Job Title:Specialist, Jewellery

Responsible for:None

Purpose of job: Alongside other members of the team, help to consign, value and catalogue jewellery for auction

Main contacts:                

Internal: Managing and Executive Directors, other specialist departments (primarily Watches, Fashion, and Interiors, Homes and Antiques), client liaison and other business functions especially marketing and photography

External: private clients, collectors, dealers, other jewellery houses, other auction houses

Contract type: Permanent

Hours:  Full-time

Location: Based at Chiswick Barley Mow HQ but with frequent visits to Chiswick Roslin Square


The department specialises in Western jewellery of the last three hundred years. Sales normally comprise pieces from the Victorian, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, post-war and contemporary periods, and feature works from famous jewellers and jewellery houses.

Our auctions focus on ‘middle market’ jewellery with lot values in the region of £500 to £10,000 with notable exceptions. In 2019, a 10.51 carat natural Burmese ruby and diamond cluster ring made £462,500, setting a new house record. In addition, the department contributes to the monthly Interiors, Homes and Antiques sale, across all jewellery categories and usually in the £100 - £500 range, again with exceptions.

We current hold four specialist jewellery sales per year, alongside a significant contribution to Interiors, Homes and Antiques monthly sale.

Context

Chiswick Auctions is a privately owned, well-established London auction house which is fast becoming a major player in the international art market. With 20 specialist departments, regular dedicated and themed sales are held across a breadth of specialisms. In addition, monthly Interiors, Homes and Antiques sales contribute to a busy calendar of 80 auctions per year.

The main headquarters is based in the Barley Mow Centre off Chiswick High Road, with Interiors, Homes and Antiques housed in nearby Roslin Square. Chiswick Auctions employs around 60 staff.

 

Areas of Responsibility

Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

 

Consignments, valuations, cataloguing, pre and post-sale responsibilities

  • Work with the Head of Jewellery on the consignment of jewellery to sales
  • Respond to incoming walk-ins, written, phone and email enquiries to determine sale potential
  • Provide probate and insurance valuations as required
  • Work to determine provenance, authenticity, value, condition, and marketability of pieces
  • Help to catalogue the sale, following the cataloguing guidelines laid down by the Head of Dept
  • Alongside the Head of Dept, work with the photography team on photographing the sale for the online catalogue
  • Be involved in the set-up of the sale preview, and help staff the preview, which will involve working on Saturdays
  • Provide condition reports as required
  • As required, work with the marketing team, contributing content for digital marketing, social media, press and PR
  • Work with others on achieving a successful sale day, and post-sale admin
  • Participate in the full after-sales analysis, and implement any agreed changes

 

General

  • Ensure compliance with all internal policies and procedures and any relevant external bodies or processes
  • Participate in organisation-wide meetings, activities and processes, and develop internal contacts, networks and interactions as appropriate
  • Actively participate in events, valuation days, and other functions to represent Chiswick Auctions
  • Carry out other duties as required by the Managing and Executive Directors

Person Specification

Essential qualifications skills and experience

  • Proven knowledge in the field as evidenced by an FGA, DGA or GG qualification, or an equivalent gemmological qualification
  • Experience in the field, preferably at an auction house, within the trade or at another relevant institution e.g., jewellery house or own business
  • Excellent writing skills in English, and ability to combine an understanding of the material with a commercial sense of marketing and promoting value
  • Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills, including first class spoken English
  • Ability to work to tight auction deadlines, balancing photography, cataloguing, sale organisation, marketing and promotional details
  • Experience working on projects of all sizes, long- and short-term; demonstrated ability to prioritise a variety of concurrent projects
  • Excellent knowledge of the Microsoft 365 Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Outlook etc)
  • Excellent IT proficiency, implying an ability to learn Chiswick Auctions’ systems
  • Superior customer service skills
  • Strong follow-up skills with attention to detail
  • Ability to thrive within a fast-paced team environment

 

Desirable knowledge, skills and experience

  • An additional qualification in a relevant subject e.g., first or second degree in Jewellery, Jewellery Design, Gemmology etc.
  • Some fluency in a foreign language

 

Please send your CV & Cover letter directly to Nick Greenwood nick.greenwood@chiswickauctions.co.uk