Rhinestone Jewelry

Must Have Glitzy Jewelry for Spring

Rhinestone jewelry is a must for the major events of Spring. We think those traditional rhinestone designs have been around forever, but not so. The machine that makes rhinestone chain was actually invented around World War II and what is called rhinestone before that, we call crystal jewelry today.

Now what designs do we need sparkling in the showcase. First, think about the type of customer that makes up your market. Prom and bridal are nearly everywhere. Almost every community has a high school and that means prom. Also, the need for wedding jewelry is universal. Both of these markets gravitate towards delicate designs. Yes, we know that bridal and prom magazines are showing bolder jewelry and forecaster are calling for it, but year after year, it doesn't happen. Prom girls and brides keep returning to the delicate looks. Since you are almost certain to get some of this business, include delicate and tasteful designs in necklace sets. Earrings worn alone can be a little more dramatic. The run away best seller is clear rhinestones in silver plated settings so if nothing else make sure you stock this look.

Rhinestone jewelry gets more dramatic for pageant, ballroom dance, and any event or performance where jewelry sparkles under the lights and must make a statement from a distance. This is the icing in rhinestone jewelry and generates some nice sales if you have these customers. Ultra-dramatic necklace sets are very affordable today because of the mix of high quality acrylic stones with the rhinestones. This creates very bold looks with wholesale prices below $10.00. The acrylic stones sparkle, but nothing compares to crystals so we wondered how it would sell. The first shipment of this fabulous look blew out the door even surprising us. Restock is on its way so look for it soon.

Crystal Jewelry

Glamorous Jewelry Designs of the Past Resurface

There's something irresistible about the glamorous jewelry of past eras. Perhaps the most spectacular of these times was The Golden Age of Costume Jewelry. The era was from the 1930s to the 1960s when truly tough times occurred. The Great Depression began in 1929 with record unemployment and no safety net, continuing until the forties when World War II started. These harsh times were the setting for the most glamorous period of costume jewelry--proof of the resiliency of the human spirit.

As quiet as a whisper, a trend in fashion jewelry is recreating these fabulous looks. Each season and several times during the season inspirations of this extraordinary costume jewelry surfaces as part of the fashion jewelry story in department stores and boutiques. Fashion magazines and the runways are constantly giving us a glimpse of the look. Fashion trends begin beneath the radar and rise to wide acceptance before beginning to decline--a process that generally covers a decade. We believe we are in that initial period of this trend in costume jewelry and the catalyst was the economic scare of the recession.

What should we search for to fulfill the look? Think of the masters of costume jewelry during the Golden Age--Eisenberg, Juliana, Coro, Trifari, Miriam Haskell, Chanel and more. Creativity reigned as designers were no longer harnessed to the high cost of precious metals and stones. Bold designs used large crystals and enameled metals. Sculptured metal gave life-like appearance to themes from nature and the garden. Search the designers of this era under images on line and notice how the look is creeping back into fashion jewelry. Large necklace sets, bold dangling earrings, and dramatic cuffs and bangles are surfacing. Perhaps more important than anything is brooches. Put the pieces together in your shop sot they tell a story. This look is low risk because classic sells even when it isn't the trend so there will always be a market, but we expect it to be major as the trend continues to develop.

Bridal Jewelry

Nothing Competes with Pearls for Elegance in Jewelry

Bridal jewelry is the blue chip stocks of fashion jewelry. Bridal accessories always have a market and its season never ends. This is so true that recently Accessories Magazine announced that some non-bridal major retailers like J Crew and Urban Outfitters were positioning to gain a piece of the bridal market. Don't worry! There is plenty to go around with annual sales in bridal exceeding eight billion dollars.

An interesting trend in bridal jewelry is the subtle increase of faux pearl jewelry for the wedding day. Previously rhinestone jewelry has been slowly capturing more of the wedding jewelry market, but faux pearl jewelry is again increasing in sales volume. The best of both worlds is rhinestone and faux pearl combinations that lead sales. Price is not a factor here as faux pearl jewelry has seen slight increases while rhinestone jewelry continues to surprise with ever-lower pricing. Unquestionably, it is the brides' preference. The solution is to offer a selection that includes both rhinestone and faux pearl plus the all-important combinations of rhinestone and faux pearl in necklace sets.

Simplicity rules for the walk down the aisle. Brides want everything perfect and feel it is better to error on the side of understatement than overdoing it. The wedding albums are there for a lifetime and so brides want those images to carry the utmost of elegance.

Think beyond the bride's jewelry and build bigger sales by adding important bridal accessories like tiaras, formal gloves, and evening bags. You have access to an extensive selection of styles and colors--something normally hard to find. So this gives you a competitive edge in filling the needs of the bride. Weddings continue through the summer and can be a nice plus in months when retail often slows. Also, remember the bridesmaids. Bridesmaid jewelry is a multiple sale that can be a nice plus. Adding bridal jewelry and accessories can give a level of stability to sales.