Commentary: The Business

Why It’s a Great Idea to Embrace Unconventional Color

Bright gemstones shake up the showroom and forge customer connections, says this store manager.

Published

3 months ago

May 22, 2023

Beth Greene Instore June 2023 Issue

AS A SMALL LOCAL business, we carry traditional lines with classic gemstones that most consumers know and love, including ruby, emerald and sapphire. However, the fashion industry brings much-needed energy and excitement this season to our store with ’80s-reminiscent trends and bold pops of color. It’s a fun distraction from looming recession talk, bringing us as jewelers back to our roots and passion and reminding us of the reasons we got into the business in the first place: for the love of jewelry and the stories it tells.

The bright, energetic colors in the jewelry industry right now are inspiring. We love the vivid magentas, hot pinks and oranges we see everywhere. The pop of color brings excitement to the sales floor and the opportunity to educate our customers and sales team on gemstones they wouldn’t traditionally purchase or sell.

For example, our customers are used to seeing sapphire in rich blue hues, but most have no idea that it comes in almost every color of the rainbow, including their favorite Barbie pinks, hot oranges and vibrant yellows. Likewise, most customers know that garnet is the January birthstone, but rarely have they seen the eye-popping color of a mandarin garnet or the gorgeous purplish-red rhodolite garnet. We’re incorporating these beautiful colors into our cases, turning colorful multi-stone rings, earrings and necklaces into conversation pieces. As a result, our customers are connecting with our sales team on a deeper level and building trust. These colorful pieces stand out; they are unique and new, indicative of a trend-setting store with constantly evolving pieces.

Standing out from the crowd is especially important to our store because of our volume of female self-purchasers. So many customers don’t “love” their birthstone and have difficulty finding something they like. We get to change that for them! We’re working with customers to incorporate their personalities and flair into their wardrobes by pairing rich purple amethyst with bright pink sapphire and swapping out traditional brown-red garnets for luxurious tsavorites. By creating custom designs and educating our customers on their color options, we create an experience they haven’t gotten elsewhere. From pops of color in our decor, to our nails, lipstick, and clothing, to the jewelry we’re wearing from our favorite vendors, we’re jumping on the color train.

Choose the Easy Way to Retire with Wilkerson

After 47 years in business, Jim Saylor, owner of Jim Saylor Jewelers in Kapa’a, Hawaii, knew retiring successfully meant holding a going-out-of-business sale. He also knew he needed help to do it right. He chose Wilkerson. “I’ve heard a lot of different names of companies that do this type of thing,” says Saylor. “Wilkerson’s always seems to be in the forefront.” Saylor says the Wilkerson folks really cared about the success of the sale, making the next phase of his life a lot easier. “I’d recommend Wilkerson to anybody contemplating a change,” he says. “They are true experts.”