen my work and like it, or they may already own pieces that inspire them to commission something personal. Or they may like a design but want it in a different stone, which is customisation rather than a commission.  Reinvent a jewel. I have clients who come with stones that they want me to set because they enjoy my style. One client had an African emerald and wanted a piece to symbolise travel so we added emeralds from Brazil and Colombia – a grand tour.  Be realistic. Customisation takes six to eight weeks, but for a new design I allow two weeks to make the first sketches, extra time to contemplate, change and finalise the design, then about four weeks to make the prototype. A simple engagement ring takes three to four months in total but if special stones are requested they can take a year to find.  Get connected. Luckily I have built a following for my work. Some clients have bought pieces from each of my collections and a few have become close friends. It is a very organic, natural process that they will want something exclusive. Each successful collaboration helps to build trust between us, and that allows us to become bolder and more adventurous. But I would never narrow down a client’s choice. I believe a jewellery acquisition should be guided by passion and emotion, so the best starting point would be falling in love with the design.  Good retailers value their clients and vice versa, so customers return to grow their collections. Top brands all have "starter" ranges that are affordable and, in the hands of a good retailer, are always sold with as much ceremony and good advice as the grander pieces. Laure Bertaux is a retail consultant and gemmologist at Boodles.  Start at the beginning. As a family company we like to develop a personal relationship with someone in the hope they become a long-term customer. At Boodles we have several pieces of nicely priced entry-level jewellery, great for starting a collection. For example, a Love Letter pendant in white or yellow gold has the initial set with diamonds and is very delicate and elegant. One client who started with this has become one of our keenest bespoke collectors.  Get up close. Not everyone wants to buy diamonds. Coloured gemstones are popular just now. There are gemstones in every colour – for example, blues range from sapphires to paler aquamarines, deep blue tanzanites, electric-blue Paraiba tourmalines and blue topaz. We can advise on and source any stone, even ones we don’t have. Stones and colours are so personal that this part has to take time whether it’s a ready-made piece or a commission. It’s important to feel and turn the stones to see which one is right for you. Clients learn a lot from the internet today and often know what they want before they come in.  Be smart about your budget. It’s helpful to have some idea of budget – you will be treated exactly the same however small or large it is. As a small business we can make alterations quickly to any piece. Initially we show you pieces we think you might like, as examples, and explain how the stones guide the price.  Understand the differences. Fine jewellery is quite different from very nice costume jewellery. On a basic level it’s the quality of the gemstones and the precious metals – platinum, white or yellow gold – that differentiates cost. But it is also the quality of the craftsmanship and attention to detail. A piece of fine jewellery can take months to create. A well-made piece of fine jewellery is like a piece of art.  Go bespoke. Many clients come with their own sketch as a starting point – we get in appropriate stones and ask the designer to come and discuss what will work; they will come back with a scale design and a quote in about 10 days. If a customer wants a particular colour or carat weight, it may take time to find the stones. The piece can take four to five weeks to complete unless it is very complex. The final unveiling is a very special occasion – seeing a client’s delight makes our job worthwhile.  Buying at auction may seem scary but practice makes perfect. Lee Siegelson, a third-generation New York jewellery and gem dealer, is one of the best-known antique jewellery specialists in the world.  Buy for love. Are you buying a jewel to wear or to put in a display case? Men buy jewellery to collect. Women buy to wear, so the first thing you should ask yourself is, does the piece suit you? Will it go with your clothes? Most of all, is it beautiful?  Know when to say no. However rare, if a jewel doesn’t look good, don’t buy it. If the piece has been altered from the original design, it was probably not in perfect balance and proportion anyway. A piece should be wearable, functional and in great taste. Buy only what you feel emotional about, and rely on your instinct. I buy what I love, not what I think will sell.  Don’t buy alone. It is advisable to buy with someone you trust. Not all dealers have great taste. Occasionally I’ve had a client choose something I know will suit her very well and her adviser suggests another piece which I know wouldn’t. Clients today learn a lot about jewellery and history but they may need help with the technical aspects.  Handle with care. Though some wear and tear is normal in vintage pieces, err on the side of caution when it comes to cleaning your precious jewels. If you are not sure how fragile a piece is, use simple, non-abrasive materials like soap and water, with a soft toothbrush. If in doubt, seek professional advice rather than experiment. We all make mistakes – I recently used my daughter’s washable felt pen to mark up a stone floor and then found it didn’t wash off. In terms of keeping jewellery, it’s common sense: make sure stones of different hardnesses do not come in contact because the surfaces can scratch. Always keep pearls away from perfumes and make-up.  Get a valuation. Go to an established auction house, preferably a family business that has been dealing with similar pieces for generations, and they will give you a real idea of what to expect. You can go to a number of houses in search of a higher valuation but it’s meaningless until someone buys. What you want is not hypothetical but practical – what someone will pay today.  Pay attention to provenance. Everyone likes a good back story and to know about others’ lives. An interesting history is part of a vintage object’s maturity. There is a difference between a piece purported to be owned by someone and the proof in terms of papers, but just having the original box is not going to make 15 per cent difference to the price. It depends on the person – an item from someone with taste such as the Duchess of Windsor or Daisy Fellowes will have a premium – and the piece; not all museum-quality items are wearable today. I am sometimes accused of charging for provenance but it always makes a difference if a piece comes from a very stylish source. It adds to the story. For instance we had a Boucheron bracelet that was shown at the Great Exhibition in 1925 and that still looks fabulous – timeless. Or pieces that belonged to Cole Porter’s wife, who bought from Paul Flato, the 1930s jeweller to the stars – daring art deco items. Such special designs, in perfect condition, have the wearable wow factor, so prices are higher. But whatever you buy, it needs to be your style to be worth buying.  Think beyond diamonds. Vintage diamonds are not by definition the best buy. For a start, they may be set in an old-fashioned way, which may make you look as if you are wearing your granny’s jewels. Buy what you would like to wear. You learn from experience – if you collect a particular period, you will learn what is best the more you see and you can always trade up as you learn. Coloured stones, semi-precious stones and pearls are all doing very well and will continue to do so.  Trust your instinct. Always remember that money can’t buy taste, so your own preferences are all-important.
There's a budding collector in every jewellery aficionado. But whether you want to buy heritage pieces or new, how do you know where to start? Avril Groom seeks advice from three authorities