JEWELLERY & WATCH PHOTOGRAPHY IN LONDON

The same piece of jewellery can be photographed in several different ways, so the price depends on the type of image required, the number of pieces, the lighting complexity and the level of retouching involved.

A clean e-commerce packshot is not priced in the same way as a creative still life image, a model shoot, a campaign image or a highly detailed watch photograph. The main differences usually come from:

• time spent positioning the piece
• time spent lighting reflective metals, gemstones, diamonds or glass
• technical expertise required
• level of retouching and colour correction
• equipment used, from professional DSLR systems to Phase One medium format where extra clarity is useful
• condition of the piece, including scratches, dust, engraving, surface marks or other details that may require additional retouching

For simple e-commerce images or larger batches, we can often create an efficient price per image. For more complex jewellery, watches, campaigns or video, we quote according to the time and detail required.

Yes. Kalory Photo & Video was founded in 2011 by Franck Jehanne and Brijesh Patel. Before starting the studio, Franck worked for Cartier and Baume & Mercier for 10 years, giving the studio first-hand experience of the luxury watch and jewellery world.

We have since photographed jewellery, watches and luxury pieces for established houses, retailers, independent brands and emerging designers.

Our studio is based in London, in SW2 Brixton. We are on the Victoria line, a few Tube stops from Green Park, with straightforward access from Bond Street, Mayfair and Hatton Garden.

Clients can courier pieces to us, arrange a drop-off, attend shoots, and use limited on-site parking.

Yes. We regularly photograph single pieces, small collections and new product drops for emerging designers, independent jewellery brands and established clients.

If you only have one image, two pieces or a small group of jewellery items to capture, this is not a problem. Contact us with your item count, preferred style and deadline, and we will advise on the most practical way to arrange the shoot.

Yes. Alongside established houses and retailers, we work with emerging designers, independent jewellery brands and smaller collections.

For a new brand, the priority is often to create clear, consistent images that make the pieces feel trustworthy online. We can advise whether you need simple packshots, a small creative still life set, model imagery, short-form video or a combination of assets.

Yes. Clients can attend jewellery and watch photography shoots at our London studio when they want to be involved in creative direction, styling decisions, product positioning or live approvals.

For creative shoots, we can also liaise by WhatsApp during the shoot if you cannot attend in person, sharing quick previews or decisions where useful.

Yes. We can shoot jewellery and watches on location, including setting up a mobile studio when the project requires it.

We have photographed watches and jewellery in boardrooms on Bond Street, in retail spaces, and have even set up a packshot studio inside Harrods. This can be useful when pieces cannot easily leave the premises, when approvals need to happen on site, or when a brand needs controlled studio-quality imagery away from our Brixton studio.

We offer different levels of jewellery and watch photography depending on the intended use of the images. Some clients need clean packshots for websites or wholesale platforms, while others need creative still life, model photography, campaign imagery, short-form video, press assets, catalogue images or point-of-sale visuals.

We adapt the lighting, styling, equipment and retouching to the project. This allows us to support both efficient product photography and more detailed visual work for diamonds, gemstones, gold, precious metals, timepieces, rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and wider jewellery collections.

The best way to photograph jewellery is to control the light, reflections, focus and retouching very carefully. Jewellery is small, shiny and detailed, so even minor issues with glare, dust, focus or colour can change the way the piece is perceived.

A professional jewellery photography setup usually includes controlled studio lighting, macro lenses, careful positioning and detailed retouching. For some pieces, focus stacking or higher-resolution capture can also help show stone faceting, engraving and fine craftsmanship more clearly.

You can, especially for quick behind-the-scenes content or informal social posts. However, watches are among the hardest products to photograph well because they combine polished metal, glass, curved surfaces, dials, crowns, straps and tiny details.

For website images, campaign visuals, press assets or advertising, a professional watch photographer will usually achieve a cleaner, more controlled and more premium result, especially when reflections, sharpness and dial clarity matter.

Jewellery photos often look dull or blurry when the lighting is too flat, the focus is not precise, or the reflections are not controlled. Because jewellery is small and reflective, small technical issues become very visible.

Good jewellery photography should show the shape, colour, sparkle and detail of the piece without making it look artificial. Controlled lighting, macro photography and careful retouching are usually needed to achieve this.

Watches reflect almost everything around them: the camera, the photographer, the ceiling, the studio and nearby objects. Sapphire glass, polished cases, bezels and metal bracelets can all create distracting reflections if the setup is not controlled.

A professional watch photography setup uses controlled lighting, careful angles and reflection management to show the dial, case, crown, strap, glass and finishing clearly without losing the natural character of the watch.

Jewellery retouching usually involves cleaning dust, minor surface marks, small scratches, colour inconsistencies and distracting reflections while keeping the product truthful.

The aim is not to change the jewellery, but to present it clearly. Stones should retain their colour and facets, metals should keep their natural tone, and engraving or fine details should remain believable.

Jewellery packshots are clean, consistent product images designed to show the item clearly, usually on a white, plain or simple background. They are useful for websites, e-commerce, wholesale platforms, catalogues and product listings.

Lifestyle jewellery photos show the piece being worn, styled or placed in a more creative setting. They are useful for campaigns, lookbooks, advertising, social media, press kits and brand storytelling. Jewellery brands usually need both.

Yes. Model jewellery photography and watch photography are useful when you need to show scale, wearability, styling and how the piece sits on the body.

Model imagery works particularly well for earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets and watches, especially when the final images are intended for campaigns, lookbooks, social media, advertising, press kits or product pages that need more context than a simple packshot.

Look for a team with experience in small, shiny and highly detailed objects. Jewellery photography requires more than a good camera; it needs controlled lighting, macro technique, reflection management and precise retouching.

At Kalory Photo & Video, jewellery work is handled by a specialist photographer and supported by specialist retouching. This is important because the final image depends on both the way the piece is photographed and the way metal, stones, colour, reflections and tiny details are refined afterwards.

A strong jewellery photography team should be able to show clean packshots, creative still life, model imagery and examples where metals, gemstones and diamonds are photographed clearly without harsh glare or distracting reflections.

A good watch photographer should understand reflections, glass, dials, crowns, bezels, straps, case finishing and macro detail. Watches are technically demanding because every surface reacts differently to light.

Review the photographer’s portfolio carefully. The dial should be clear, the metal should look controlled, the glass should not be distracting, and the image should feel precise without looking overly processed.

A good jewellery photo shows the true colour, shape, sparkle and craftsmanship of the piece. Gemstones and diamonds should show clean facets and light, while metals should have a controlled shine without harsh reflections or muddy shadows.

Clarity is essential. Dust, smudges, poor focus or uneven lighting can make even a beautiful piece look less valuable online.