The mood for this year? Cautious optimism, according to many. With gold prices up, tariffs still in place, and world wars still raging, U.S. retailers certainly aren’t making Costco-size orders. They’re buying wisely.

“Retailer concerns for spring tend to center around pricing sensitivity and inventory discipline, but many are leaning into proven categories with high turn and strong storytelling rather than chasing trends,” explains Eric Lux, president of Rembrandt Charms. “Charm jewelry remains a strong performer due to its emotional value and repeat-purchase nature.”

Goldstar Jewellery

Simran Shah, vice president of sales and company principal for Kama Jewelry, agrees.

“Consumers remain selective, but continue to invest in pieces that feel personal, wearable daily, and giftable,” he observes. “Retailers are closely watching gold price sensitivity and are prioritizing lighter-weight construction, flexible price tiers, and faster inventory turns.”

And despite issues around gold, the interest in that category has not decreased.

Consumers are drawn to “accessible gold gift items, charm jewelry, petite diamond-in-gold styles, sentimental motifs, and layering pieces at approachable price points,” adds Shah.

It’s a phenomenon that Quality Gold, too, sees happening.

“Units are down but dollars are either up or flat,” says Jeff Wynkoop, specialized sales executive for Quality Gold. “The dollars are still out there, and as we learned in 2020, no matter the conditions, birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings are still happening.”

As a reflection of market conditions, Quality Gold now has gold-filled jewelry offerings, which it didn’t have a year ago. Cora Lee, marketing director and senior merchandiser for the company, says it anticipated the need. About 30% of the company’s inventory is manufactured stateside, so that portion gets a free pass on tariffs when the gold ingot is imported because Americans will make those jewels. By the time the Las Vegas show happens in early June, Quality Gold is hoping that its new jewelry manufacturing facility in Fairfield, Ohio, will be open for business.

“We are receiving close to about $30 million worth of machinery now,” notes Wynkoop. “We’re hoping that we will be producing more of our chains there by [the JCK show].”

Lab-grown diamond jewelry maker ALTR sees a value proposition for the year as well. Founder Amish Shah sees growth in high-fashion styles under $1,000 that are particularly strong for gifting seasons and in pieces that retail for $6,000 and greater.

“It’s the middle consumer who’s balancing their pocketbook with what they should purchase with whatever money they have who are the ones that are impacting that middle segment of our business,” he says. “This is a clear analysis I am collecting from all the retailers that we do business with, which are mid- to better-end retailers.”

His clients reveal that pre-owned watches were a boon to sales, as were gold and lab-grown bridal rings and stud earrings.

“Yellow gold is becoming an important conversation,” he says. “About a third of our sales today are yellow gold.”

Kama Jewelry

When he looks at the rest of his unit sales, he sees about 80% of center diamonds in engagement rings are lab grown. This year he expects nearly 80% of all new fashion jewelry to feature lab grown diamonds. And in stud earrings, about 75% will contain lab-grown diamonds.

Past figures showed that a third of all studs were lab and two-thirds were mined diamonds but that has changed because for the price of one carat in earth mined, “consumers get almost twice the size of diamond in a beautiful pair of earrings,” he says.

Another challenge for merchants? Keeping up with price changes in gold inventory. Previously, retailers could update price once a quarter but not these days.

“Now people are recalculating prices on an almost biweekly basis,” reveals Wynkoop.