After the holiday jewelry-shopping sprees are over, what’s going to drive more traffic into your stores? That’s a question we’ve been posing to a number of experts in the luxury jewelry business, and the short answer is: affordable luxury. Give women more reasons to come into your jewelry store when they need a little wardrobe boost. One way to do that is to follow the lead of a growing number of savvy independents and add more silver jewelry to your inventory. We asked Isabel Cajulis of the Silver Promotion Service (Shown below) to tell us more about this retail trend and how it can boost your post-holiday jewelry sales.

DPA: Why do you think silver is going to hit that hot button and bring more people into jewelry stores?
Isabel Cajulis: The landscape is changing and you can access jewelry from lots of different places—not just the jewelry store. Silver jewelry not only fits into the luxury category, the great price point can help retailers in this competitive market and bring in younger customers. Also, our own research has shown that the more affordable price tag has helped retailers with the all-important female self-purchase. That’s one of the top categories in silver demographics.

DPA: What else drives silver purchases?
IC: Silver jewelry is a great product for e-commerce. The price is not super-high so people feel more comfortable buying it online. For any retailer who has been slow to get into e-commerce, silver is a good way to do it. You can also give customers the option to buy online and pick up their purchase at the store.
And don’t forget, silver is also great for gifting. You can get something very special in silver without spending a lot. And of course, silver is still popular for bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts.

DPA: Beyond the big names in silver design such as Lagos, John Hardy, and David Yurman, are there any up-and-coming designers that should be on our radar.
IC: All of these brands have a great reach and aesthetic that resonates with consumers, but in the last few years more retailers selling high-end jewelry have started to bring in other designers.

DPA: Which new designers do you think are doing innovative things with silver?
IC: Alex Woo’s cute silver pendants, icons and charms are all about personalization and customization, which has been very popular with consumers. She’s had a great response to her e-commerce business as well as in retail stores. She also has a tremendous social media fan base, which helps drive jewelry sales.

Phillip Gavriel has a classic European-style aesthetic, incorporating scrolls and gemstones in inventive ways. Important for jewelers to note: His collections offers a huge variety from bold statement pieces to everyday styles, which invites customers to come back to the same designer, getting something at higher and lower price points.

And finally, Samuel Benham’s hand-crafted pieces, sold under the brand Samuel B., are made in Bali. They not only have a beautiful, exotic feel to them, his styles, including nice ear climbers, stacking bracelets, and double/triple finger rings—tend to be on the trendier side, which appeals to younger customers.

DPA: Speaking of trends, one of the biggest trends in jewelry fashion right now is mixing metals. Do you see that continuing?
IC: Yes, mixing and matching is a powerful trend in that women are mixing high-end pieces with more affordable items and this can be used to retail advantage. Silver and gold—yellow, rose, or white—go great together. And oxidized silver, which looks black, is gaining in popularity. It also can be mixed with gold or platinum for an edgier feel.

DPA: What else is trending in silver jewelry?
IC: Jewelry trends tend to follow apparel trends, so for spring we’ll be seeing more cut-out designs and lots of florals and other organic motifs. Ear climbers are still trending, but we’ll also see more shoulder-sweeping dangles. And silver will be mixed with calmer pastel gemstones following the Pantone pink and blue color palette.

Bottom line: Be thinking ahead to spring sales! Silver is a great metal for the summer season, working well with the lighter pastels and sand tones of women’s wardrobes. So smart retailers should be looking beyond those big-purchase occasions, such as weddings, and stocking more affordable silver jewelry items, which are so appealing to women making that self-purchase.

Jewelry shown from left to right: Turquoise drop earrings The Samuel B. Collection, Frederic Duclos Dangle Earrings, Alex Woo Little Faith Angel, and Phillip Gavriel bangle bracelets.