EditorsJul 29, 2025
Out & About: Visiting Tacori’s Design Studio in LASenior Editor Lenore Fedow learned a lot when she took a behind-the-scenes factory tour with the jewelry brand earlier this year.
SurveysDec 16, 2013
This year, silver brings mixed results for retailers
National Jeweler recently polled and interviewed retailers about their seasonal sales of, and price points for, silver jewelry, a popular pick for holiday gifts. Here’s what they had to say.
This week’s survey focused on price points for holiday silver sales. A total of 613 retailers took the poll, which was conducted between Dec. 10 and 16.
New York--After reigning in the years of the recession, silver sales are beginning to retreat for some jewelers while others note they remain strong, as the price of gold hasn’t come down enough to move masses of consumers back to the metal.
A number of retailers interviewed by National Jeweler last week said their silver sales are down or flat as compared with last year, with customers choosing high-end diamond jewelry, gold and watches over silver.
“Silver sales have been soft for us,” says Jim Rosenheim, owner of Tiny Jewel Box in Washington. “Our business is trending toward the high end.” He adds that the “bridge area”--referring to jewelry seen as being on the border between fine and costume--has been soft at the store for more than a year.
Daniel Niebauer, vice president of operations at Ralph Miller Jewelers & Gallery in Erie, Pa., also says they’ve seen more customers gravitating toward higher-priced items, including gold.
Could it be due to gold’s lower per ounce price? Data from Kitco.com shows that the cumulative per-ounce price of gold is down 15 percent year-over-year, from $1,669 at this time last year to $1,417.
But that still doesn’t make gold jewelry cheap, retailers say, and it doesn’t even necessarily mean they can offer it at a lower price.
At Diamonds Direct in St. Petersburg, Fla. store manager Nick Gizzarelli Jr. says silver Pandora beads and bracelets are hot at the store. Customers look at gold chains but they aren’t moving too quickly as “there’s some sticker shock still.”
Retailer Susan Eisen, whose eponymous store is located in El Paso, Texas, says while the per-ounce price of gold has come down recently, the metal’s still more expensive than it was three or four years ago.
Kitco data backs up this claim. In 2009, the cumulative average price of gold to date was $972 an ounce and in 2010 it was $1,225, lower than the current year’s cumulative average of $1,417.
At her store, customers have adjusted to the idea that they’re buying designs in silver instead of white gold. Holiday silver sales are strong annually, and this year is no exception.
The store’s best-selling line is Lagos, a line Eisen first bought into 21 years ago.
At the time, they wondered if designer sterling silver was just a fad. More than two decades later, “we are still selling it like
crazy, designer silver,” she says, adding that other top brands include Scott Kay and Artistry.
Overall, she says the lower price of gold hasn’t affected customers’ mindsets.
“People don’t watch the market like we do. Plus we (retailers) haven’t bought a lot (of gold). A lot of jewelers didn’t buy a lot when the price was high,” Eisen says.
Price-wise, National Jeweler’s second holiday poll of the year shows that 85 percent of retailers expect the majority of silver sales to be $1,000 or less.
Breaking that down, the greatest percentage of jewelers who took the survey, 69 percent, said silver jewelry sales would be $500 or less while 16 percent expect the lion’s share of sales to fall in the $501 to $1,000 range.
A total of 10 percent of those surveyed said the majority of silver sales would range between $1,001 and $3,000 while only 6 percent expected most silver sales to ring up to more than $3,000.
Retailer Jim Alperin, whose eponymous shop is located in Pepper Pike, Ohio, a Cleveland suburb, says his silver business is up year-over-year but there’s two distinctly different groups of silver shoppers: those buying pieces priced at $1,000 and up and others who are purchasing pendants for $82.
“Silver has taken over a larger part of the market. I wouldn’t even carry silver at the start of (my) business because I didn’t really even think of it as fine jewelry then,” he says. “But now we’re doing really well with silver and diamond bracelets and we think that will continue for a while.”
--Senior Editor Hannah Connorton and Associate Editor Brecken Branstrator contributed to this report.
More on Surveys
The Latest
Events & AwardsJul 29, 2025
Melee The Show Welcomes 15 New DesignersThe first-time exhibitors, set to debut at the New York City show, share a devotion to craftsmanship, storytelling, and material integrity.
SourcingJul 29, 2025
Auctim to Offer 7.3M+ Carats of Rough EmeraldsThe online auction house’s September sale will feature rough Brazilian emeralds of various qualities.
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine JewelryAs a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.
MajorsJul 29, 2025
Alexis Padis Re-Elected AGS Board President She’ll lead an executive committee consisting of President-Elect Bryan Moeller, Mitchell Clark, Bill Farmer, and Larry Rickert.
Weekly QuizJul 25, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Policies & IssuesJul 28, 2025
U.S.-EU Come to Agreement on Tariffs Announced Sunday, the deal will set the tax on goods imported into the United States from the European Union at 15 percent.
CollectionsJul 28, 2025
Nanis Brings a New Palette to ‘Ipanema’A new edition of the Italian brand’s “Ipanema” collection has debuted with gemstones that evoke Brazil’s breathtaking views.
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
MajorsJul 28, 2025
The 1916 Company Partners with ‘Shark Tank’ Star’s Watch Insurance PlatformThe retailer will refer its customers to WonderCare, founded by venture capitalist and watch collector Kevin O’Leary.
IndependentsJul 28, 2025
Sissy’s Log Cabin to Open Flagship in Arkansas The jeweler’s largest store yet is set to open in Little Rock next fall.
CollectionsJul 25, 2025
Piece of the Week: Jemma Wynne’s ‘Forme’ NecklaceAnne Hathaway was seen wearing the toggle necklace three times while filming scenes for “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”
Events & AwardsJul 25, 2025
Pre-Registration Open for September Hong Kong ShowJewellery & Gem World Hong Kong is scheduled for Sept. 15 to 21, and buyer pre-registration will be available until Sept. 7.
FinancialsJul 25, 2025
LVMH Sales Slip in H1 Amid ‘Prevailing Uncertainties’Renovations at Tiffany & Co. stores ate into profits in the company’s watch and jewelry division.
Events & AwardsJul 24, 2025
2 Retailers to Receive 2026 Gem Award for Lifetime AchievementMark and Candy Udell of London Jewelers will receive the honor at the 24th annual Gem Awards next March.
SourcingJul 24, 2025
De Beers Sees Diamond Production Sink 36% in Q2 While struggles continue at the mining and trading end of the pipeline, consumer demand for diamond jewelry is holding steady.
CollectionsJul 24, 2025
Francesca Villa Adds Dimension to Her Intaglio CharactersThe “Fantasia” jewelry collection turns the intaglio animals from her “Close Encounters” collection into 3D characters.
WatchesJul 24, 2025
Breitling Drops Super Bowl Watch Honoring the Philadelphia Eagles The special Classic Avi Chronograph 42 with an Eagles-green dial is limited to 59 pieces, a nod to the Super Bowl Philadelphia just won.
CrimeJul 23, 2025
JSA Warns of Violent String of Smash-and-Grabs in California JSA has received reports of mobs swarming jewelry stores, driving cars into the storefront or smashing through the windows.
CollectionsJul 23, 2025
Silvia Furmanovich’s ‘Kashmir’ Collection Is a Tribute to Northern IndiaThe “Kashmir” collection features centuries-old craft techniques made in collaboration with the region’s master papier-mâché artisans.
IndependentsJul 23, 2025
Montreal’s Ecksand Eyes Move to SoHoCreative Director Erica Bianchini shared why the jeweler is looking to expand into the U.S. and how it’s putting Canadian craftsmanship on the map.
IndependentsJul 23, 2025
IJO Raises Nearly $37K for LA Fire Relief Two Los Angeles Fire Department stations plan to use the donations to upgrade their equipment and tools.
CollectionsJul 22, 2025
Jewelry With a Rock ‘n’ Roll Aesthetic Heads to Sotheby’s LondonNext week, the auction house will kick off a selling exhibition of jewelry by British artist Hannah Martin and Coldplay’s Guy Berryman.
SourcingJul 22, 2025
Antwerp Diamond Heist Documentary Coming to Netflix“Stolen: Heist of the Century” is based on “Flawless,” the book about the middle-of-the-night theft, and will debut on Netflix in August.
ColumnistsJul 22, 2025
The Gifting Gap: How to Market Jewelry Beyond the HolidaysEmmanuel Raheb shares the top five gifting moments outside of major holidays that jewelers should build marketing campaigns around.
Events & AwardsJul 22, 2025
NY Now’s Summer Market Returns in AugustThe wholesale trade show’s Luxury Lifestyle section will showcase established and emerging jewelry designers.
MajorsJul 21, 2025
Rio Grande Expands Personalization OfferingsAs demand for custom jewelry grows, the company is expanding its services to support retailers.
Events & AwardsJul 21, 2025
NAJA’s 2025 ‘Ace It’ Conference To Go VirtualThe mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers is slated for Aug. 9 to 10 on Zoom.
