Simon and I founded Lillicoco in 2016 as a place for people to come and find extraordinary antique jewellery, making these wonderful treasures accessible and affordable for everybody. Having studied Fashion and Textile Design at University, I soon discovered a love of all things vintage and antique, and particularly loved the unique designs and rich history behind period jewellery.

I’ve been working in the jewellery industry for over 10 years and have been gradually building up my own personal collection of beautiful antique jewels, whilst working on my professional qualifications with the National Association of Jewellers (NAJ) and the Gemmological Institute of America (GIA) in my spare time.

Simon and I wanted to spend more time together, and with his background in business we thought it would be fun to start a new venture together, which is how Lillicoco came to be!

My team and I travel far and wide to find the very best vintage and antique jewels and bring them all together in one place for you. We hope you find something you adore!

With Love,

Stacey x

Authenticity and Transparency

Each and every piece of vintage and antique jewellery that comes through our doors is carefully checked over by our team of jewellery experts. We test the metals, gemstones, and integrity of each piece, making repairs where necessary, and gently cleaning and polishing every item. We inspect every jewel, using hallmarks and design details to accurately date the pieces. Every item sold comes with a guarantee of authenticity certificate, detailing its provenance.

Quality and Condition

Stacey and the Lillicoco team source beautiful antique and vintage jewellery from around the UK, with offerings for seasoned heirloom hunters and stylish magpies alike. Each piece is hand-selected for its quality and condition above all else. We examine and reject over a hundred pieces for every item that eventually makes into our collection. The one-of-a-kind jewels that we curate span a wide range of styles and eras, from museum-worthy 18th Century Georgian pieces to 20th Century vintage finds, and every era in between. Each jewel was once carefully crafted by master craftsmen using the finest materials and techniques available, and they’re ready for another lifetime of wear.

Exceptional Service

Lillicoco serves customers all around the world from headquarters in a beautiful Georgian square in Bristol, England. Customers and collectors are the heart of Lillicoco, and providing the highest possible level of service is fundamental to our ethos. Our wonderful dispatch team packs each and every order in a complimentary gift box, and worldwide express shipping is free of charge. We also offer a 14-day returns policy, as well as flexible layaway options if you would like to spread a purchase over a few months.

Lillicoco is built on an appreciation of the past and a determination to secure our future, with ethical consumption always in mind. Rejecting the mass-production model adopted by the high street jewellery industry may seem synonymous with exclusivity, but we pride ourselves on dissolving the barrier to luxury with a range of pieces at accessible price points, alongside a curated collection of extra special heirlooms.

Lillicoco is proud to be a member of the National Association of Jewellers (NAJ). The NAJ was formed in 2015 through the unification of the British Jewellers' Association (BJA) and National Association of Goldsmiths (NAG). The NAJ ensures that every member abides by their Code of Conduct - based on honesty, integrity and professionalism.

Have you always loved jewellery?

I've always gravitated towards jewellery, whether I knew it consciously or not. As a child I clung onto my mother's earrings, the mother-of-Pearl buttons on her cardigans, and her Native American-Indian talisman pendants. She was always keen to teach me about their symbolism and cultural meaning, which I found fascinating.

I also raided my grandmother's jewellery box like nobody's business! Although I'm sure she kept the good-stuff away from my grubby fingers until I was much older.

I've been drawn to shiny things for as long as I can remember, be it a shimmering spider's web, sequins, Gold, or a pretty shell. Infact, I once spent a whole summer holiday picking up tumbled sea-glass from a small beach in Cornwall until I had bags of it, (colour coordinated, no less) that I brought home and arranged around my room like some glitter-obsessed dragon (well, I am Welsh after all)!

With Lillicoco, I feel like I've found my purpose. Working with gems and jewellery, reducing the ill-effects of fast-fashion, and being focussed on beauty and educating future generations feel like such a fantastic honour, and I'm proud to be able to put my name to it.

 

  
What first inspired you to create your own antique jewellery brand?

My partner Simon and I had wanted to do something together for a while. Simon was helping businesses grow using technology solutions and I was working in a high street jewellery shop.

Like a lot of people in similar situations I enjoyed the work, but didn't enjoy being away from loved ones every weekend and across the Holidays.

I had a lot of experience in the jewellery industry from luxury retail to insurance, so one New Year's Eve after a few glasses of bubbles, we were inspired and thought "there must be a better way?!"

Before we knew it we had set up a website, bought our first pieces and started sharing our journey on social media.
 

Talk us through the buying process, do you have any favourite spots or tricks of the trade?

The most important thing with the buying process is knowing what you’re looking at! A lot of people buy (and sometimes also sell) antique and vintage jewellery without knowing much about it, and inadvertently make mistakes. There are a lot of pitfalls to avoid relating to condition, authenticity and quality.

My top tip would be to educate yourself before attempting to buy antique jewellery privately. Always shop with people or businesses that you trust, and who will let you return an item if it turns out that something isn’t quite right.

Stick to sellers with an excellent reputation for quality and customer service, and you should be fine!

 

Lillicoco has gone from strength to strength, have you seen a growing demand for preloved pieces over the last decade?

I think there is a growing demand for sustainable shopping, and antique and vintage jewellery very much falls into this category. People want to enjoy beautiful things without harming the environment.

It is so important to us that as Lillicoco grows, it does so in a way that is conscientious and ethical. We know that our customers care about this as much as we do, so we feel like we have a responsibility and a duty to do things the right way.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to learn more about the incredible world of antique jewels?

The world of jewellery is vast and enticing, and there are lots of amazing resources at your fingertips. But it can feel a little overwhelming at first! For this reason, we made the "Lillicoco University" for people starting out their jewellery journeys. This is a really helpful resource for those wanting to learn more as a possible future career option, or for those of you who just love jewellery and want to buy it safely and learn how to look after it.

The Lillicoco University provides some essential guides for beginners, such as what you should know about precious metals, how to look after your gemstones without risking damage, or what defines different eras of jewellery history.

If you're a little more advanced in your knowledge, the GIA (US) and Gem-A (UK) are amazing places to learn. They provide a vast range of courses, both theory-based and practical, that you will find invaluable!

If you're buying any jewellery you must educate yourself on some basic hallmarking information, and buy yourself a proper hallmarks book. A pocket sized one is ideal for travelling (you'll be surprised how many places both UK and abroad that have no signal or wi-fi for you to check the internet when you're at an antiques show, fair, or market. Trust me)!

If you're thinking of going into business, start small. Focus on things you really find interesting, you don't have to do what everyone else is doing.

If you think Moonstones are super cool, focus on those! If you love Art Nouveau, Holbeinesque jewellery, Gold coins or vintage charms, then that could be your niche. Stick with the things that bring you genuine joy and you won't go far wrong.