The Madness that is March

What a month! March is always hit or miss here in our little retail shop. Last year, a little wobble in the stock market impacted sales. We recovered nicely in April for a strong finish to our snowbird season. This year, an unexpected Iran conflict and some Fed news caused a little disruption. You just never know. In my last article, I predicted gold wouldn’t drop below $4,800/ounce. Oops, how wrong was I? It’s nice to see a little dip, but I don’t expect it to plummet in any way. In fact personally, I took the dip as an incentive to invest in some gold mining stocks. We’ll see how that pans out. No pun intended!

I recently added some fabulous new items to the store for your pleasure. I have a great selection of lab diamond rings. Fashion rings and engagement rings in lab diamonds have proven to be the choice for 9/10 ladies. I had to fight my dad tooth and nail to carry lab jewelry and finally, he is seeing the light. They are gorgeous, and a fraction of the cost of the same design in natural diamonds. The designs are exciting and innovative and not a day goes by without people inquiring about labs. We love to talk about them and sell them. My signature daily wear piece is a 10-carat radiant cut lab diamond on a dainty chain. This piece gets noticed, let me tell you! Keep in mind, I can easily design the signature piece of your dreams. The shape most in demand currently is the oval, so I brought in a nice selection of oval lab diamond pieces. While I have been writing this article, I sold two pairs of three-carat total diamond weight earrings. They are a hot ticket item and I try to always keep them in stock.

A recent fun project I just completed was a sideways cross encrusted with a carat of diamonds. This piece is a showstopper. The client was so pleased with it. It is featured above in the photo. Crosses have proven to be a strong seller this year and my store is stocked with tons of choices. Lab diamonds, natural diamonds, gold or silver, come take a look. Whenever I see one with an unusual design, I grab it. My clients like unique designs and want to stand out from the crowd. I always look out for crosses with distinctive diamond designs. I don’t shy away from big looks either. People either want dainty or something with substance. I hate losing a sale, so I always have a nice selection. Crosses make a great gift for christenings and confirmations now that we are entering the Holy season.

I noticed that my gold hoop earring display was nearly empty. I have a wonderful Italian gold hoop connection. I reached out to him and he helped me replenish my stock with over 20 new pairs of yellow gold hoops in varying sizes and designs. Gold hoop earrings make a great gift item if you are trying to keep the budget under $1,000. Another great aspect of gifting earrings is that they don’t need to be sized! Bracelets and rings can be a little problematic as a surprise gift item, so to be safe, go with a set of earrings.

The new sea life designs I recently added to my display have been doing quite well. The few that sold quickly have been reordered. They really are a must-see. The most loved are the octopus, jellyfish, and fish. As always, the most unique and unusual move quickly. Thanks for proving me right to my Dad! I definitely got a little pushback from that investment. Sealife is always a big seller on our tiny tropical island. I’ve heard from Naples jewelers that the sea life isn’t a big seller for them. For some reason, the Neapolitans lean more towards floral designs. I think it may have something to do with the Botanical Gardens in Naples. Flowers are a tough sell for me for some reason. Marco is very decidedly nautical. The best sellers on Marco are the sand dollar, starfish, and palm tree. The compass has quickly made itself another favorite. All of these charms added to a charm bracelet make a very nice statement!

Speaking of Holy season, a nice alternative to a gift of a cross and chain is a little ID bracelet. These have worked out quite well for people who were afraid the new baby or young child would receive more than one cross. They are available in gold or silver and can be engraved. Order ahead to avoid disappointment! The engraving service can add a week to the lead time sometimes, especially during a season when personalized items are in demand.

That sums up nicely what’s new and shaking at the Harbor Goldsmith. Get in the habit of popping in regularly for a free cleaning and inspection and to peruse the new offerings. I am always adding new inventory. I like to keep it fresh and exciting and I’m not afraid to try new things. Even though my customer base tends to be on the mature side, they still want modern looks. As always, thank you for your support!