IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Meet the Real Moms of Day’s JewelersThe jeweler’s Mother’s Day campaign highlights the women who work there—mothers, grandmothers, women who want to be mothers, and dog moms.
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
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
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
Supplier BulletinApr 23, 2026
JM® Shipping Solution: Smarter Shipping for High-Value GoodsSponsored by Jewelers Mutual
Lab-GrownApr 23, 2026
Charles & Colvard May Sell Assets for $1.5MThe proposed agreement follows the moissanite maker’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing last month.
Brought to you by
Discover Timeless Treasures: A Showcase of Antique Jewelry & Timepieces in Las VegasGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
AuctionsApr 23, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Fetches $1MThe Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece Astor brought aboard the ill-fated ship sold for double its estimate at a Freeman’s auction.
Weekly QuizApr 23, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsApr 23, 2026
Adam Neeley’s High Jewelry Collection Steps Into Salvador Dalí’s GardenThe “Dalí’s Garden” collection was inspired by a surreal dream Neeley had after cooking a recipe from Salvador Dalí’s 1973 cookbook.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Windsor Jewelers Names New Buying DirectorNatalie Feanny has been appointed to the role.
Brought to you by
Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show: Showcasing the Most Collectible Merchandise from Across the GlobeGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
CrimeApr 22, 2026
New Mexico Couple Pleads Guilty to Selling Fake Native American JewelryThe pair falsely claimed their jewelry was made by Navajo artists, but it was imported from Vietnam.
AuctionsApr 22, 2026
Roberta Flack’s Jewelry Is Going Up for AuctionJulien’s Auctions is selling the musician’s fine and fashion jewelry alongside her clothing, gold records, and other memorabilia.
CollectionsApr 22, 2026
British Museum Curator Pens Book on ‘The Tudor Heart’Rachel King’s book dives into the history of the pendant believed to have belonged to Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon.
Events & AwardsApr 22, 2026
Here’s What Sy Kessler Has on Tap for Las Vegas The company will have deals on precious metals testers as well as the latest in lab-grown diamond detection technology and security.
WatchesApr 21, 2026
Coco Chanel Enters the Game with New Watch CollectionGabrielle “Coco” Chanel is a character in the “Coco Game” collection of watches and the queen in its first haute horlogerie chessboard.
IndependentsApr 21, 2026
Meet Jewelers of America’s 2026 ‘20 Under 40’ ClassThe annual list honors rising professionals on the retail and supply sides of the jewelry industry.
CrimeApr 21, 2026
Customs Nabs 1,500 Pieces of Counterfeit Jewelry Bound for NYCSeized in Kentucky, the packages include fake Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Chanel, and Fendi jewelry.
CrimeApr 20, 2026
Queens Man Convicted in Bludgeoning Death of Pawn Shop OwnerRodolfo Lopez-Portillo faces 25 years to life in prison after being found guilty in the March 2022 beating death of Arasb Shoughi.
TrendsApr 20, 2026
Beth Bernstein, Sonia Esther Soltani Pen New Jewelry Book“Jewelry Creators: Dynamic Duos and Generational Gems” highlights the relationships among 22 influential designers, brands, and gem dealers.
Events & AwardsApr 20, 2026
Atlanta Jewelry Show’s Spring Event Is Hitting the RoadThe AJS Spring 2027 show will be held in Savannah, Georgia, with future shows taking place in other Southeast cities.
MajorsApr 20, 2026
Kendra Scott Names New CFO, Chief Business OfficerThe jewelry retailer plans to open 20 new stores this year and expand into new product categories.
TrendsApr 17, 2026
New (Groundbreaking) Floral Jewelry for Spring 2026Flower motifs are the jewelry trend blooming amongst the new collections that debuted this spring.
MajorsApr 17, 2026
QVC Group Files for Chapter 11 BankruptcyThe retailer reported an 8 percent decline in annual sales as it struggles under the weight of billions of dollars of debt.
CollectionsApr 17, 2026
Edina Kiss’ Earrings Are the Devil on Your ShoulderThe “Devil” drop earrings, our Piece of the Week, are part of designer Edina Kiss’ new namesake jewelry line that she will show at Couture.
CrimeApr 17, 2026
FBI Issues Warning to Refineries, Retailers Due to High Price of GoldThe alert states that burglary crews are targeting jewelry businesses and details how jewelers and refineries can protect themselves.
WatchesApr 16, 2026
Cartier Brings Back the RoadsterThe “watchmaker of shapes” debuted the reworked version of the vintage sports car-inspired timepiece at Watches & Wonders.
IndependentsApr 16, 2026
Edge Retail Academy Updates Leadership TeamAs demand for jewelry retail coaching grows, the company has established a dedicated business coaching leadership team.
MajorsApr 16, 2026
Stuller’s Latest Mountings Catalog Is Out NowThe “Mountings 2026-2027” catalog showcases Stuller’s largest and most diverse assortment to date with more than 400 new mounting styles.
PodcastsApr 15, 2026
Episode 4: The Natural Diamond DilemmaSally Morrison and Mark Klein discuss De Beers’ first beacon in 16 years and the mistake the industry made with lab-grown diamonds.
