Selling love: Jewelry Whether It’s Flashy or Sedate, Jewelry Equals Love
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- Published on Tuesday, 01 January 2013 09:42
- Written by Paul Gordon
For decades, perhaps even centuries, men have known there is one gift item with which they can never go wrong: jewelry.
With few exceptions, the gift of jewelry equates to love and happiness, local jewelers said.
“We are selling happiness, no question about it,” said Bob Woolsey, co-owner of Jones Bros. Jewelers in Peoria. “We are holding a person’s hand through a very important time in their life. When you’re in this business you can’t help but love what you do.”
Curt Stubbs, co-owner of Potter & Anderson Jewelry, said trends and styles may change and prices may vary piece to piece, but one thing remains constant: the sentimental value it brings to the giver and recipient.
“Things of value have value. I mean, what is the one thing people will run back into a burning house to get? Their jewelry. So it is not as frivolous as some may seem to think,” Stubbs said.
“But it’s more than that, the value it brings to a person’s heart, to their life,” he added.
To illustrate the point, Stubbs said many are surprised to learn that the jewelry industry doesn’t suffer badly in a down economy. Even his grandfather, who founded Potter & Anderson and guided it through the depression, learned that men would put off buying small items so they could save their money to buy their wives a nice piece of jewelry for an anniversary or Christmas. “It meant so much more to them because it was so unexpected. You just can’t really put a price tag on that,” he said.
Woolsey said Americans are “very much a consumption society in that we like to spend money on nice things. And if you’re in love, what better time to spend it on jewelry?”
He noted there are plenty of opportunities to do that, usually starting with an engagement ring, then anniversary gifts and, of course, Valentine’s Day. The latter two, Woolsey said, “are consistent gift-giving events. Any piece is popular; whatever she wants works best.”
Men are usually the buyer if it’s a gift that signifies love. But that’s only because of their nature, Woolsey said. “Women would love to buy their men jewelry, but as a rule men don’t want much more than their wedding ring and a watch. Maybe cuff links for men who still like to dress up for work or special occasions,” he said.
The men who are most successful in making their ladies feel most special are the ones who pay attention to what they like best. “Girls like to sparkle and the guys that really get it like to make sure they do sparkle,” Woolsey said. “When it comes to anniversaries, the guys who do the best by their ladies are the ones who take it seriously.”
Woolsey and Stubbs agreed that an engagement ring is probably the single most important jewelry purchase a man will make. “We’re ready to help them with whatever they need to find the right piece, the ring they know their girl will love and be proud of,” Stubbs said.
“We will work within their budgets, of course, but we also want to make sure they get something that is not only beautiful but will hold up because it is something that will be worn every day,” he said.
Woolsey said it’s important that a young man “gets it right” when he proposes marriage. So, he is writing a book on the subject. “It’s about the perfect proposal. I want to assist guys through the process and make sure they are doing it right because the delivery of the proposal is just as important as the engagement ring. The confidence a woman has in her man is huge when it comes to how it all is presented,” he said.
Basing the still-untitled book, which will be available after the first of the year, on his 16 years of experience helping men through the process, Woolsey said a jeweler can become one of the most important people in a person’s life from that moment on.
“Trust is a very important key in selecting who you want to guide you through those important moments in your life,” he said.
Trust in a jeweler is also important when it comes to keeping up with trends, Stubbs said. And trends can change quickly in this industry.
“Trends and styles change all the time. Something can be in vogue one day then when several items in that style have been sold it moves on to something else. We try to keep up and I think we do a good job with it,” he said.
That is true of any jewelry, not just engagement or wedding rings, he added. “Necklaces, bracelets, earrings — they all have their styles and they change. Women want to be in style, for the most part. We’ve been selling items with a little more color lately, for example. But that could change tomorrow,” he said.
Woolsey said white gold or any white metal is most popular today and an antique look also is trendy now. “We keep up. We have to; it’s a competitive business,” he said.
It’s also a fun business. “How can you not enjoy making people happy?” he asked.
Said Stubbs, “It’s an interesting business, to be sure. But it is a lot of fun because usually people are buying something from us that is for a happy occasion. We like helping to make somebody else happy.”
