CrimeFeb 06, 2026
Florida Man Sentenced After Selling Fake Native American Jewelry for a Decade Prosecutors say the man attended arts and craft fairs claiming he was a third-generation jeweler who was a member of the Pueblo tribe.
SurveysOct 30, 2017
50 Jewelers/50 States: Virginia
In Richmond, Carreras Jewelers has cracked the fine jewelry e-commerce code.
Richmond, Va.--In 50 Jewelers/50 States, National Jeweler interviews one retailer in each of the 50 U.S. states to find out how they are meeting the challenges of the changing retail environment.
In Richmond, Virginia, Carreras Jewelers is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
Owner Rejena Carreras knows that investing in her staff is also investing in the health of her business.
“We have nine amazing employees who have all been educated by the GIA and the AGS. We have two graduate gemologist appraisers on staff, full time,” Carreras enthused.
She chatted with National Jeweler about the relationship between fine jewelry retail and e-commerce, and how her store harnesses the power of social media influencers.
National Jeweler: What’s the biggest challenge your store is facing today?
Rejena Carreras: It’s online shopping.
It’s an issue, though I actually don’t think it’s the biggest problem. I don’t think many small stores get a lot of online sales; instead, it’s used for showing what we have, what we can offer.
I think our biggest challenge is getting the younger generation to enter the store because they’re so used to doing their shopping online.
NJ: What’s the top-selling category and brand at your store?
RC: Number one is loose diamonds, mostly estate diamonds. Our second highest is period estate jewelry.
We really don’t emphasize brands, we emphasize our own name. Peter Storm would be one of the names (outside of our own) we use most readily.
NJ: Describe your regional customer.
RC: Educated and financially secure.
A large percentage of our customers are women who are celebrating life events such as birthdays, anniversaries, babies, promotions. They either purchase a special piece for themselves or leave it on their wish list for their gift giver.
NJ: What’s the most popular style of engagement ring with your clientele?
RC: The halo continues. Kill me, kill me now. It’s always the halo.
Our second-best seller is the center diamond with two side stones, which could be diamonds, sapphires, rubies or whatever. Round diamonds seem to be the most dominant shape and white gold the most popular metal.
NJ: Which social media accounts are important to your stores?
RC: Jewelry is a very
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
visual product. We rely heavily on Facebook and Instagram to showcase new items we put on the sales floor that day, to promote events and connect with our customers.
NJ: Do you have e-commerce?
RC: We do but we’ve found that our website is used more for browsing before the shopper comes into the store.
We have a professional photographer who comes in once a month to take pictures of our new jewelry so we can keep our website up-to-date.
It is not uncommon for someone to walk in with their phone and point to the picture on their phone of what they’d like to see from our website. We’ve found that people want to touch, see and try on the jewelry before making a purchase.
NJ: What’s the best piece of advice you’d offer to a fellow independent jeweler?
RC: Make a relationship with your client. Know what they like and let them know when something comes in. Give them a call and maintain that relationship.
NJ: What’s a fun fact about you we can share with our readers?
RC: We have a networking event with style bloggers in our area.
Every few months, we invite this group of bloggers into our store so they can check out our new pieces, and we offer wine and food. One time we even had a photo booth, and the bloggers, in turn, end up doing a story on their visit and post their pictures on social media.
NJ: Do you have e-commerce?
RC: We do but we’ve found that our website is used more for browsing before the shopper comes into the store.
We have a professional photographer who comes in once a month to take pictures of our new jewelry so we can keep our website up-to-date.
It is not uncommon for someone to walk in with their phone and point to the picture on their phone of what they’d like to see from our website. We’ve found that people want to touch, see and try on the jewelry before making a purchase.
NJ: What’s the best piece of advice you’d offer to a fellow independent jeweler?
RC: Make a relationship with your client. Know what they like and let them know when something comes in. Give them a call and maintain that relationship.
NJ: What’s a fun fact about you we can share with our readers?
RC: We have a networking event with style bloggers in our area.
Every few months, we invite this group of bloggers into our store so they can check out our new pieces, and we offer wine and food. One time we even had a photo booth, and the bloggers, in turn, end up doing a story on their visit and post their pictures on social media.
More on Surveys
The Latest
FinancialsFeb 06, 2026
Pandora’s North America GM Departs Amid Executive ChangesNew CEO Berta de Pablos-Barbier shared her priorities for the Danish jewelry company this year as part of its fourth-quarter results.
TrendsFeb 06, 2026
Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi Wear Matching Cece Jewellery Signet RingsOur Piece of the Week picks are these bespoke rings the “Wuthering Heights” stars have been spotted wearing during the film’s press tour.
