Jewellery retail is evolving as consumers seek interesting narratives, impactful encounters and meaningful purchases. Luxury brands lead the way in experiential retail, but brick-and-mortar jewellers can easily keep customers engaged as well.

High jewellery brands have mastered the skill of combining image and culture in their retail spaces while facilitating interaction and immersive experiences.  

Case in point is Tiffany’s store in the Chinese city of Chengdu, which houses interesting elements such as a private dining table and a kid’s room, says jewellery industry consultant Helen Mao as she notes the advent of "retailtainment."

Jewellery maisons also reinforce their brand through engaging activities beyond their stores. These include museum collaborations, touring exhibitions and themed events. 

According to Mao, a notable example was the "Cartier, the Power of Magic" exhibition at the Shanghai Museum from November 2024 to February 2025. The French brand blended its Western heritage with its growth ambitions in the East by incorporating elements of the Chinese zodiac. At the same time, it boosted ‘viral’ potential by working with an AI artist to meld its rich heritage and the digital future.

“Thousands of people visited the exhibition, making amazing content that they posted on social media,” shared Mao.

 

Cartier, the Power of Magic exhibition at the Shanghai Museum (Lushengyi / Shutterstock.com)

 

Bulgari has experiential retail down pat too. Its high jewellery collections launch in grand fashion, combining theatre, design and history in themed events inevitably inspired by its Roman roots. Its iconic Serpentine design is also an element that lends itself well to interactive experiences.

Aside from special events and exhibitions, Bulgari is blazing a trail in the digital space. Its new Connected Jewels mobile app recognises jewellery pieces by reading engraved serial numbers, while the Bulgari Infinito on Apple Vision Pro takes users on interactive and immersive virtual journeys through its High Jewellery creations. The debut episode, Serpenti Infinito, showcases the brand’s iconic serpent theme, featuring digital artworks behind-the-scenes and a detailed exploration of the craftsmanship of the Serpenti Infinito High Jewellery necklace. 

 

Serpenti Infinito, the first episode in the Bulgari Infinito App

 

Omnichannel wins

The big brands, of course, know how to put on a show. But then, one does not need endless resources to create interesting customer experiences. A bit of imagination, creativity and dedication will do. 

Anand Datwani, founder and CEO of Dubai-headquartered Kyra Diamonds, proposes taking a leaf from other industries’ book. 

Sportswear companies often hold special ‘drops’ or launches for members of their loyalty club or communities. In the same vein, jewellery stores can build their community of regular customers and treat them to exclusive designs, members-only privileges or limited-edition offers or early access to new launches. 

Chat commerce and social commerce are gaining traction as well. Customer-curated content can likewise help drive in-store traffic and engage other potential customers. According to Datwani, jewellers should try convincing customers to share their purchases online and comment on these. Better yet, get them to tag the store in videos of their unboxing or purchase journeys in exchange for a small token or points, he says.

Such initiatives, however small, do translate into sales. Datwani recounts that customer stories about their experience purchasing piercings and body jewellery at Kyra Diamonds on their website convinced one reader to avail of the service. She had wanted to get a piercing for the last two years but always found this intimidating. Reading about the positive experience of other consumers emboldened her to finally go ahead with it.

“Stories online about real experiences connect so many individuals who may have been facing the same situation. Once you showcase these on your socials or website, you get to reach out to more people of like mind and expand your customer base,” Datwani said.

Compelling destinations

Special events and innovative collaborations can also turn jewellery stores into lifestyle hotspots, whether for a specific occasion or for good.

Philippine jewellery retail chain Karat World celebrated the opening of its new flagship store in a new luxury shopping mall in Metro Manila with a host of exciting features, including a body piercing corner that was popular among guests.  

Kashi Jewellers in India draws the crowds with interesting collabs, from popups with fashion apparel brands to luxury watches, within its retail space. Show-and-tell talks with jewellery designers, artists or famed personalities along with trunk shows and lectures keep customers of brick-and-mortar stores engaged. 

 

 

Technological advances go a long way too. Think augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Try-on software works wonders online but can be deployed instore as well. For instance, customers can view their selected design with different metals and colours.

DIY kiosks, meanwhile, can allow customers to create their own design or personalise their selection, while interactive display stands enable consumers to browse and order inventory at their leisure. Jewellery vending machines are now available in the market too as is an innovative gold recycling machine.

 

Cloud Showroom interactive display by Gold Wharf Group

 

Digital tools also enable hyper-personalisation. Datwani said, “When you see your customers’ journey across various social networks and what they are consuming, you can curate content particularly for them.”

Experiential touches can range from the grand interactive showrooms, dedicated event spaces, AR technology, demonstration spaces, DIY design kiosks and even jewellery vending machines to smaller, more intimate features like a social wall of customer messages to a corner dedicated to the store’s history and legacy. At the end of the day, it boils down to offering not just a transaction but a memorable experience.

 
JGW & JNA: 42 Years, 42 Stories is an online series running throughout 2025 to celebrate the 42nd anniversary of Jewellery & Gem WORLD Hong Kong and JNA. A new story of creativity, craftsmanship and innovation will be released every week. Subscribe to free JNA News Alerts to be notified when the next story is out.