On the 24th February 2024, I treated my mother to an early mother’s day gift. After a long and rocky relationship, this personalised Mother’s Day gift brought us closer than we had been in 15 years.

I was delighted that I did not have to sell a kidney to indulge in a little treat with my mom. In fact, it was far more affordable than most of the luxury jewellery brands that you might think to go to.

To be honest, I would rather shop somewhere less well known. Living somewhere as fashion-focused as London, I feel so basic buying a bracelet that I’m going to see every girl and their dog wearing [I see you van cleef!!].

This is a real hidden Gem guys. It is the perfect Mother’s day gift, and I guarantee your mother will never even have heard of it!

So what made the day so special?

I push the gold doorbell. My mother and I open the buzzing door. We ascend the staircase. Call me dramatic, but by this point I felt like I was in a movie, and we hadn’t even got into the showroom! With a smile, another door is opened for us, and we are ushered inside. For my fellow Pinterest or Instagram girls, I can only describe it as heaven! I have to give it to whoever designed the showroom- they have serious taste! Persian rugs, inviting sofas, fabulous décor, could it get any better? The answer is yes. One word. Champagne.

Upon entry our jackets were taken and we were handed delicate flutes of bubbly, and offered slices of decadent cake. I knew immediately that this was an experience my mother and I would never forget, so we had to live in the moment and celebrate it.

The designer introduced the history, ethos, and foundations of the brand. Whatever the topic, I always find someone talking about their passions to be fascinating. Luckily for us all, my mother and I can talk jewellery and fashion all day! So, the conversation was flowing almost as much as the champagne!

I couldn’t possibly pick favourites, but I have to give a special mention to one of the pieces that caught me and my mother’s eye. I can’t imagine how a girl could see 354 round diamonds and not get excited- that’s almost one for every day of the year! Not only that, but the ‘architectural baguette diamond ring’ also had 114 baguette diamonds and options for white, yellow, or rose gold. My mother tends to wear rose gold coloured jewellery and I look better in gold, so I was delighted that I got to try the ring on too.

The experience felt totally personal, and our every need was catered to. What makes this brand so special as far as I’m concerned is how easy it is to meet the designer in person. I got to pick their brains on their “artistic intention” (honestly, it all sounded so clever and creative I wish I could think like that) and enquire about specific products- including how best to style them for different occasions. She knew it all!

I found myself captivated by every piece and every story behind its inspiration. The history, the craftmanship, the designer’s influences. extraordinary. I’m convinced these designers are magical. Like, everything they touch turns to gold…. or maybe that was the champagne!

I could see my mother getting excited as the designer urged her to try on different pieces. I was completely entranced by the reflections of the diamonds dancing in her eyes. there are very few moments in life when you get to see your mom with the joy of a little girl. I am so glad to say that this was one of them.

Here's the kicker:

This is an exclusive brand. The designer explained that most of their jewellery cannot be found online and must be purchased in one of their showrooms.

I know this is difficult for some of my friends who live further afield, however if you check their website, they have various different options on where you can go to find yourself some jewellery.

My mother is hard to please, she turns her nose up at everything and never seems to have a kind word to say, but for the first time maybe ever, she accepted my advice! Having the time to really indulge in looking through jewellery was such a treat.

She eventually decided on the “rising flower” ring in 18k white gold with baguette and pear-shaped diamonds. Both this and the previously mentioned ring cost £10,000 so we were stuck deciding between them until the designers explained how this ring was inspired by the evergreen magnolia grandiflora ‘alta’ (a term which I admittedly had to google). This happened to be my mom’s favourite flower and the traditional flower given to celebrate Mother’s Day (another fact from the designers that I had to look up!).

To share this with my mother was honestly magical. laughter, sharing the joy, we found ourselves falling in love and unable to tear our gaze from that piece that feels destined to be yours. I’ve never been one to believe in love at first sight. I stand by the fact that it is not something to be found in men. But jewellery is a completely different story. Marilyn said it best- diamonds are a girl’s best friend!

So, a gift for Mother’s Day. A symbol of love passed down. The symphony of luxury playing in your ears. Your mother’s favourite piece is packaged in front of you and placed into a white bag. Now it's yours! It is ready for you to take home right away.

