On Porthcawl’s High Street you’ll find contemporary jewellers RMA Williams Jewellers. Vale Life chatted with owners, Mellissa and Marcus, about their passion for jewellery and why Porthcawl is the...
PERFECT SETTING
When did your business open?
Marcus and I opened the shop in July last year. Our shop sells jewellery from £5 to £5,000 plus. It’s been an exciting time for us and we’re pleased with how it’s going, considering we opened just before the credit crunch.
Who are your customers?
Our main customers are ladies buying jewellery for themselves or for gifts for loved ones. We also find men feel very comfortable buying from our store and appreciate we offer free gift wrapping and delivery. We have many repeat customers, so we must be doing something right! We also have a successful online store which has been trading for three years, and we are pleased to say that we have customers from all over the UK.
What do you specialise in?
Our aim is to stock jewellery that’s a bit different and we have a mix of wellknown brands as well as independent British designers. By being different, I think we stand out from the crowd.
A British designer whose work has been selling well is Sheila Fleet (Orkney Designer Jewellery). Her jewellery is handmade and hand enamelled and her jewellery designs are influenced by nature. It’s beautiful and unique and we are the only stockist in the area. Also selling well are a range of wedding rings which are a bit different, set with diamonds or shaped to compliment an engagement ring by Stephen Tyler, Bands of Desire and M and M Jewellery.
What are your best sellers?
Our best sellers are Lovelinks charm beads, Clogau Welsh Gold and Hot Diamonds. We also sell Fiorelli Italian Jewellery, men’s jewellery by Fred Bennett and D for Diamond children’s jewellery, amongst others. Lovelinks are flying off the shelves at the moment and with the different beads, people feel they can create a story that’s individual to them.We also sell the Name links, so any message such as ‘I Love You’ or any name can be printed on a link. Lovelinks beads also fit on other style charm bead bracelets too.
Clogau Welsh Gold has links to royalty and the rareness of Welsh gold makes it popular to collect. They make lots of modern designs in silver and rose gold too, such as the new Cariad Club rings and the Capstone ‘sweetie’ bracelet. Hot Diamonds continues to sell well, in particular, charm bracelets which are a gorgeous gift for an 18th or 21st. The driftwood ring has also been selling well, as has the driftwood cuff.
Do you accept commissions?
We work with a number of designers and companies that can re-model jewellery. We have just set two lovely diamonds taken from a ring into a pair of diamond earrings for a customer. We can also source diamonds in a particular cut or clarity, including Canadian Diamonds.
What other services do you offer?
We are members of the National Association of Goldsmiths and we offer valuations, repairs, pearl re-stringing and the usual jewellery services. We also buy second hand jewellery and sovereigns as well as scrap gold. Customers are frequently surprised by how much they can get for a pile of broken chains and earrings.
Any new brands on the horizon?
We have just taken on the Thomas Sabo Charm collection which should be instore in July, and we are looking to stock the rest of their jewellery by the Autumn so watch this space!
Why do you think you have such a loyal following?
I think our customers come to us because we sell a mix of names they know and trust as well as jewellery they won’t see elsewhere. People like to have an enjoyable shopping experience when they buy jewellery and I think we provide that by offering excellent customer service in a glamorous environment, where they can sit on a comfortable sofa and browse jewellery at their leisure.
Any plans for the future?
We are looking to take on some other brands before Christmas and in the future we would love to open another shop. I am also studying for a Jeweller’s Diploma so we have lots to do in the next few hectic months!
