Surveys

What’s Selling in Jewelry Stores in December

SurveysFeb 06, 2016

What’s Selling in Jewelry Stores in December

Ten retailers from five different sections of the country gave National Jeweler a rundown on what’s been selling in their stores so far this holiday season.

New York--From Washington to Connecticut, holiday shoppers with jewelry and watches on their lists finally turned out to make purchases this weekend.

Of the retailers National Jeweler caught up with Monday morning, some reported--with surprise--that colored stone sales were big for them this weekend, while diamonds and watches were the top sellers at other stores.

Aside from what is selling, other questions we had for jewelers included, has the unseasonably warm and clear weather been a help or a hindrance to holiday shopping? And, with Christmas Day falling on a Friday, is an influx of last-minute shoppers expected this week?

Read on to see what jewelers think and how your store’s performances stacks up against that of other retailers in your region.

NORTHEAST
J. Dennis Petimezas, owner of Watchmakers Diamonds and Jewelry in Johnstown, Pa., said two-stone rings are doing well for him this holiday season thanks to the national advertising campaign behind them, led by Signet Jewelers Ltd. and Forevermark.

He said he’s had a number of customers buy a two-stone ring from his store after saying they couldn’t find the style the wanted at a major chain store.

“It’s a category that’s surprising. I wasn’t sure about it, but we planned for it to be successful and I am glad we did,” he said. “We went deep with it, as far as inventory.”

As for the unseasonably warm weather in the Northeast, Petimezas said he thinks it has people putting off Christmas shopping in favor of doing yard work. He said he is hopeful he will see an influx of customers this week.

“It just seems like (the rush of customers) is always later and with the weather being so nice, it (this year) might be the latest of all.”

Meanwhile, in Greenwich, Conn., a tony New York City suburb, Roberto Chiappelloni said the unusually warm December days have been working their favor. His store, Manfredi Jewelers, is located on Greenwich’s main street, which people have been strolling nonstop.

“The good weather brought out a lot more people than we’d normally see,” he said. “I think we’ve benefitted from this beautiful weather.”

Chiappelloni said diamond studs remain his store’s top holiday sellers. He said he’s also sold quite a few Omega watches as well as timepieces by higher-end brands including Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille.

SOUTHEAST
Steve Allen, of Allen’s Jewelers in Albany, Ga.

also said that he’s benefitted from the national advertising campaign behind the two-stone rings.

Overall, though, it’s been a slow holiday season at his store, due to consumers having less discretionary income and Internet competition taking away sales from brick-and-mortar stores. He said what has been selling are diamond earrings and bracelets and custom pieces, including the store’s hand-hammered bangle bracelets. 

Also not helping, in Allen’s opinion, is the 80-degree weather they’ve been having in Georgia. “When people are walking around in shorts and T-shirts, it’s hard to feel like Christmas,” he said.

At Mervis Diamond Importers, which has a total of three stores in Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Maryland, sales are on par with last year.

Jonathan Mervis said the store is selling the usual, engagement rings, diamond stud earrings and other gifts in the $2,000 to $4,000 range.

He said he understands other retailer’s concerns about the too-warm-for-December weather not making it feel like Christmas, but said he’ll take clear skies and roads over snow, which makes people want to stay at home and shop online even more.

“I think people talk about the weather setting the mood. I’ll say the opposite though: I’d rather have this any day,” Mervis said.

MIDWEST
Despite a strong year overall, “It’s been a lackluster December for us,” said Bill Longnecker, owner of Longnecker Jewelry in McCook, Neb., noting that the store is down 38 percent so far this month. “Christmas has kind of bombed on us.”

In his area, warmer weather pushes people to the nearby big metropolitan areas, Denver and Lincoln, Neb., to do their shopping, despite the store’s urging people to “shop local.”

Inventory-wise, he said he has had three or four customers come in asking about two-stone rings but has only sold one so far, which he did as a special order.

Longnecker said he doesn’t invest in inventory until he sees a real demand for the product, which he hasn’t for the two-stone rings, yet. “It’s a step in the right direction, though,” he said. “We are glad to see the national ad campaigns are starting to do something. That’ll help, for sure.”

In Toledo, Ohio, “Business was good, but I wouldn’t say it was spectacular,” Jeff Mann of Jeffrey Mann Fine Jewelers said of the weekend. “I’m not sure if it was slower, or if my expectations were just too high.”

Admittedly, Mann said his store can be tough to measure against others. “We play in a little different of an arena. We don’t typically have as many transactions as a normal store, and our ticket prices are substantially higher. That’s what we’ve built.”

