48% of Surveyed Jewelry Retailers Report Sales Gains in December

We sold Bassali and Shy Creation like crazy. — Michael Kanoff, Michael’s Jewelers, Yardley, PA

• Permanent jewelry, diamond tennis jewelry, diamond fashion. — Christina Baribault-Ortiz, Baribault Jewelers, Glastonbury, CT

• As with every year, we sell diamond studs like crazy. We almost sold out of a well-stocked selection of Secrid wallets. They make great stocking stuffers! And our custom department with designs by our goldsmith did quite well too. We had a few big natural diamond sales, in classic designs that helped the numbers as well. — Katrina Sustachek, Rasmussen Diamonds, Racine, WI
• We sold a lot of pendants from Allison-Kaufman, and Kelly Waters was our major source for sterling silver. Also sold diamond rings in bridal, right hand, anniversary, and custom designs. — Annette Kinzie, Leonard Jewelry, Stillwater, OK
• Gold necklaces did well. With all the styles and price points (even with the higher gold prices), it seems they were added for layering or just wearing plain. — Alex Weil, Martin’s Jewelry, Torrance, CA
• Anklets! Weird I know, and we are in a cold state: Michigan! I guess it was for all the people leaving for vacation. — Julie Terwiliger, Wexford Jewelers, Cadillac, MI
• Shefi Diamonds for diamond fashion and diamond bands, our own diamond basics and color did well. No. 1 item type was colored stone pendants. — Mark Clodius, Clodius & Co. Jewelers, Rockford, IL
• Our best-selling items were our custom-colored gemstone rings and pendants. We worked hard all year to fill our cases with our custom-created stock items so customers could walk out with the door with a Dianna Rae Original for Christmas. — Dianna Rae High, Dianna Rae Jewelry, Lafayette, LA
• I sold a ton of loose trillion cut tanzanites from Scott Spurling. Also a ton of diamond earrings from GN Diamond. T— ommy Thobe, The Village Gem, Perry Hall, MD
• Diamond band. Color in silver from Benjamin Cohen and gold from Heera Moti and Royal Jewelry. Diamond pendants, lab studs. — W.J. Smith III, Smith Jewelers, Franklin, VA
• Lab-grown diamond studs, thin chain bracelets (think like permanent, but NOT), pearl studs, inexpensive anything. — Lucy Conklin, Toner Jewelers, Overland Park, KS
• Lab-grown diamonds from Revelation and SDC Creations. — Eric Stevens, Stevens Diamond Jewelers, West Springfield, MA
• Diamond classics from Veer did really well, Simon G. fashion, and pieces from our Berco flyer. — Trevor Williams, Leitzel’s Jewelry, Myerstown, PA
• Rembrandt Charms, Carla earrings, Nicole Barr pendants and earrings. All great designs that appeal to all customer ages because they are basic. — Eileen Eichhorn, Eichhorn Jewelry, Decatur, IN
• Lagos for silver line, good price points. Hearts On Fire sold well. Diamond studs went out the door, natural and lab-grown. Our estate goods, we have three 8-foot showcases full and selling like diamond studs. — Alan Perry, Perry’s Emporium, Wilmington and Shallotte, NC
• We sold lab-grown diamond studs from Quality Gold, as well as tons of custom engagement rings: some with family diamonds, but most with lab-grown diamonds. Custom family pieces were also big — a lot of matching pendants using Grandma’s gems. Customers were very sentimental this year! — Beth Cevasco, Scott’s Custom Jewelers, Dublin, OH
• Lab-grown diamonds, especially in bridal jewelry. Hoop earrings were hot, too. Bench work busier than usual. Seemed like everyone wanted their rings sized and their chains repaired in the last 10 days before Christmas. — James Sickinger, Sickinger’s Jewelry, Lowell, IN
• Heera Moti for flex diamond bracelets. Allison-Kaufman for station diamond bracelets (link). — Erika Godfrey, Hawthorne Jewelry, Kearney, NE
• Watches and bracelets led the way. Omega and Breitling both had great months in our watch department. Lisa Nik, Fope, Elizabeth Locke, Damaso Martinez and Marika did well in our jewelry department. — Marc Majors, Sam L. Majors, Midland, TX
• Flexible bracelets really shined this Christmas, with our bracelets sales significantly up. Stackable bracelets and necklace looks were in. — Kyle Bullock, Bullock’s Jewelry, Roswell, NM
• Hearts On Fire fashion pieces for more discerning clients. Lab-grown diamonds under $4,000 for almost very young guy wanting “big.” — David Blitt, Troy Shoppe Jewellers, Calgary, AB
• Estate jewelry, pre-owned Rolex, Alor bracelets. — Jillian Hornik, Jae’s Jewelers, Coral Gables, FL

• For December leading up to Christmas, we sold mostly in the $200- $500 range, so a lot of sterling silver styles like Cape Cod and Evening Tide by LeStage, as well as Nicole Barr. After Christmas, however, was a completely other story: engagement rings, diamond fashion, gemstone fashion … most of our big sales happened in the days after Christmas. — Becky Bettencourt, Blue River Diamonds, Peabody, MA
• Our custom Lake pendants and charms. We have 32 area lakes we have made for the last 18 years, usually big sellers at Mother’s Day, and usually in sterling, but 14K yellow gold lakes were hot this year. — Jo Goralski, The Jewelry Mechanic, Oconomowoc, WI
• Vahan, Gabriel & Co., Midas Chain. All three fashion forward and priced in the $350 to $3,000 price range. Great margins, easy reorder, and eager to help. — Gene Poole, Hudson-Poole Jewelers, Tuscaloosa, AL
• Loving Embrace contour wedding bands from Ptak Brothers came in handy. Their rings fit the vast majority of engagement rings very well, and we have been very happy with the service and quality of the products. — Cliff Yankovich, Chimera Design, Lowell, MI
• Our best-selling products in December were our silver bracelets from Made as Intended. They make the original blessing bracelets that the Hallmark movie was based on. Our customers love them because they are at an excellent gift-giving price point, have a meaningful sentiment behind them, and the color choices change constantly. Customers purchase the blessing bracelets as gifts for friends, co-workers, teachers, family members, and themselves! We like selling them because the ladies at Made as Intended are a pleasure to work with. We love the color options given to us, and their turnaround time is very consistent, even with orders over 200 – 500 bracelets. — Beth Greene, Conti Jewelers, Binghamton, NY