Buying jewellery should be a personal and memorable experience – visiting our beautiful store, Atrium in Powerscourt Townhouse in Dublin, will always be a wonderful experience.

But our mission is also to create an online experience that not only replicates the in-store feel and attention to detail, but also gives the advantage of being able to shop in your own time and in the comfort of your home. Apart from recent experiences of lockdown, virtual shopping suits many of our customers, as we are a global company and customers abroad connect with our brand and want to source unique, quality pieces with an Irish heritage.

Whether buying jewellery for yourself or for someone special, discretion is often required. For many customers jewellery can be an emotional purchase, where privacy and an intimate experience are appreciated; the time to linger over our beautiful online images, viewed from every perspective, and with complete detail on the piece specification.

Customers buy for all moments in their lives, not just the traditional magical ones, like engagements, weddings and new arrivals. A promotion, or a business or personal achievement, are often marked; even break-ups, or people celebrating getting through a difficult time, such as now, to mark the hope of better times to come.

Chupi has a very popular VIP service offering digital appointments with one of our jewellery experts to discuss styles and purchasing options. The appointment happens via a WhatsApp video call and is completely personalised, built around the brief supplied on booking. So, whether it is viewing different ring stacks together or seeing the range of beautiful gemstones and talking about settings, the advisor will explore all options and suggest what might be suited to the individual and their style. This type of service is as close to seeing and experiencing a piece in real life as it gets. For this type of consultation, it helps to think through a wishlist in advance. For inspiration, Chupi’s social media channels and blog offer new curated content daily. We listen to our customers and base our digital content around in-demand pieces that reflect different lifestyles, price-points and occasions.

At Chupi, for anyone who cannot get to us in person, there is always the option to call, to email, DM us on Instagram or to speak to us on Live Chat, and we will answer anything needed, and do our utmost to find exactly what it is the customer is looking for.

General advice for selecting jewellery online would include the following, with the ultimate consideration being to ensure you deal with a reputable company or brand you can trust:

• Online and mobile app ring sizers help determine the size you need, based on measuring your finger or an existing ring worn on the finger in question. At Chupi we have a digital sizer online or can send one out, or even advise on making your own ring sizer at home.

• Different chain lengths suit different people, depending on height, body shape and build. So measure your favourite necklaces to select the length you feel will complement best.

• People tend to think that the higher the carat in gold, the more durable and more valuable the piece will be. 24 carat is the purest level of gold and of the highest value, but it is also the softest, so for everyday wear like an engagement ring, we choose 14 and 18 carat or Platinum as they are the perfect balance of durability and beauty. So, something for everyday wear, like an engagement ring, works best in 18 or 24 carat (pure gold).

• For anyone looking to buy an engagement ring, but unsure of the style, seek advice from an expert – in the past year the Chupi VIP care team have been a part of nearly 1,000 proposals, so they are experts at assisting customers in making the perfect ring choice. And the Chupi Tech Team have also developed an innovative online quiz to help find a perfect match.

• To replicate someone’s personal style when buying a gift, get your hands on some of their current pieces or photos of them wearing jewellery, to help with selection; especially when it comes to favourite metals and stone settings.

• A quick look at someone’s social media feed will tell if they prefer necklaces or bangles, stud earrings or drop, fine jewellery or something more substantial!

• There are traditional assumptions about the size of pieces being in proportion to the individual’s features, and matching metal tone, such as white gold, to a darker skin tone. At Chupi we reckon the only essential is to find a piece you love!

• With custom-made items, in particular, check whether they are returnable. If you’re buying a gift, it’s important to know the returns and exchange policy.

• Don’t be afraid to ensure you check the certification of diamonds, where applicable materials, including gemstones and metals, and make sure to look for hallmarks of metals and certificates of authenticity for precious stones. At Chupi we are proud to say that every piece we make is hallmarked in Ireland’s historic Dublin Castle.

• Never discount presentation and after-care service – when buying a piece of jewellery online or in person, every detail should matter from beginning to end. We receive as much feedback on our beautiful signature luxury packaging and VIP before and after care service as we do for our exquisite jewellery itself – buying a piece of jewellery should be joyous every step of the way, to the hand-tied grosgrain ribbon of our packaging, every single detail matters.

Laura Swanton is Head of Marketing at Chupi, offering a unique jewellery collection of award-winning pieces, designed and made sustainably in Dublin and dedicated to celebrating life’s precious moments.