Still, the store carries, and this weekend saw, “strong” sales of Simon G and Lagos jewelry, as well as Forevermark diamond pendants and earrings. As Christmas looms closer, Mann said his bridal business gets bigger, with customers going for 1 carat-and-up diamonds.

“We’ve been having an awesome holiday season (overall),” he said. “We’ve been running double-digit gains, which evened out a bit this weekend; we were up 5 or 6 percent coming into yesterday.”

Mann said he sees a strong finish ahead. “I think that there’s a lot of holiday shopping to be done. I’m highly optimistic.”

SOUTH CENTRAL
Sales are up about 10 percent for the holiday season at Lewis Jewelers in Moore, Okla., President Glenn Lewis told National Jeweler.

Colored stone sales were big at the store over the weekend, namely pendants and rings set with blue topaz, imperial (precious) topaz and emerald.

“A lot of the color we’ve had for a while, so it’s nice to move that out,” Lewis said. “Here in Oklahoma it’s an oil economy, and I think a lot of people downsize from diamonds to color as we’ve seen a lot of layoffs in the last few months.”

Still, engagement ring also were popular purchases the past few days. Lewis Jewelers has about 3,200 semi-mounts in stock, both their own and branded designs, and usually “sell about eight a day anyway,” Lewis said. “On Saturday we sold about 16, with center stone diamonds weighing between 3/4 and 2.12 carats.”

This year, however, he’s been noticing a different kind of trend in the diamond department.

“A lot more people are coming in to set diamonds they bought off the Internet,” he said. “They come in for the mounting and setting, and it’s a pretty good service for us, but we’re seeing more of this now than in any other year.”

Lewis Jewelers will be until 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve, which typically turns into 5 p.m. “The guys wait until the last minute,” he said.

Over in Fort Smith, Ark., jeweler Kelly Newton sold three Rolexes in about an hour Sunday. “We opened on Sunday for the convenience, but for three people to come in and buy (Rolexes) was unexpected, and a very nice surprise,” he said.

In addition to the Rolexes, diamond studs and pendants also were popular purchases over the weekend. “We can’t seem to keep diamond studs in stock,” he said, noting that he carries Forevermark. “I bet we sold a dozen last week, from half-carat studs to a carat-and-a-half.”

Newton said his store, Newton’s Jewelers, will be open until 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve, which can be a “crazy” day, as many out-of-towners visiting family come in to buy gifts at his store.

For the season to date, he said he thinks the store is making gains over last year. “I wouldn’t say we’re a lot ahead, but I think we’re ahead.”

WEST
Sales were “all over the board” at Hart Jewelers in Grants Pass, Ore. this weekend, the largest-ticket item being an estate diamond necklace that sold for more than $3,000.

“Sunday was quiet, but I think it’s because we aren’t usually open on Sundays,” owner Tom Hart said. “Saturday was a great day, and all of last week was great, too.”

The jeweler said bridal hasn’t been performing as well as he expected for the season--“normally we do a little better,” he said--but it’s been “steady,” and the store is up year-over-year when it comes to holiday sales.

This week should be a good one for him, Hart said, as it’s usually when he sees the procrastinators.

It “finally became Christmas” at Alvin Goldfarb Jeweler in Bellevue, Wash. this weekend, President Steve Goldfarb said Monday, with Thursday through Sunday all “really good days.”

Goldfarb’s store, which sells jewelry and watches, saw a “fair amount” of colored stone jewelry sales, namely pieces set with sapphire, emerald and ruby. Pearl strands and other pearl jewels by Mikimoto also were top sellers, and the store sold out of its Roberto Coin pieces from the Pois Moi collection.

The jeweler said he also sold some watches, Rolex and Breitling among the brands he carries, and diamonds in a range of sizes.

Goldfarb did say the one thing he’s missing this season is the sale of a big-ticket item, the one that “gets you so far over your goal that it makes your day,” but expects today and Tuesday to be busy but has  lower expectations for Wednesday and Thursday, the last day he’s open this week.

“I’m encouraged because the (holiday season) did start out lackluster,” he said. “It wasn’t bad, it wasn’t good, but I’m encouraged, and hopefully other retailers out there stay encouraged.”

Michelle Graffis the editor-in-chief at National Jeweler, directing the publication’s coverage both online and in print.

The Latest

Tacori bezel-set diamond bands
EditorsJul 29, 2025
Out & About: Visiting Tacori’s Design Studio in LA

Senior Editor Lenore Fedow learned a lot when she took a behind-the-scenes factory tour with the jewelry brand earlier this year.

