14 Sea Gems specialises in sterling silver jewellery, fine enamel jewellery and gift collections designed in-house for the wholesale market. Here, Director Marcus Price tells us more about the company’s journey Market appeal When did you start up and why? Sea Gems was founded in 1962 in Cornwall by Tony Price and his wife June Price. Tony was one of the first commercial divers in Cornwall, and the business grew from the family’s close connection to the sea, the Cornish coastline, and Celtic heritage. Over time, Sea Gems developed its own jewellery and gift brands, focusing on original British design and products that reflected Cornwall’s unique character while giving retailers exclusive products that help them stand out in a competitive market. The company remains family-owned and is now in its third generation, with Marcus Price serving as owner and Creative Director. What prompted you to launch the business? We recognised a gap in the market for distinctive jewellery and gifts that were thoughtfully designed, with broad market appeal and supported by a reliable wholesale service. We wanted to create a business that focused on developing exclusive collections rather than simply following what everyone else was doing. What challenges have you overcome since the company’s launch? Like many businesses, we have faced a variety of challenges over the years, including changing consumer trends, global supply chain disruptions, Brexit, tariffs, and the economic uncertainty that has affected both retailers and consumers. However, these challenges have encouraged us to become more agile, strengthen our product development process and continually improve the service we offer our customers. Tell us about your product offering. Sea Gems specialises in sterling silver jewellery, fine enamel jewellery and gift collections designed in-house for the wholesale market. Our ranges feature coastal-inspired collections, nature, romance, and wildlife designs, Celtic, Rennie Mackintosh and heritage gifts. We focus on creating products that combine strong visual identity with excellent retail potential, helping our customers offer something unique to their shoppers. What are your most popular products? Contemporary and heritage silver jewellery collections continue to be among our best sellers, particularly pieces that combine timeless styling with meaningful themes. Coastal-inspired and nature-led designs along with fun whimsical pieces from the Silver Origins collections have proved consistently popular with retailers and consumers alike. Our unique and vivid Fine Enamel ranges created using classic handcrafted techniques are as popular as ever with the heritage and gifting market. The Celtic Lands and Mackintosh brands showcase the myriad of affordable jewellery and gift designs. Have any styles taken you by surprise with their popularity? Absolutely. Some niche collections have exceeded expectations, particularly designs inspired by coastal living, wildlife and motifs celebrating moments in life. We have designs that we created many years ago and remain some of our bestsellers today. Customers are increasingly looking for products that tell a story or create an emotional connection, and those collections have resonated strongly. How do you keep your designs fresh and current? Do you follow trends? Of course, we keep a close eye on market trends, consumer behaviour, and retail feedback, but we do not chase trends for the sake of it. Our in-house design team focus on creating collections that feel current while maintaining longevity and broad appeal. We regularly introduce new ranges and refresh existing collections to ensure our offering remains relevant and exciting. What sets you apart from your competitors? We have built a reputation for original design, inspired by our unique Cornish roots, providing exclusive collections combined with excellent personal customer service. We endeavour to offer something distinctive to retailers and pride ourselves on building
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