‘Tis the season of giving and the time to begin searching for the perfect gift, whether you’re shopping for others or for yourself. As someone who has worked in the jewellery industry for 40 years, carrying on a 200-year legacy, Humbertown Jewellers owner Ferit Tecimer is exceedingly knowledgeable in the art of gifting. We spoke with Mr. Tecimer about how Humbertown Jewellers is handling the holiday season this year, and how to choose a timeless, meaningful gift.

With the start of the holiday season, do you have any insider tips for shoppers?

“Before anything, figure out your budget. Once we determine your budget, we work within it and help you find the right piece. Making your gift personal is very important. Know who you’re buying for and find something that will fit their style and personality. Do they have a classic or unique taste? Be attentive and listen extra carefully a few weeks before the holidays in case they drop clues as to what they might like to receive. If the person you’re buying for has a birthday around the holidays, I suggest buying a matching set, like a necklace and bracelet. You can give them one gift for one occasion and the accompanying piece for the other.”

Timepieces and jewellery are great milestone gifts. How do you guide customers to choose exactly what they’re looking for?

“It all depends on what they already have in their collection. Once we know what they have, we can add something different to enrich their existing collection. Many people enjoy celebrating big milestones with a classic Rolex, Patek Philippe or Cartier watch. We also have many clients who create custom jewellery to celebrate a special moment in their life. Traditionally, there are certain gifts given for milestones, like pearls for your 30th anniversary or rubies for your 40th. Then, of course, there’s a diamond ring for an engagement, but nowadays customers will also choose a piece just because they love it.”

What are key pieces you recommend for gifting this holiday season?

“Look for a timeless piece that can be passed down from generation to generation. In terms of jewellery, during the holidays we find a lot of clients want coloured stones like sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. Custom made jewellery such as cuff links or a necklace make an excellent gift for your significant other. For your daughter or son, one of the classic watches, such as a Rolex Datejust, is a great gift to help them start their collection.”

With more women treating themselves to jewellery, do you find there’s a shift in customers putting as much importance on gifting themselves as they do for special people in their life?

 “At the beginning of my career, it was often men who would come in and buy jewellery for their wives. Now, I find that there has been a shift in the industry. We have a lot of women come in who are shopping for themselves. Whether it is fine jewellery or a great watch, they know exactly what they are looking for.”

With this holiday season being exceptionally different this year, how have your client’s buying habits changed?

“We’re very lucky to have many wonderful clients that have become like family, so they are still shopping with us but in a very different way. For the first time in forty-one years, customers cannot come inside the store so instead, we are communicating by phone, video, and email. If someone is looking for a new watch or piece of jewellery, we send them pictures of options or take them virtually through our collections to find the perfect pieces. We then have the customers do curbside pick up (and send them off with a to-go cup of cappuccino if they like) to ensure we are following all Covid-19 safety rules.”

What is the best gift you’ve ever received or given?

“I’ve received so many special gifts from my family and my children over the years that it’s hard to pick just one. My favourite gifts are the ones that we select as a family. My wife and I were childhood sweethearts and she still has the first charm I gave her. When my children were young, they would help me select gifts for my wife, which everyone loved. She loves to give some of her older jewellery to the kids and have them remodelled to their taste to keep the sentiment but make it special to them. The first watch, a Cartier for my daughter and Rolex for my son, still hold special meaning to them and to us.”

View the gallery below for a look at Humbertown Jewellers Holiday selection, and visit HumbertownJewellers.com to start shopping.

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