Setting is important. Surrounded by glittering displays, amid the attentive Guidance of the designer, my mother and I finally found the time and emotional energy to share stories of our pasts, and even our regrets. This transcended beyond just a shopping trip, it was a shared adventure. It was a mutual exploration of tastes, preferences, memories. WHEN MY MOTHER EXPRESSED HER ADMIRATION FOR A PARTICULAR NECKLACE, IT WASN'T JUST ABOUT THE PIECE'S BEAUTY. IT WAS A GLIMPSE INTO HER PERSONAL STYLE, HER DREAMS, AND THE YOUTHFUL SPIRIT SHE STILL HARBOURED.

At last, we were in a stress free environment. We were able to forget about our family responsibilities and just reconnect as two women, treating ourselves to something we really do deserve.

It's the same reason People appreciate handwritten cards for their birthdays. 

They recognise the time and effort that someone has to put in. Although it can be as simple as going to a store and picking a card out, the thought behind the message in the card shows the person that you care. Something a little bit more than just an Amazon box delivered to their house. This experience was the same. By gifting my mother something different, we spent time together and bonded.

I have found a new value in mothers day. Yeah, sure it’s a materialistic nonsense holiday. Whatever.

In reality, we need to stop making excuses to fall short in thanking the people who have taken care of us. We need to put a little effort in so that they get the love and affection they deserve. This was not a high effort activity! But by putting in a little bit of thought and doing something unusual, I made my mother feel appreciated and loved.

Being able to spend time with their children in this busy world is what a mother cherishes.

The experience was a real reminder that the most precious gifts we can offer are our time and our presence. This Mother's Day gift was not just about the luxury or the beauty of the jewellery. IT WAS ABOUT GIVING MY MOTHER AN EXPERIENCE WHERE SHE FELT SEEN, VALUED, AND LOVED. AND IN RETURN, I RECEIVED THE GIFT OF HER HAPPINESS, HER STORIES, AND HER CLOSER PRESENCE IN MY LIFE.

Here’s the deal:

This experience is something usually only offered to their private clients. But if you message them yourself on Instagram like I did then there’s a good chance that they will book you in.

I heard about MY FRIEND RAVE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE AT TESS VAN GHERT, and I KNEW I HAD TO CHECK IT OUT. A MESSAGE ON INSTAGRAM, AND BOOM, I WAS CONNECTED. WITHIN 10 MINUTES, THE FRIENDLY STAFF WERE ALREADY WORKING THEIR MAGIC. THEY worked around my availability, EVEN ASKING ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY NEEDS AND ALLERGIES TO ENSURE A SMOOTH AND COMFORTABLE VISIT FOR BOTH ME AND MOM. NO WAITING IN LINE, JUST A DIRECT ADDRESS SENT MY WAY.

I HAVE ATTACHED THE EXACT STEPS I TOOK TO GET A PRIVATE VIEWING AND EXPERIENCE IN THEIR SHOWROOM BELOW:

One of the most exciting outcomes for me was building a meaningful connection with the designer and the brand. I loved their passion for crafting jewellery and their stories behind each piece were contagious to listen to. They genuinely shared their expertise with me!

ONE THING I DIDN'T MENTION EARLIER... I may have gone a little overboard with the mulled wine and baked brie at Christmas. Hey, It happens to the best of us! So, a ring I bought from a completely different brand did not fit as comfortably ANYMORE. GUESS WHAT? THEY RESIZED IT FOR FREE, NO QUESTIONS ASKED! IT A wasn't TRANSACTION; IT WAS A GENUINE DESIRE TO MAKE ME HAPPY. 

LUXURY ISN'T JUST ABOUT THE PRICE TAG, IT'S ABOUT THE Complete experience. AFTER MY VISIT, I WASN'T JUST OFFERED A 2-YEAR WARRANTY AND FREE JEWELLERY CLEANING (ALTHOUGH THOSE WERE NICE PERKS!), BUT ALSO INVITATIONS TO EXCLUSIVE BRAND EVENTS IN STUNNING LOCATIONS. THESE GATHERINGS WEREN'T JUST ABOUT HOBNOBBING, THEY CONNECTED ME WITH A NETWORK OF INSPIRING ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS, EXPANDING MY HORIZONS BEYOND THE INITIAL GIFT.

They went above and beyond all of my expectations to create the best Mother's Day gift. This experience really makes me question what the other brands are doing.