Sterling silver circle initial charms with little diamonds from Ostbye are great, and $350 to $800 diamond stud earrings for graduates are great sellers! — Paul Krueger, Krueger Jeweler, Fort Atkinson, WI
Top-selling jewelry brands in May
Gabriel & Co. (8), Stuller (6), Pandora (5), Citizen (4), Hearts On Fire (4), Rolex (4), Carla Corporation (3), Kelly Waters (3), Lashbrook (3), Ostbye (3), Allison Kaufman (2), Forevermark (2), Hamilton (2), John Hardy (2), Maple Leaf Diamonds (2), Rego Designs (2)
* Brands mentioned by at least two of 134 Brain Squad members when asked what they would be reordering in June.
- Sales were all over the place! Many categories, designers and brands were moving. Konstantino in particular was strong in May, as was Henri Daussi. — Marc Majors, Sam L. Majors, Midland, TX
- Women’s right-hand rings with stones, especially stacking rings with personality. — Eve J. Alfille, Eve J. Alfille Gallery & Studio, Evanston, IL
- Great month for custom wedding rings. We also sold some bigger high-ticket color from the bridal case. — Robert Mullen, Mullen Bros. Jewelers, Swanswa, MA
- Diamond bands 0.10 TCW to 0.50 TCW, engagement rings $2,500 to $6,500. Silver from E.L. Designs. — Dorothy Vodicka, The Gem Collection, Tallahassee, FL
- Inside-out diamond hoops continue to be a great item for us. — Alan Lindsay, Henry’s, Cape May, NJ
- Wedding band season is upon us! Custom wedding bands for the ladies are on the rise. Men want function and ladies want bling! — Mary Jo Chanski, Hannoush Jewelers, Rutland, VT
- May was a large engagement month. We sold many engagement rings from Gabriel & Co. Silver is still doing well for us in the $200 – $600 price points, and Peter Storm’s silver fashion line was a big seller last month. We placed a large reorder at the Las Vegas show. — Shari Altman, B&E Jewelers, Southampton, PA
- We sold some higher end watches during the month, Citizen and Bulova. Chains were a favorite for the month, too — a nice gift for moms. — Robin Laughlin, Wiford Jeweler, Sidney, OH
- We’re doing a good job with lab-grown diamonds in custom engagement rings, especially ovals. — Laura Sipe, JC Sipe, Indianapolis, IN
- Diamonds of a carat or more from Star Solitaire with custom mountings from Overnight Mountings! — W.J. Smith III, Smith Jewelers, Franklin, VA
- Diamond studs are always a hit, and earrings in general have always been our biggest sellers. Our goal for June is to provide customers with a wider array of diamond studs to choose from at different size, clarity, and price points. We’re also looking at adding in colored diamond studs as they tend to get snapped up very quickly! — Wadeana Beveridge, Community Jewelry, Brandon, FL
- We had a great month with John Hardy. We also had an uptick in watches. — Tonia Ulsh, Mountz Jewelers, Camp Hill, PA
- It was an outstanding month. Sales up almost 50 percent, almost like Christmas in May. Everything sold well across the board, from Rolex to diamond stud to bracelets. You name it. Really don’t know what to attribute it to, just thankful and don’t question why. Just one outstanding month. — Bob Richards, Bob Richards Jewelers, Germantown, TN
- Earrings! Lots and lots of earrings! — Susan Kauffman, Black Dog Jewelers, Lewisburg, PA
- Orders for custom were up in May. Meaning June anniversaries will be well-celebrated in platinum set with diamonds. Diamonds between 1.50 and 2.00 carats were popular. Estate diamond cocktail rings were a close runner-up. Pieces in turquoise and silver were the surprising sleeper of the month. — James Doggett, Doggett Jewelry, Kingston, NH
What’s the Brain Squad?
If you’re the owner or top manager of a U.S. jewelry store, you’re invited to join the INSTORE Brain Squad. By taking one five-minute quiz a month, you can get a free t-shirt, be featured prominently in this magazine, and make your voice heard on key issues affecting the jewelry industry. Good deal, right? Sign up here.
