Bridal Jewelry

Advanced Jewelry Sales

Diamond Council of America © 2010
Progress Evaluation Reminder
I f you have not yet completed Progress Evaluation 2, please
do so before continuing further with your coursework.

The Advanced Jewelry Sales course includes four Progress

Evaluations. They come after Lessons 2, 5, 8, and 11. Each
one has three separate components – a Learning Evaluation, a
Training Evaluation, and a Satisfaction Evaluation.

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Bridal Jewelry

In This Lesson:

In the first section of this course (Lessons 2 through 5)

you examined critical variables in advanced jewelry sales –
customers, the buying experience, branding, and dealing with
changes. These variables affect the selling process for fine
jewelry of any kind, but they come together in different ways
with different types of merchandise.
The second section of the course (Lessons 6 through 11)
will focus on specific product categories – bridal, fashion,
men’s designs, custom work, estate jewelry, and fine watches.
Some of these are important for every jewelry retailer. Others
represent possibilities for creating specialized niches in today’s
competitive market. Even if your store doesn’t carry the cate-
gory that’s discussed in a particular lesson, you’ll find things
you can use in selling other types of merchandise.

Advanced Jewelry Sales 6

 For each category you’ll learn:

available and popular.

How important the category is to most “brick-and-mortar”
jewelry retailers, and to the industry as a whole.

income, and other significant markers.

Factors that affect the buying process, and distinctive
behaviors that customers exhibit.
Special approaches and techniques you can use in
presentations.
Unique aspects of follow-up and clienteling.
We’ll start this section with the category that’s most important to
most stores – bridal jewelry.

When you have successfully completed

this lesson, you will be able to:

Identify today’s engagement and anniversary customers.

Explain steps and behaviors in buying bridal jewelry.
Manage the complexities of engagement ring sales.
Increase your sales of wedding and anniversary jewelry.
 By strict traditional definition, bridal jewelry consists of
engagement and wedding rings only. In most stores today,
however, the bridal section also holds anniversary rings, and
perhaps gifts for the bride. It’s where the inventory of unset
diamonds is kept as well.
This lesson will expand the category’s scope to encompass
all types of jewelry that are given and received to celebrate
engagements, weddings, and anniversaries. As you’ll see, this
expanded definition includes most of the merchandise in your
showcases.
Product-wise, the focus will be on women’s “ready to
wear.” Men’s bridal jewelry will be covered in Lesson 8, while
custom jewelry of all kinds is the subject of Lesson 9. But you
can apply much of what you learn in this lesson to selling any
jewelry that will be given as a gift of love.

No matter how you define the category, bridal jewelry is the

Bridal cornerstone of American jewelry retailing. This is also true regard-
less of which statistics you use to measure importance –
jewelry , , , or

is the
.
– Each year there are about 2½
cornerstone million marriages and 56 million anniversaries in the US.

of American
More than 80% of brides receive an engagement ring, 95% of
couples exchange wedding rings, and about 10% of husbands

jewelry – or more than 5½ million – give fine jewelry for their anni-
versary. Thus, the bridal category is built on a solid foundation
retailing. of tradition and demand.
– The bridal category accounts for more
than 1/4 of the value of all fine jewelry sold nationwide. For
diamond jewelry sales, engagements and anniversaries are
each as big as the year-end holidays.
 – Sales of just the traditional
bridal components – engagement and wedding rings
– generate more than 1/3 of the average American
jewelry store’s yearly revenue. For many stores the
contribution is over 1/2, and for some it’s nearly 100%.
– Bridal sales are almost certain
to grow in the future. The Millennial generation
will produce a steady rise in the annual number of
weddings over the next decade. The divorce rate is also
declining and people are living longer, which means
more couples will be celebrating bigger anniversa-
ries. Further potential comes from the fact that many
married women have never received fine jewelry for
their anniversary.

Rings have been given as tokens of love and commitment for thousands
of years. At different times, they’ve been made of various metals as well as
less durable materials like leather, wood, and even plant fiber.
History first records a diamond engagement ring in the 1400s. For centu-
ries after that, diamond engagement rings belonged mainly to royal courtship.
They began appearing in the US in the late 1800s, and became a mainstream
American tradition by the 1950s.
Today about 84% of US brides receive a diamond engagement ring. By
some estimates, diamond engagement rings account for more than 1/2 the
total value of the entire bridal jewelry market.
When customers choose diamond engagement rings, the most important
features are usually the, the
, the, and the.

The diamond engagement ring carries tremendous meaning, and its

form is iconic. As a result, the engagement ring isn’t as strongly affected by
fashion as other types of jewelry. However, there’s still room for distinctive-
ness and individuality. The basic form has also evolved over the years, and
new styles have been added from time to time.
 Much of this is due to designer creativity, industry initiatives, and
shifts in consumer taste. Other changes have come from advances in
technology. Some experts also say that engagement rings are growing
more varied because of brides’ increasing influence in purchase deci-
sions.
Most engagement rings sold today can be divided into five design
categories – , ,
, , and .
– The classic diamond solitaire ring is a
single diamond with a prong setting in a simple band of precious
metal. This remains the most popular version of the design.
Modern variations may have different setting styles – bezel or
tension, for example – but most don’t stray far from the original
concept. For many years diamond solitaires topped the charts in
engagement sales. They’re still purchased by customers of all
ages, but today only about 1/3 of brides choose or receive them.

