Posts Tagged ‘Department Stores’

Diamond Jewelry For Men

Saturday, December 26th, 2009

Jewelries, especially diamond jewelries and accessories are commonly associated with women.  But nowadays,  jewelries are also becoming popular among men.  History has showed us the accessorizing is common among men during the early civilizations.  Men would wear rings and pendants bearing their symbols and signs, displaying heir social and class status through them.

Currently, the most common jewelry for men is the groom’s ring.  Over the years,  groom’s ring has become more than just a ring but has become a symbol of the groom’s prosperity and stability.  Men has different preference for their rings, some would like jewelries that are subtle, while others would like intricate rings that will match the bride’s ring. Whatever design, it would surely reflect the personality of the owner.

But men are not just sticking to wedding bands, there are other men’s accessories  which can be defined as jewelries. There are cufflinks, bracelets, money clips, watches and necklaces.  Finding diamond men’s jewelries are not that difficult at all.  There are department stores and retailers where you could buy them.  But online shops are becoming more popular especially they are posting detailed information about the accessories.  

Just like in any women’s jewelry, stones for men are also available in different cuts and colors.  When looking for men’s diamond jewelry always check for the 4 Cs:  cut, color, clarity and carat.  Also check the craftsmanship and the originality of the diamond.  Most men choose an antique jewelry since it is more unique and original in design.  

Men’s diamond jewelries are usually in three kinds of settings, channel, pave and invisible.  Diamonds in channels have the stones in the groove, while those in pave would usually have the stones supported by small prongs. While the invisible setting is ideal since it would make small diamond cuts look bigger. The settings are hidden and stones are supported underneath.  

Aside from the designs, metal bands are also changing.  Yellow gold bands are not the only one used, there are other alternative metals like titanium.  Titanium has become known for its durability and affordability.  Another kind of metal becoming popular is the tungsten carbide.  Tungsten carbide bands would usually have gold and platinum inlays.  

Men’s diamond pendants are more subtle in design compared with women intricately made pendants.  But it never ceases to make an impression.  Diamond studded earrings are another popular feature among men accessories.  It used to be just one stud, but right now a few studs would do.  

Just like women’s diamond jewelries, it is important to care for men’s diamonds.  It should be kept in proper jewelry boxes, cases or pouches and should not be left lying on counter and kitchen tops, along with the keys.  Diamonds even though they are known to be hard stones are still capable of being damaged especially when exposed to extreme temperatures, force and chemicals.

Diamond rings or jewelries are not only great gifts for women, it makes people feel special thus making it also a suitable gift for men.  It may be a very expensive gift but its value would represent the undying and eternal love and devotion.  In relationships, diamond jewelry is a great gift that will symbolize commitment.

Get more complete tips on choosing diamond jewelry, visit: www.diamondjewelry.getmytips.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/diamond-jewelry-for-men-1625936.html

How to Price your Wire jewelry

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

Now you’re in the jewelry business, making lovely pieces and you need to figure out how to price them so that they will actually sell!  Below are some tips on how to set prices.

First of all, as a jewelry artist you need to decide what flavor of designer/jewelry artist you are.  Are you inclined to attract the value shopper who wants something low cost but still attractive or would you rather sell to the middle tier customer who considers jewelry an expression of who they are?  Or maybe your desired customer is the investment type who believes that buying a “brand” is as important as the jewelry itself?  Once you decide which type you are creating for, then you can begin to determine your prices.

The best way to start is to assess the pricing levels of your competitors.  Again, your competitors will fall in the three categories defined already – budget jewelry, quality costume jewelry, and designer jewelry.  Within each category there are various subcategories such as ethnic or regional, artist, handcrafted, semi-precious stones, precious metals, etc.  Search online for the products that are similar to what you craft.  Identify a number of different manufacturers and ask them for pricing.  If you don’t feel comfortable asking, persuade a friend to help you because if you don’t know what the competition is doing you can’t effectively price your product.

Another rule of thumb in manufacturing is to charge five times the cost of production.  Jewelry however usually has an additional 40 – 200% markup beyond this because often there are middle-persons who need to get paid for merchandising the product.  If you don’t have this layer in your sales process then you can compete to garner more sales for a similar product found in boutiques or department stores.

You may choose to sell direct to a retail store but you will see yourself getting paid 20-40% of the actual sales price because of this markup.  Selling online is an effective way to merchandise your jewelry also; however you will need some lessons in building a store and then marketing it.  It will require that you build a recognizable brand, build business and consumer relationships, and pay for advertising and marketing that utilize online tools.

Finally, you can always change the price if it’s not working for you, adjusting it up or down until you find the sweet spot that covers your cost of production, your overhead and a profit.  Also, don’t forget to enjoy this pricing process.  Lowering prices does not necessarily increase sales; sometimes the opposite is true because your jewelry will be seen as more valuable, more in demand, and more compelling to own.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/how-to-price-your-wire-jewelry-1585389.html