BLACK FRIDAY? No thanks.

Every November it's the same thing: black banners, urgent discounts and that message of "if you don't buy today, you're missing out on everything".

Soleilu isn't about that. I work alone in my workshop, piece by piece, with solid silver and stones that I choose one by one. Many of the jewels you see on the website exist only once. There's no factory behind it or a warehouse full of boxes waiting to be emptied in 24 hours. That's why this year I've decided not to do Black Friday.

Craftsmanship and 50% discounts don't speak the same language

A major brand can offer a 40% or 50% discount without significantly impacting its profit: they produce thousands of identical units, have very low costs per piece, and margins designed to allow them to "play" with prices several times a year. In the world of handicrafts, things don't work the same way.

Behind every piece of jewelry lie hours of design, trial and error, casting, sanding, polishing, and adjusting until it fits perfectly. The price isn't an inflated number to be discounted later: it's the sum of materials, time, experience, and a living wage. Offering a huge discount one day a year doesn't just eat into "a little profit margin": it often eats into the artisan's entire salary.

I don't want you to panic buy.

Black Friday feeds on the fear of being left with nothing.

Soleilu wants just the opposite: for you to choose calmly, to mentally try on the piece, to imagine it in your daily life and to buy it because you are excited about it, not because a watch is screaming at you that time is running out.

Yes, here too some items sell out quickly. Some even sell out before they even reach the website.

But I don't need a black banner to create urgency: the reality of the limited units and the meticulous work behind each jewel creates it.

What we do instead of Black Friday

Instead of aggressive discounts, I prefer to take care of the people who are truly close to the brand. This is what we do:

• Drops: I release the pieces in small batches, so I can take care of them and present them well.
•  Unique pieces: many jewels only exist in one size, one stone, one shape. 
• Early access via newsletter: subscribers receive early notifications of new drops, unique pieces, and items that are "almost sold out." Some pieces are sold through this newsletter and sometimes never reach the public website.

No blame to be taken: neither by you, nor by other artisans.

 

I'm not against taking advantage of a discount if you need something and you happen to find it cheaper. It's not about judging anyone for buying something or for running a promotion. Nor am I judging my fellow artisans who do have Black Friday sales or special offers.

 Each workshop knows its numbers, its reality, and what it needs to keep going. Sometimes a campaign like this can be just what helps them make it through the month.

Simply put, at Soleilu I have chosen not to enter the -40% and -50% price war of the big industries.

Small gestures, yes... Crazy sales, no.

That doesn't mean you'll never see a little something here: I might offer a small thank-you discount at some point, something special for returning customers, for those who fall in love with the brand from the start, or to celebrate something specific.

The difference is that these gestures will be specific, thoughtful and honest, not a constant strategy of inflating prices only to cut them one day a year.

Soleilu is small, human-like, and handmade.
If any of this resonates with you, you're in the right place, Black Friday or no Black Friday. And if you want to stay up-to-date on upcoming drops, one-off pieces, private launches, and all those little details when they happen, you can subscribe to the newsletter on the website. That's where I share things first.