– Essentially a solitaire
embellished with smaller diamonds, this is now the
favorite engagement design with most age groups.
More than 1/2 of brides currently receive a diamond
solitaire with accents. There are countless variations.
In many, the center diamond is flanked by smaller
diamonds of the same or complimentary shape. Other
styles feature clusters or short rows of melee on either
side of the center. Small diamond or colored gemstone
melee may also be set partway or completely around
the ring’s shank.
– Originally created for anniver -
saries, three-diamond jewelry made its debut in 2000.
The concept is defined by three diamonds of significant
size representing the past, present, and future of a rela-
tionship. The concept has been applied to other jewelry
forms, but the symbolism of the three-diamond ring
appeals to many younger brides. As a result, about 1 in
10 diamond engagement rings fall in this category.
 – Rings with diamond clusters are a little
more popular than three-diamond designs, and they’re chosen
by customers of all ages. To some they have an old-fashioned
charm. For customers with limited budgets, cluster rings offer
high visual impact combined with affordable cost.

– Band-type designs usually have one or two rows of small

diamonds across the top of the ring. The eternity ring, which features a complete
circle of diamonds, also fits in this category. Research shows that band designs
gain appeal as women age. This may reflect the fact that many older brides
are beginning second or third marriages, and want an engagement ring that’s
different from what they previously received.

A single diamond is the centerpiece of most engagement rings, and

also the biggest factor in cost. So, its characteristics are a top concern.
When questioned specifically about the diamond, most customers
rate all four Cs about the same in importance. But in decisions about
the ring as a whole, cut shape and carat weight stand out.
– The round brilliant has been the preferred cut shape
and style for more than a century, and it’s still chosen by about 1/2
of all brides and grooms. Another frequent pick is the marquis cut,
and princess cuts have been gaining favor in recent years.
– Increasing carat weight is another trend in
engagement ring diamonds. Currently the average range for the
center diamond is about 1/2 to 1 carat. Accents may add up to
another 1/2 carat or more. This usually puts the total carat weight at
about 1 to 1½ carats.

Gold has been the metal of choice for engagement rings for more
than 500 years, and it continues to hold that status today. About 1/2 of
all brides and grooms decide on yellow gold. But over the last decade,
more and more have been choosing white gold instead.
 The growing demand for white gold is part of a long-term
trend that includes other white metals such as platinum, and more
recently palladium. (Silver is rarely used for diamond engagement
rings.)
One reason for the white metal trend is symbolism. The color
white is associated with purity in Western culture. White metals
also enhance the appearance of colorless and near-colorless
diamonds.
Another factor behind white gold’s increasing popularity has
been the resurgence of platinum. Since the 1990s, platinum has
been promoted as the ideal metal for bridal jewelry – especially
diamond engagement rings. As a result, about 1/3 of brides now
wish for their rings to be made of platinum.
But platinum is much more expensive than karat gold, and this
creates a price barrier for many customers. Those who can afford
it often choose platinum. Others opt for white gold as a more
affordable alternative.

The cost
One more engagement ring trend is increasing price. Market
of an research indicates that the average cost of a diamond engagement

engagement ring more than doubled between 2005 and 2010. But most brides
and grooms spend less than the average, while a small group spends
ring more – and a few spend much more.

more than In many markets, most customers shopping for engagement

rings are in their 20s. They’re at an early stage in their careers and
doubled have relatively low earning levels. As a result, they also have small
budgets for their engagement rings.
between On the other hand, engagement rings for second or third
2005 marriages are often much higher in cost than those for first
marriages – on average, about 60% more. And “upgrade” engage-
and ment rings (same wife, second ring) can be very expensive.

2010.
Other Engagement Gems

M ost engagement rings feature “white” (colorless or near-colorless) diamonds of nat-

ural origin. But those aren’t the only possibilities. Some customers choose
or even

– Although diamonds are now the

“standard,” colored gemstones have always had a place
in engagement rings. Today about 5% of brides receive
a ring in which a colored gem is central. Many diamond
engagement rings also have gemstone accents.

– In 2002 actor Ben Affleck

started an instant trend when he gave actress-singer
Jennifer Lopez an engagement ring set with a 6-carat pink

colors like pink or blue, a growing number are opting for

affordable yellows and browns. Treatments put even the
rarest hues within reach of many pocketbooks.

– Synthetic diamonds didn’t

appear on the jewelry market until the 1990s. But they’ve
already found a niche in engagement rings. Since most
synthetics are fancy colors, they’re part of the trend
toward colored diamonds. However, “white” synthetics
are becoming more available too. As synthetics become
more plentiful and familiar, their share of the market is
almost certain to grow.