Mighty Fierce Audacious Necklace, Sandy Rubin Aziza Necklace, Koulianos Designs Illuminations Shield Pendant
Events & AwardsJul 29, 2025
Melee The Show Welcomes 15 New Designers

The first-time exhibitors, set to debut at the New York City show, share a devotion to craftsmanship, storytelling, and material integrity.

Auctim emerald auction
SourcingJul 29, 2025
Auctim to Offer 7.3M+ Carats of Rough Emeralds

The online auction house’s September sale will feature rough Brazilian emeralds of various qualities.

rio-article photo-diamond.jpg
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine Jewelry

As a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.

AGS Board President for 2025-2026 Alexis Padis
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 Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Stock image of shipping containers
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.

Nanis Ipanema Collection Campaign
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.

an instructor and a student in a bench jewelry classroom
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench Jewelers

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

Kevin O’ Leary and George Mayer of The 1916 Company
MajorsJul 28, 2025
The 1916 Company Partners with ‘Shark Tank’ Star’s Watch Insurance Platform

The retailer will refer its customers to WonderCare, founded by venture capitalist and watch collector Kevin O’Leary.

Sissy’s new Little Rock store
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.

Jemma Wynne Forme Toggle Necklace
CollectionsJul 25, 2025
Piece of the Week: Jemma Wynne’s ‘Forme’ Necklace

Anne Hathaway was seen wearing the toggle necklace three times while filming scenes for “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”

September Hong Kong jewelry show
Events & AwardsJul 25, 2025
Pre-Registration Open for September Hong Kong Show

Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong is scheduled for Sept. 15 to 21, and buyer pre-registration will be available until Sept. 7.

Bulgari Celestial Mosaic spinel necklace
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.

Mark and Candy Udell
Events & AwardsJul 24, 2025
2 Retailers to Receive 2026 Gem Award for Lifetime Achievement

Mark and Candy Udell of London Jewelers will receive the honor at the 24th annual Gem Awards next March.

De Beers marine mining vessel the SS Nujoma
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.

Francesca Villa Fantasia Collection The Crab Pendant, The Mermaid Pendant, Keep Dancing Seahorse Pendant, Keep Dancing Ladybug Pendant, Secret Dreams Pendant, The Puffer Fish Takes Flight Pendant
CollectionsJul 24, 2025
Francesca Villa Adds Dimension to Her Intaglio Characters

The “Fantasia” jewelry collection turns the intaglio animals from her “Close Encounters” collection into 3D characters.

Breitling’s special Eagles Super Bowl watch on gold bracelet
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.

Stock image of crime scene tape
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.

Silvia Furmanovich Kasmir Collection Carnelian Bracelet and Sketch
CollectionsJul 23, 2025
Silvia Furmanovich’s ‘Kashmir’ Collection Is a Tribute to Northern India

The “Kashmir” collection features centuries-old craft techniques made in collaboration with the region’s master papier-mâché artisans.

Bench jeweler holding a bracelet and a tool
IndependentsJul 23, 2025
Montreal’s Ecksand Eyes Move to SoHo

Creative 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.

LAFD Fire Station 44 and Fire Station 16
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.

A Vanitas by Hannah Martin and Guy Berryman Sothebys
CollectionsJul 22, 2025
Jewelry With a Rock ‘n’ Roll Aesthetic Heads to Sotheby’s London

Next week, the auction house will kick off a selling exhibition of jewelry by British artist Hannah Martin and Coldplay’s Guy Berryman.

Cover of the book “Flawless: Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History”
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.

Emmanuel Raheb
ColumnistsJul 22, 2025
The Gifting Gap: How to Market Jewelry Beyond the Holidays

Emmanuel Raheb shares the top five gifting moments outside of major holidays that jewelers should build marketing campaigns around.

NY Now
Events & AwardsJul 22, 2025
NY Now’s Summer Market Returns in August

The wholesale trade show’s Luxury Lifestyle section will showcase established and emerging jewelry designers.

Jeweler setting a diamond into a ring
MajorsJul 21, 2025
Rio Grande Expands Personalization Offerings

As demand for custom jewelry grows, the company is expanding its services to support retailers.

National Associate of Jewelry Appraisers Logo
Events & AwardsJul 21, 2025
NAJA’s 2025 ‘Ace It’ Conference To Go Virtual

The mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers is slated for Aug. 9 to 10 on Zoom.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy