Jewelry Shopping Guide for 2020
We all know this year is different from any other we’ve experienced in our lifetimes. 2020 was supposed to be the year AMAZING things were gonna happen. It was supposed to be the year everyone would remember, but instead became the year that everyone wants to forget.
In mid March, the world was put on PAUSE. Everything as we knew it changed. Covid-19 became a household word spoken around the world. The new way of showing people you cared for them was staying away from them. From a personal perspective, as a mother of six school aged children, this was a murderous period. By end of April I was telling my spouse He had better be getting me something AMAZING by the time this was all over. I mean, we’re eight people living in a tiny New York home. (Honestly, I don’t think any size home would be large enough to maintain our mental and emotional health at the time).
But here we are, 9 months later.
And we’ve made this far. We’ve changed the way we do almost every single thing in our lives. Homes have turned into schools and offices. Cars have turned into restaurants. A hand shake, a simple gesture that can be more informative to people than a whole host of grand speeches had instantaneously turned deadly. We cover every inch of our bodies so as not to spread or contract this deadly virus. Hundreds of thousand lost to Covid-19. Even one of our very own, Yuri who was an employee. So much has happened, and so much has changed. But its just this kind of emotion that compels us to show the ones we love our gratitude for everything they been through, and are still going through. The Holiday season is a time show those close to us just how much we appreciate all the hard work they do every single day during these unprecedented times.
Now, we know everyone wants to get something amazing for their loved ones, but we do need to bear in mind that because of the Covid Pandemic, production in almost every segment of the economy has SLOWED down.
Once upon a time, (about nine months ago) you could have walked into a store (unmasked and without an appointment) and ordered a bespoke (custom) piece of Jewelry, and had it ready in 2 weeks or less. Today, things are a little different. Ordering a custom made ring or earrings today will take a little longer. That’s why this year’s Jewelry Buying Guide is a little different than any other year. Instead of it being a list of option, like diamond studs for your mom, or an eternity band for your wife, or a diamond solitaire pendant for your daughter…it’s going to be more like a deadline guide.
Here’s what I mean.
Eternity band-
Since eternity bands are made to fit a specific finger size, the cut off for that would be End of November, in order to have it in time for the holidays. Yes, yes…you might get lucky and have that perfect stock sized finger, but why take chances.
Engagement Rings-
We always tell our clients that they should have their engagement ring components figured out at least 6 weeks before the planned proposal. Since the Holiday Season is also known as Engagement Season, we’d recommend having things sorted out by early to mid-November. Earlier I mentioned the word “components” and what that meant was the actual components of the ring. These are comprised of the Diamond or center stone, and the setting that will be holding it. Many times it can take a few attempts to find the perfect diamond or center stone you love. Other times, it can be your lucky day and you pick the right one from the get go…. but again, why take chances. Leave yourself ample time to make an educated and unrushed decision.
Also, provide yourself with ample time for the execution of the ring to be completed. We have thousands of semi mountings ready to be paired up with the diamond or center stone of your choice, but there’s always that slight chance you might want something slightly tweaked to make it perfect. And that need s time.
Diamond Studs-
I’ve noticed that every year, our number 1 selling product are diamond studs. EVERY SINGLE YEAR! I think it’s mostly because you can’t get it wrong. Who wouldn’t want a pair of shinny headlights on their ears? They’re so easy and versatile which makes them the perfect gift for ANYONE. That’s kinds of the case with earrings in general. They are also the one article of jewelry that you can wait till the last minute to get. Now when I say last minute, I don’t mean to put them in your shopping cart on December 23rd. All I’m saying is that you don’t need to get them tomorrow. You can wait until the first week of December.
That being said, bear in mind that production of EVERYTHING is slowed down. That doesn’t mean just on our end. That includes production of rough material like diamonds and colored stones. So even if you leave yourself ample time, you might run into the issue of shortage of supply. So I can’t stress it hard enough…if you want to get that special someone something special don’t wait till the last minute. This year is different in so many ways.
- Supply is lower than usual.
- Man power is lower than usual.
But demand to get something special for those incredible people in your life has risen.
It has risen because we have seen first-hand what it takes for our moms to run a household. We have seen first-hand what it takes for our dads to maintain consistency in our lives. We have seen first-hand what it takes for nurses and doctors or take care of our sick. We have seen first-hand what it takes for our police and first responders to keep us safe and sound. We have seen first-hand what it takes for our loved ones to take lemons and turn them into lemonade. So here’s your chance to add the ICE to that lemonade.