Nearly Half of Surveyed Jewelers Reported Gains in May

Mothers’ rings were hot in May. The stackables from Ostbye were the bestselling (I have seven stacked and soldered for my personal Grandma ring), and people love it! — Deb Lewandowski, Krieger Jewelers,
Appleton, WI

• Shy creation and Sylvie. You don’t sell Shy; people buy it because the designs are awesome and priced right. We are new to Sylvie, but it’s been a hit since it landed in the case. — Michael Kanoff, Michael’s Jewelers, Yardley, PA

• Graduation and first communion jewelry sold well in May. Lab-grown diamonds in Sstuds or loose for engagement rings have been fun to help customers get a bigger look. — Karen Hollis, K. Hollis Jewelers, Batavia, IL
• GemsOne, Ashi and Ostbye. — Sue Parker, Nyman Jewelers, Excanaba, MI
• Hearts On Fire stud earrings have a difference people can see. — Bill Elliott, Ross Elliott Jewelers, Terre Haute, IN
• We saw a huge increase in Rembrandt Charms in May. We did a “Buy 3 charms, get a free bracelet” promotion, and we are in talks to get a bigger display and keep this a year-round promo. — Mark Butler, K.E. Butler & Company Jewelers, Vidalia, GA
• Gabriel & Co. diamond Bujukan bracelets, diamond pendants and earrings, custom work. — Kim Hatchell, Galloway & Moseley, Sumter, SC
• Tacori and Fana bridal and engagement rings. Lab-created diamonds continue to sell well. Custom design is very strong. — Michael Rumanoff, Rumanoff’s Fine Jewelry and Design, Hamden, CT
• Mother’s Day was all about large diamond studs — 1-carat total weight and up! — Beth Cevasco, Scott’s Custom Jewelers, Dublin, OH
• It’s been all about DIAMONDS!! (For engagement rings and wedding bands, but also as studs, bracelets and necklaces.) Other big categories/sellers in May were pre-owned luxury watches (primarily Rolex) and (our usual) — Montana sapphires, especially the Yogos. Jennifer Hornik Johnson, Miller’s Jewelry, Bozeman, MT
• Diamond studs from 1- to 3-carat total weight were in demand. Ordinarily, we end up setting them in our elegant carved gold or platinum frames, but this year it seems they are going back to the basics. Call it the Great Pandemic Simplification! — Eve J. Alfille, Eve J. Alfille Gallery & Studio, Evanston, IL
• Sold a couple of really nice sapphires and a couple of tanzanites that I got from Scott Spurling. Thanks Scott! — Tommy Thobe, The Village Gem, Perry Hall, MD
• Lab-grown diamonds, Pandora, Malo, Maple Leaf Diamonds. — Amanda Lanteigne, Gold-N-Memories, Steinbach, MB
• LAB LAB LAB. Almost every single first-time engagement ring buyer asks about lab-created diamonds, and the percentage of first-time engagement ring clients that actually buy lab is growing. I like selling a lab-created diamond because I feel like I’m saving a young couple thousands of dollars for an item that is identical! There are pros and cons to both natural and lab; I educate my clients and let them make the decision. — Jeremy Auslander, Roxbury Jewelry, Los Angeles, CA
• Diamond earrings were big, especially princess cut. — William Nordstrom, William Nordstrom Jewelers, Menomonee Falls, WI
• Our custom work is top of the line, then Allison-Kaufman. — Susan Eisen, Susan Eisen Fine Jewelry & Watches, El Paso, TX
• Lashbrook, Benchmark, Hearts On Fire, custom made. — David Blitt, Troy Shoppe Jewellers, Calgary, AB
• Our best-selling products in May? The old stuff! Each May, we hold our one and only sale of the year, and it’s a sample sale. This year, we sold dozens of OLD pieces from stock — and when I say old, I mean OLD!! — Melissa Quick, Steve Quick Jeweler, Chicago, IL
• Another good month in the watch department with Breitling and Omega leading the way. Sold several pieces of Cynthia Ann as well for Mother’s Day. — Marc Majors, Sam L. Majors, Midland, TX
• Diamonds were our best seller in May, and we sold them in everything from bridal to earrings, pendants and rings. We are so pleased that our customers still desire diamonds and appreciate their value! — Annette Kinzie, Leonard Jewelry, Stillwater, OK
• We’ve been selling lots of emeralds lately — definitely because it’s the birthstone for May, but also because it’s a precious gemstone so customers automatically see more value in it. We’ve also been selling a lot of more causal styles for spring and summer from Nicole Barr, LOLA, and Alamea. — Becky Bettencourt, Blue River Diamonds, Peabody, MA
• Lab grown diamonds was our best-selling product. It appeals to our clients because it’s sustainable, conflict-free and substantially less expensive than an earth-mined diamond. — Ronnie Malka, Malka Diamonds & Jewelry, Portland, OR