Would you buy luxury jewellery online? Thousands do – here’s how Cartier, Louis Vuitton and Jaeger-LeCoultre are crafting exclusive e-commerce experiences for the most precious things money can buy

Jul 10 , 2023

Luxury houses learnt to engage their clients virtually during the pandemic – like Cartier with its digital tour to the opening of its 5th Avenue store in New York – or partnered with an online retailer. Photo: SCMP

Clearly, buying a diamond-paved Panthère de Cartier bangle isn’t the same as a Louis Vuitton purse – so how are luxury houses reaching buyers online now lockdown is a thing of the distant past?

Chaumet created their own virtual showrooms, while Chopard, Vacheron Constantin and Jaeger-LeCoultre reward with loyalty programmes developed with Net-a-Porter and Farfetch

If Covid-19 taught us anything, it is that when we can’t get out and about to discover things we might want to buy, brands, restaurants and just about any other business will find a way to get those things to us. While online shopping is nothing new, retailers and brands have upped their game when it comes to delivering instant gratification. And that “order now and show up at your doorstep in an hour” experience isn’t reserved only for your restaurant takeaway or grocery delivery any more.

While shoppers were homebound, many luxury brands capitalised on the e-commerce structures already built into their online platforms and expanded their e-retail business.

A report by management consulting firm Bain suggests that between 2019 and 2020, China’s luxury online retail accounted for 23 per cent of total sales. It’s such a hefty share of the 346 billion yuan (HK$392.5 billion) industry that no luxury brand could afford to ignore it.

Panthère de Cartier high jewellery collection bangle. Photo: Cartier

Clearly, buying a full diamond-paved Panthère de Cartier bangle or a five-carat solitaire pendant isn’t the same as buying a Louis Vuitton purse.

The online shopping model has always been successful in capturing buyers who want fast-moving luxury items like bags, ready-to-wear, or small leather goods and shoes. But when it comes to jewellery, factors like diamond cut, colour and quality are extremely personal choices that weigh heavily on a decision to buy.

Understanding this unique personal experience with jewellery shopping, brands like Cartier and Chaumet have taken on approaches that go beyond simply letting you drop an item into your shopping trolley on their site.

Chaumet opened up its maison and iconic 12 Vendôme address to global visitors via a virtual tour. Photo: Chaumet

Virtual showrooms often provide a direct line to in-store sales associates who can join a video call to show clients the piece of jewellery they are interested in – the next best thing to the full touch-and-feel experience at a physical boutique.

This live interaction also provides a chance for brands to personalise each sale, something they would not have been able to do with just an online shopfront.