Brought to you by
The MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program: Attracting & Training the Next Generation of Bench JewelersLaunched in 2023, the program will help the passing of knowledge between generations and alleviate the shortage of bench jewelers.
MajorsFeb 05, 2026
Pandora to Begin Selling Platinum-Plated JewelryThe introduction of platinum plating will reduce its reliance on silver amid volatile price swings, said Pandora.
Weekly QuizFeb 05, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingFeb 05, 2026
De Beers Lowers Production Guidance for 2026, Anglo Mulls Another WritedownIt would be the third impairment charge in three years on De Beers Group, which continues to grapple with a “challenging” diamond market.
IndependentsFeb 05, 2026
Borsheims to Undergo Massive Renovation in the Spring The Omaha jewelry store’s multi-million-dollar renovation is scheduled to begin in mid-May and take about six months.
Brought to you by
How Jewelers Can Fight Back Against Cell JammersCriminals are using cell jammers to disable alarms, but new technology like JamAlert™ can stop them.
CollectionsFeb 05, 2026
Marco Bicego’s Amethyst Collection Travels to a Purple ParadiseThe “Paradise Amethyst” collection focuses on amethyst, pink tourmaline, garnet, and 18-karat yellow gold beads.
FinancialsFeb 05, 2026
Watches of Switzerland Reports Strong Holiday Results in Q3The retailer credited its Roberto Coin campaign, in part, for boosting its North America sales.
ColumnistsFeb 04, 2026
January Jewelry Sales: More Dollars Spent, Fewer Units Sold Sherry Smith unpacks independent retailers’ January performance and gives tips for navigating the slow-growth year ahead.
MajorsFeb 04, 2026
What Designers Should Know About Saks Global’s BankruptcyFrom how to get an invoice paid to getting merchandise returned, JVC’s Sara Yood answers some complex questions.
TrendsFeb 04, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: February Birthstone BlissAmethyst, the birthstone for February, is a gemstone to watch this year with its rich purple hue and affordable price point.
MajorsFeb 04, 2026
Marco Bicego Names New Global Marketing DirectorThe Italian jewelry company appointed Matteo Cuelli to the newly created role.
MajorsFeb 04, 2026
Frederick Goldman Updates Leadership TeamThe manufacturer said the changes are designed to improve speed, reliability, innovation, and service.
Policies & IssuesFeb 03, 2026
Tariff Relief on Horizon for India as Trump, Modi Make DealPresident Trump said he has reached a trade deal with India, which, when made official, will bring relief to the country’s diamond industry.
CollectionsFeb 03, 2026
Jade Trau Releases New Charms, Introduces RondellesThe designer’s latest collection takes inspiration from her classic designs, reimagining the motifs in new forms.
WatchesFeb 03, 2026
Casio America Calls Jersey City HomeThe watchmaker moved its U.S. headquarters to a space it said fosters creativity and forward-thinking solutions in Jersey City, New Jersey.
SourcingFeb 03, 2026
Nivoda Reveals Upgraded Gemstone MarketplaceThe company also announced a new partnership with GemGuide and the pending launch of an education-focused membership program.
GradingFeb 02, 2026
IGI to Acquire American Gemological Laboratories IGI is buying the colored gemstone grading laboratory through IGI USA, and AGL will continue to operate as its own brand.
CrimeFeb 02, 2026
Ylang 23’s Dallas Store BurglarizedThe Texas jeweler said its team is “incredibly resilient” and thanked its community for showing support.
EditorsFeb 02, 2026
Stars Choose Chokers, Elongated Earrings at 2026 GrammysFrom cool-toned metal to ring stacks, Associate Editor Natalie Francisco highlights the jewelry trends she spotted at the Grammy Awards.
CollectionsFeb 02, 2026
2026 Winter Olympic Medal Design Symbolizes UnityThe medals feature a split-texture design highlighting the fact that the 2026 Olympics are taking place in two different cities.
CollectionsJan 30, 2026
Follow the Beat With Etiq’s ‘Khol’ RingThe “Khol” ring, our Piece of the Week, transforms the traditional Indian Khol drum into playful jewelry through hand-carved lapis.
MajorsJan 30, 2026
Arch Crown’s 2026 ‘Tag & Label’ Catalog Is HereThe catalog includes more than 100 styles of stock, pre-printed, and custom tags and labels, as well as bar code technology products.
CollectionsJan 29, 2026
Ghirardelli’s ‘Chocolocket’ Returns for Valentine’s DayThe chocolatier is bringing back its chocolate-inspired locket, offering sets of two to celebrate “perfect pairs.”
AuctionsJan 29, 2026
These Were Bonhams’ Top 10 Jewelry Lots in 2025The top lot of the year was a 1930s Cartier tiara owned by Nancy, Viscountess Astor, which sold for $1.2 million in London last summer.
