10 - 13 November 2025
10 - 13 November 2025
Q&A with Clare Cotton, the founder of jewellery brand, Cotton & Gems
1. Which is one of your bestsellers and why do you think that is?
There are a few. Huggies have always been great sellers for us and we do so many of them now…The Josephine ring has been great for us this year. It is a chunky modern cocktail ring ( everyone thinks its real !) and our smiley Face Necklace is always a winner. This is the last Christmas we are going to be doing it though 🙁
3. What makes your brand special, why should people buy it?
Cotton & Gems is a one stop jewellery shop offering jewellery form our own unique collection as well as a platform for some of the best jewellery designers in the country with a commitment to bring sophisticated, stylish jewellery to any wardrobe to be worn at any occasion. You can buy a pair of earrings for £25 or a Bespoke Diamond piece for ££££. Something for everyone!
4. Why and how did the brand begin?
I have had a passion for jewellery all my life and have grown up in a family where jewellery has been a fundamental part of our lives. My father was a jeweller and my hero so i naturally followed in his footsteps. Cotton & Gems was born after i had spent many years in the fine jewellery business ( both retail, export and manufacturing ) I wanted to make jewellery accessable for everyone and this idea grew to the business i have now
5. How does your team spend this Christmas?
Mainly sleeping after the Christmas fair season !
6. Do you have any Christmas Day Traditions?
Apart from waking up ridiculously early to open stockings, it seems to change every year depending on where we are. Last year Christmas morning was in Mexico so it was spent on the beach. This year it is at home with lots of family
7. What’s the best part of a roast?
The people who are with me with out fail…And a glass of red!
8. What’s your favourite way to spend a Sunday?
A long dog walk in the morning, stopping off to get the Sunday papers on the way home (often not opened for a few days) having a kitchen full of friends and family for Sunday lunch with a glass or two of something delicious and then settling down in front of the fire for a movie….heaven!
9. What’s your favourite or funniest memory from Christmas?
Its funny now but certainly wasn’t at the time….We had 14 for Christmas Lunch and i had cooked the turkey which was resting…I joined our guest to have a Christmas drink when i heard an almightly bang in the kitchen….I ran in to find our particularly naughty labrador puppy with the turkey in his mouth running to the garden…. a disaster ….thank god for wine that Christmas !