– Few couples pick CZ or

another diamond simulant as a permanent choice
for their engagement ring. But some do this for a
“placeholder” ring. The meaning and emotion can be
just as great as with a real diamond. A placeholder
purchase also represents the potential for an upgrade at
some time in the future.
 A wedding symbolizes the union of two lives, and for most
couples the exchange of rings is a focal point of the ceremony.
Wedding rings are typically worn by both partners in the
marriage. Besides love, they usually denote a legal commitment
and perhaps a religious or spiritual bond as well. rings often
For many people, this multiple function gives wedding rings denote
even greater symbolism than engagement rings. It also makes
them even more resistant to style variations and the influence of a spiritual
fashion. bond.
Nevertheless, customers do have choices when it comes to
wedding ring , , and . is another
variable.
– Wedding rings range from narrow rings to wide
bands, and from plain metal circles to richly carved, gem-orna-
mented creations. Younger brides tend to prefer fancier rings, but
the choice really depends on personal taste and budget. In many
cases, simple rings are eventually upgraded to more expensive
designs.
– Some bride’s rings are made only of metal, but most
feature gems of some kind. Almost 3/4 are set with diamonds.
Other possibilities include colored gems, fancy color diamonds,
and synthetic diamonds.
– Most brides opt for gold, but many prefer white gold
even if their engagement ring is made of yellow gold. Platinum
is favored by many brides, and palladium is a newcomer that’s
gaining an audience.
– Most brides and grooms purchase their wedding
rings separately. The rings are usually selected on the basis of
personal preference and budget. They don’t have to match each
other or the bride’s engagement ring. But matching is an option.
The most frequent choice is a wedding duo – a wedding ring that
matches the engagement ring. Another possibility is the trio – two
wedding rings that coordinate with the design of the engagement
ring. Some couples decide on wedding rings that match each other
but not the bride’s engagement ring.
Additional Wedding Jewelry

I n addition to the proposal and ceremony, a wedding can produce smaller occasions,
settings, or circumstances that are appropriate for giving and receiving jewelry.
Many couples exchange gifts the night before the wedding, the morning of the event,
or after the festivities are over. Jewelry is a frequent choice for this intimate moment
– especially the groom’s gift to the bride.
In the weeks before or after the Big Day, the bride is likely to receive gifts – perhaps
including jewelry – from her parents, other family members, in-laws, or friends. She may
also give jewelry to her bridesmaids.
Along the way, the bride might treat herself to jewelry too. Maybe she’ll do this to
accessorize her wedding dress or an outfit she’ll wear to other functions. Or perhaps it
will be part of a personal celebration of her life and the wonderful thing that’s happen-
ing in it.

An anniversary is the day each year when two married or mutually

committed people celebrate the life and special relationship they share.
Apart from engagements and weddings, anniversaries are among the
three favorite occasions for giving and receiving fine jewelry. (The other
two are birthdays and the year-end holidays.)
The potential selection for anniversary gifts includes diamond rings
and other types of diamond jewelry – plus almost everything else in
your showcases.

Diamond jewelry is the most popular choice for anniversaries – and

rings are the very top picks. These include
, , , and
.
– As you’ve already seen,
many customers eventually purchase upgrade engagement or
wedding rings. Enhancers, guards, and wraps for solitaires offer
added possibilities.
 – For decades, a favorite gift for anni-
versaries has been the diamond anniversary ring. This is essen-
tially the same as many band-type designs used for engage-
ment and wedding rings. One version – the eternity ring – was
created specifically for anniversaries, but consumers adopted it
for other bridal occasions too.
– Rings with fewer but larger diamonds have always
been high on the list of anniversary gifts. In recent years, their symbolism
has been enriched by the three-diamond ring with its “Past, Present, Future”
message.
– Another choice is the diamond right-hand ring.
This style is defined as any ring that’s worn on the right hand and features
at least one significant diamond. Introduced in 2003, the concept was devel-
oped for women self-purchasers. But men quickly identified it as a great
gift idea, and now purchase more than 2/3 of all right-hand rings.

While rings are most popular, anniversary diamonds can deliver

their messages in other forms, such as earrings, necklaces, bracelets,
and pins. Sill more possibilities are supplied by
and in your showcases.
This concept was created especially for
anniversaries and other gift occasions. Journey jewelry is available
in earring and pendant designs. It features diamonds of gradu-
ated sizes that symbolize how love grows over time. Introduced
in 2006, Journey quickly became one of the best-selling diamond
jewelry design categories, and one of the most popular anniversary
gifts.
– As varied and appealing as it is, diamond
jewelry doesn’t provide the only choices for anniversary gifts.
Almost every item in your store – colored gemstones, cultured
pearls, watches, metal-only, new, custom, or estate – is something
a husband might purchase for an anniversary, and a wife would be
happy to receive.