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Partridge Jewellers: Digital transformation and Hyvä redesign
The story so far
Founded in 1864, Partridge Jewellers is New Zealand’s oldest jeweller, renowned throughout Australasia for its rich heritage and luxury offerings. As the brand prepares to celebrate its 160th anniversary in 2024, it remains family-owned and is recognised for an exquisite collection of jewellery and high-end watches, including Rolex and Patek Philippe. In the last five years, Partridge has experienced remarkable growth, driven largely by the increasing global demand for luxury timepieces. This surge has enabled them to evolve from a local family jeweller into an emerging international brand. To capitalise on this momentum and expand into global markets, Partridge approached us to lead their digital transformation and enhance their eCommerce presence.
Given our extensive experience in the luxury retail sector, particularly with high-end jewellery brands, we were thrilled to collaborate with Partridge. Like many of the heritage brands we’ve worked with, Partridge combines a rich history with a strong identity, and they sought to modernise their digital presence without compromising their values or exclusive brand image. Our goal was to craft a digital strategy that reflected the elegance of their in-store experience while positioning the brand for global growth.
The challenge
While Partridge Jewellers has a well-established presence with seven stores across New Zealand, the shift towards ecommerce presented new challenges. Their existing website, built on Magento 2.4.3p3, was outdated and reaching the end of its lifespan. It lacked the functionality and visual appeal needed to attract younger, high-spending customers. The design also did not adequately reflect the luxury and exclusivity of their brand, limiting engagement with a broader, affluent audience. Their core customer base, primarily aged 40-60, needed to expand to include younger, high-net-worth individuals. In addition, Partridge faced stringent brand guidelines from Rolex, requiring careful handling of their online product pages.
Partridge had been online for a few years, but ecommerce had not been a priority until now. The rise in demand for luxury watches, especially Rolex and Patek Philippe, had spurred growth, but Partridge realised their website was falling behind global competitors. To fully capitalise on their unique offerings and expand into international markets, they needed a comprehensive digital overhaul. We were brought in to bridge this gap by creating a platform that would attract a broader demographic and support global expansion.
The challenge also included navigating complex international regulations and ensuring that while Partridge could sell products like luxury watches exclusively within New Zealand, other jewellery could be marketed and sold worldwide. Balancing these requirements while delivering a seamless, luxury experience online was key to the success of this project.
Unified approach
Given the complexity of Partridge’s needs, we developed a comprehensive strategy focusing on platform upgrades, design improvements, and the integration of the Hyvä theme for Magento, specifically tailored to elevate their digital presence.
Hyvä Implementation: We began by auditing their existing Magento platform to identify technical debt and other limitations. The shift to Hyvä allowed us to modernise the site, improving speed, scalability, and user experience. This transition enabled Partridge to maintain a secure, scalable foundation while offering faster load times and a cleaner, more user-friendly interface.
Hyvä Redesign: With Partridge’s 160th anniversary approaching, we focused on delivering a fresh, modern design that reflected the brand’s luxurious in-store experience. Our full Hyvä frontend build enhanced site performance, creating a visually stunning and immersive shopping experience. This redesign was crucial in attracting younger, affluent customers while retaining the loyalty of Partridge’s established clientele.
SEO & International Growth: We also implemented a robust SEO strategy, positioning Partridge to grow internationally. Given the rarity and high value of their jewellery and watches, we saw an opportunity to expand their global presence by making these exclusive products more discoverable to international buyers. With the redesigned site and optimised SEO, Partridge is now positioned to tap into new markets and broaden their reach.
Compliance with Rolex Standards: Rolex’s strict online representation guidelines required a careful approach. We retained the Magento Luma framework for Rolex product pages to ensure compliance, while adopting Hyvä for the rest of the site. This hybrid model allowed us to enhance the site’s overall performance without compromising Partridge’s key partnerships.
The Solution
Our work for Partridge Jewellers delivered a multifaceted solution that positioned the brand for sustainable, long-term growth.
Magento 2.x Upgrade & Hyvä Integration: We upgraded Partridge’s platform from Magento 2.4.3p3 to the latest version, ensuring scalability, security, and performance. The integration of Hyvä significantly improved site speed and user experience, aligning with Partridge’s luxury identity. We carefully scoped the project to focus on essential improvements, excluding tasks like Zendesk integration and content migration to stay within budget and timelines.
Performance and UX Enhancements: Hyvä’s lightweight framework allowed for substantial improvements in performance. Faster load times and a more responsive interface were essential to engaging Partridge’s target demographic, especially younger, high-net-worth customers. The redesigned website created an immersive shopping experience that appealed to both new and existing customers.
Shop the image: This feature was added to lifestyle visuals on the site to create a more immersive and user-friendly shopping experience for customers browsing the ecommerce site
Appointment booking system: We implemetned a new, simplified, appointment booking system that enabled customers to effectively book suitable times and dates to speak to a sales consultant.
Global Expansion Readiness: With internationalisation in mind, we built the site to support Partridge’s global ambitions. While certain luxury watches can only be sold within New Zealand, other jewellery lines can be marketed worldwide. We ensured that the site met the necessary regulations, enabling Partridge to reach new markets and expand their international footprint.
Flexible Scope: We managed the project scope flexibly, focusing on core enhancements such as Hyvä integration and SEO while excluding non-essential tasks to keep the project on time and within budget. This approach allowed us to deliver maximum value without compromising quality.
"Awaiting quote from Brianna"
Richard Voyce - Director of Technology - The Conran Shop
Conclusion & Results
The digital transformation of Partridge Jewellers has set a new standard for luxury ecommerce in the jewellery sector. By implementing a full Hyvä redesign and modernising their Magento platform, we delivered a high-performing, visually stunning website that seamlessly blends the brand's heritage with cutting-edge technology. The new platform achieved remarkable improvements in speed, scalability, and user experience, providing an immersive and elegant online shopping journey for both existing and younger, affluent customers. Enhanced SEO strategies and international readiness have positioned Partridge to expand its global footprint while maintaining compliance with stringent brand standards, such as those required by Rolex. Key innovations, including the “shop the image” feature and a streamlined appointment booking system, have further elevated customer engagement and convenience. Overall, this project equips Partridge Jewellers to celebrate their 160th anniversary as a thriving, globally competitive luxury brand, perfectly balancing tradition with digital sophistication.
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