The trend of luxe jewellery – luxury brands developed for a more mainstream market – is gathering pace in New Zealand with a unique partnership between New Zealand-founded retailer EziBuy and Sydney's best-known jewellery brand.
Fairfax & Roberts have been crafting top-of-the-range jewellery since 1858. Celebrated for their attention to detail and the quality of the metals and stones used in their creations, their new "luxe value" range (exclusive to EziBuy) is something rather special.
Georgina Brujic, CEO of Fairfax & Roberts, says there has been a move in recent years towards luxe jewellery: "We've seen the likes of Victoria Beckham doing this with her fashion line sold through [US store] Target. It's great to be able to give EziBuy customers the opportunity to purchase really high-quality jewellery at an affordable price."
The collection ("By Fairfax & Roberts") includes all the essentials –earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Each piece is designed in Australia and crafted using precious materials such as sterling silver,18ct gold plated and freshwater pearls.
"Pearls are totally on trend right now," says Brujic. "Meghan Markle has been wearing them, and they should be a staple in every woman's wardrobe."
Brujic says that although the pieces in the "By Fairfax & Roberts" collection are affordable, they should be seen as high-quality items that will be worn and treasured by their owners for years to come.
"This isn't costume jewellery, it's real jewellery with real longevity. We hope people will pass it down through generations of their family.
Ranging in price from $55 (for drop earrings) to $165 for long pearl necklaces, this really is affordable luxury. Brujic says that unless someone was a real expert, they'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between a By Fairfax & Roberts piece and a costlier counterpart.
"I was looking at a pearl that was valued at $2000 recently and it was nearly impossible to tell the difference between that and the pearls we have in this collection," she says.
Each of the pieces in the collection comes complete with beautiful packaging and care instructions. All items are checked by the experts in the Sydney headquarters of Fairfax & Roberts to ensure they adhere to the brand's stringent quality control standards before they make it to retail.
"There are so many fine details that have been incorporated into each of these pieces and we want to ensure that the quality is always maintained," Brujic explains.
A lot of work has gone into the development of the range and Brujic wants people to be confident that they are buying authentic, quality jewellery when they purchase a "By Fairfax & Roberts" piece.
"People buying these pieces can be comfortable in knowing that they are buying something that will last. We want people to own it, love it, and wear it."
Some of the key pieces in the range include a long classic pearl opera necklace, which can be worn more casually during the day or looped to create a more formal glamorous evening look. This is crafted from freshwater pearls that are hand-strung on silk thread.
Another piece likely to appeal to many are the pearl drop earrings. Markle was photographed wearing a similar pair (gifted to her by the Queen) earlier in the year and what she wears makes ripples around the fashion world.
"By Fairfax and Roberts" is sold exclusively through EziBuy. For more information, see the website www.ezibuy.com and search for the collection name.