An Approaching Season

Saturday, August 31, 2024

September unofficially starts the holiday season. I feel the changes coming in my part-time jewelry-selling work. We are shipping out aging merchandise and preparing for incoming replacements. I’m eager to see the new stuff and hope for creative pieces. Realistically, highly innovative jewelry probably isn’t coming to our traditionally oriented department. I think that’s a mistake, and nobody cares what I think.

In reality, customers have been changing alongside the changing times. Their bodies often are adorned with tattoos, and they sport real or fake diamond ear studs. Most prefer one color of gold, yellow or silver, and few want rose gold. Customers can articulate, with specificity, the jewelry types they seek.

Traditions are changing. Many customers are looking for alternatives to traditional engagement and wedding rings. Women with big diamonds often want alternative rings with smaller stones to reduce the knocking around of their big diamonds.

(I’ve fallen for lab-created diamonds. They’re the “real thing” and slightly less expensive than mined diamonds. The lab-created are almost flawless, and their sparkles are incredibly bright.)

My vision is to introduce customers to some creative and nontraditional choices. Many might not choose creativity, but looking and discussing breaks up the monotony of traditional displays.

Dear Friends: Who’s asking? For sure, not the organization that employs me. Diana