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Events & AwardsFeb 12, 2016
Market roundup: What buyers wanted in Miami
If the recently concluded trade shows in Miami are any indication, trendy diamond fashion jewelry will continue to be the hot item in the coming holiday season and beyond.
Miami--If the Miami trade shows were any indication, trendy diamond fashion jewelry will continue to be the hot item in the coming holiday season and beyond.
Last week, the city played host to the Centurion South Beach show as well as the Jewelers International Showcase (JIS) Miami event, which was the first JIS show since Reed Exhibitions acquired the group and also included, for the first time, a Luxury component.
According to a number of exhibitors at both shows, wearable diamond and gold fashion pieces at affordable price points were the top items retailers wanted.
Debbie Hakimian at Doves by Doron Paloma, which had booths at both shows, said that trendy diamond fashion jewelry at good price points and pieces that can be layered “have been hot for a while and continued to be.” She also noted that for the first time in a while people were asking for chunky rings and large earrings.
Meanwhile, KC Design’s Tiffany Sabo said that the brand continues to see geometric shapes do well in jewelry, a trend that doesn’t show any sign of slowing. For the show, some of the brand’s best-selling designs were the geometric diamond pave fashion pieces that allow for everyday wear and layering.
Designer Frederic Sage has seen the uptick in interest in diamond and gold jewelry as well and has added such pieces to his collection--but with his own twist to give his customers an everyday, wearable look that’s a little different. Additionally, Sage said that said that his bridal line was doing well, with more people looking for “alternative halos” as well as mixed metals.
For Gabriel & Co., retailers generally were looking to spend between $500 and $1,500 and again were looking for wearable diamond pieces, with the team pointing out a specific diamond pave and 14-karat white gold spiral bangle as the piece that was getting the most attention from buyers during JIS.
Bridal also sold well at the shows for many exhibitors, which is not surprising given the time of year.
Shah Diamonds said that oval stones have been coming back, and emerald cuts are moving back into play as princess cuts lose popularity. Hank Stepowski at A. Jaffe, meanwhile, said that they were noticing that their simpler, clean bands were doing well for millennial brides.
While white metals still are the top choice, yellow gold continues to trend upward
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in bridal and, to a lesser degree, rose gold. A number of exhibitors who National Jeweler spoke with in Miami noted that two-tone bridal jewelry is increasing in popularity.
Large, chunky yellow gold pieces also seemed to be popular.
Retailer feedback led the Tanya Farah brand to extend its line to include matte gold chain necklaces and bracelets as well as stackable gold rings that were selling fast with buyers at the show. At the same time, they launched new pieces with opals because people were looking for more color, the brand’s Tiana Conyers told National Jeweler.
Even as the economy and retail sales were sluggish in the first half of the year, there seemed to be some optimism about the holiday season.
Doves’ Hakimian said that, “Summer has been slow for retailers across the country, but everyone seemed hopeful for a good Christmas season.”
So far, analyst predictions for the holiday months are optimistic, though not overly so. The general consensus is that it will be a solid but not great holiday season.
The National Retail Federation retail sales to increase 4 percent year-over-year in November and December, just as it did last year. And industry analyst Ken Gassman has characterized himself as cautiously optimistic about the upcoming holiday season because consumers seem ready to spend again.
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