diamond essentials

Last May, when we asked retailers what diamond jewelry was selling well, most said diamond fashion jewelry, from inside-out hoops to circle pendants.

diamond essentials
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Last May, when we asked retailers what diamond jewelry was selling well, most said diamond fashion jewelry, from inside-out hoops to circle pendants. This year, the trend is moving back to basics, from stud earrings to bridal and anniversary rings.
Classic diamond designs that make brilliant gifts and engagement rings are particularly important since they offer year-round sales potential. Just because a style is basic, even boring, doesn't mean that craftsmanship doesn't matter. Jewelers report spending more time on the nitty-gritty details of quality construction, making sure that they are choosing classic styles that will wear well. This expertise and extra effort helps build relationships that last for generations.
back to basics
"Diamond stud earrings are our best sellers. They are a basic component in any collection. They can be worn all the time, dressy or casual. Parents buy them for graduates or 16th birthdays and they're gifts recipients will keep all their lives. They can start at a certain diamond size and then grow the size as the years go along. They're also a safe choice for guys coming in to buy a gift. There are so many options, such as jackets that change the look, with diamonds, or made from yellow or white gold. We sell Tacori, Simon G., S.A. Gems, and Hearts On Fire. Everything has to be at the top end of its price point in terms of quality. Trends include multi-diamond pieces, micro-pavé, antique looks, and pendant crosses in diamonds."
— Carol Brady, Exclusively Diamonds, Mankato, Minnesota
brilliant anniversaries
"We're selling a lot of anniversary bands. We're already strong in bridal, in fact we've got a three-day bridal event that's going on right now, so this is the time of year when people look at anniversary jewelry with an eye to enhancing their old bridal sets. I love rose gold and rose cut diamonds, but we're not selling a lot of it. Our customers still prefer white. Sometimes their desires are like an oxymoron. They'll ask for something traditional and say with the same breath that they want something different or unconventional. Our best sellers are Gabrielle, Hearts On Fire, and Simon G. We don't discriminate in terms of diamond jewelry sources."
— Brian Toone, Jewelry Design Center, Spokane, Washington
staple sets
"Wedding sets are our staple. We buy three different lines from Nelson. I've known their rep for 25 years. When they came out with the Calla cut and Bridal Magic lines, we started selling them immediately. Nelson does a good job with co-op ads, and people will see ads in Cosmopolitan or Glamour and come to us. Others try to sell big diamonds for cheap—we do the opposite and offer smaller diamonds that are top quality. We follow up by offering the chance to trade up as they go along. Buy an 80 point diamond, come back in a year or two and trade up to a 1 carat stone. The transaction creates a lifelong customer and we get to resell that nice 80 point stone."
— Charles Hood, C.B. Hood Diamonds, Santa Maria, California
diamonds that perform
"I'd rank our top diamond jewelry sellers as bridal sets, then earrings, and then body jewelry, such as pendants. Among suppliers, Hearts On Fire has been the number one performer for us. We started working with them about five years ago and won a sales award from them as one of their top dealers. We've also done well with the Isee2 ideal cut."
— Robert Marks, Rogers Jewelry Company, Modesto, California
bridal is king
"Bridal is king. We're located at probably the best location in town, a major intersection where 45,000 cars pass each day. We have an electronic sign board near the traffic signals where we can do images, post price points and offer services like free jewelry cleaning. White gold and micro prongs are very hot. We do a little bit of micro-pavé, selling add-on bands. We also do well with split shanks, which is sometimes a surprise considering that customers usually don't know about them. We are carrying a brand new line from Fine Jewellery that features a series of champagne and white diamond mixtures for right-hand and self-gifting rings. They have a great look and price point that strike the right notes. Their 'Mystere' items are also good sellers."
— Mark Miller, Diamond Center at Windsor Plaza, Tulsa, Oklahoma
quality and technology
"I've really been impressed by new technology to make classic jewelry styles better. Stardust has a new collection created by using advanced technology. Each piece is cut from a gold block or tube using high-speed computerized milling and cutting tools. The pieces made by this process are really dense and very precisely made. The rings are incredibly smooth on the inside and comfortable to wear. The quality is really noticeable. Also you can design a shared prong band so that the edges of the diamonds are protected and won't chip. That's a big advantage."
— Harton Wolf, Henne Jewelers, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
consistency counts
"Diamond studs are our most consistent seller, but we also do well with three stone. Anniversary rings are not quite as popular as they used to be. My favorite suppliers include Pandora, Bellarri, Forever 10, which is a special cut from the IJO, Scott Kay, and Natalie K. Pandora has done well. They're consistent and because people can add to their jewelry, I get a steady flow of customers. If you're not dealing with Leslie's you are missing out on the best warranty in the industry. If my jewelry gets outdated, they don't trade me dollar for dollar, they trade me gram for gram. They are among the best suppliers I've worked with."
— Mike Tipton, Tipton's Fine Jewelry, Lawton, Oklahoma
symbolically strong
"We were just going over our inventory to see what's doing well. One big thing right now is Dangler's diamond marriage symbols, such as interlocking rings with three stones in the center—some center set, some channel set—in metal combinations of two-tone, all yellow or all white. Women love them, especially the ones with the 'I Forever Do' slogan on the back. From May 2007, when we started selling them, through February 2008, we sold $250,000 worth, including several at 2 and 3 carats. Some of them were custom-made with irradiated stones. People want something different, so we've been able to build a reputation where they'll say, 'If you want something unique, go to Confer's.'"
— Brenda Confer, Confer's, Bellafonte, Pennsylvania
custom bridal
"Bridal is my biggest segment. I'm a manufacturer, so I carry no designer wedding brands. They've priced themselves out of the market. We use top-end 950 platinum and are able to deliver designer quality jewelry at up to 70 percent less than designer goods. I just sold a 1.1 carat platinum ring for $3,500 that would have sold under a designer label for $11,000. Having onsite manufacturing not only means a much faster turnaround, it also means we can custom-make settings for any stone size. Our approach is especially successful in tough economic times. When a guy with $10,000 to spend realizes he can get the equivalent of a $10,000 ring from us for $6,000, he's a happy man with extra money to spend."
— Howie Jacobs, Toodie's Fine Jewelry, Quincy, Massachusetts
year-round sales
"Our major niche is engagement rings and wedding bands, easily our most popular diamond jewelry. It's a year-round business, as is anniversary bands. After that it's diamond stud earrings, which fortunately is also a year-round market because of birthdays and self-gifting, which is still a strong trend among women. The inside-out hoop is now very popular with our demographic, which ranges from the mid-20s to the 60s. Suppliers we like include Jack Kelége, nobody beats his designs, and A. Link, whose jewelry is very high end. In bridal we like Ritani and Scott Kay. We buy both loose diamonds and finished jewelry. Often a customer will select a loose stone and we will have a designer set it."
— Michael Nedler, Sonny's on Fillmore, Denver, Colorado
author: BY PATRICK TOTTY, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, AND CHERYL KREMKOW, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - Modern Jeweler




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