Silver can provide a striking appearance at a fraction of the cost of gold in many cases. And some of the industry's most beloved brands are fans of it. So they offer a plethora of stunning silver jewellery.
But in a consumer world that is often concerned with prestige, is silver enough? Emili Vesilind, co-host of the Rough Cut jewelry podcast, impressed me with her thoughts on Substack about how to present and sell silver to customers.
Certainly, it is often the least expensive metal and economically less valuable than gold. But that means it must also have less value. Vesilind argues that using the «demi-fine» label for silver (and we're not talking about gold-plated silver or vermeil, which are accurately categorized in this way) is not the treatment this precious metal deserves.
«Most jewelry enthusiasts I've talked to on this topic consider demi-fine vermeil or gold-plated gold pieces. To them, calling silver «demi-fine» is actually misleading. And it ultimately hurts retailers because the label implies that silver is not «precious jewelry». It is demi. It is lightweight precious jewelry,» Vesilind writes.
«And given the explosive growth of the silver jewellery category - fuelled by renewed interest in collectible silver jewellery from designers such as Elsa Perretti for Tiffany & Co, Vivianna Torun Bülow-Hübe, Georg Jensen and Margot de Taxco - is a pretty weak excuse to persist,» Vesilind continues. «According to Jewelers Collective, 53% of jewelry retailers reported an increase in silver jewelry sales in 2024, compared to 2023.».
The fact that something is a less expensive alternative does not make it «cheap». Silver jewelry can be rich in both style and substance. As evidenced by the pieces featured here.
You know a good piece of silver jewellery when you hold it in your hands. It's smooth, cold and has a heavy feel that is sublime.
Putting chunky silver jewellery in your windows is also a good strategy for the holiday season. As Gen Z seems to be obsessed with everything from the 90s and early 2000s. Who can blame them?;
Source: jckonline.com
