Scintillation: This gift-giving season, consumers are opting for gold, gold, gold to make bold statements.
"Yellow gold is huge. Anything in gold," announces Michael Kanoff, owner of Michael's Jewelers. "We're selling tons of gold chains for men, as well as anything in a link or rope chain for guys. As for ladies, we can’t keep paper clip chains in stock."
He says for the first time, in a long time, his staff is selling as much yellow gold as they are white gold. "80s fashion is defiantly back in style," he adds.
Larger-than-life links are among this year's top jewelry trends, as seen on fashion runways, such as Valentino and Hermès. Gold chains are being featured as solo pieces or layered with other, over-the-top pieces.
Michael says lab diamonds are wildly popular, partly because they cost approximately 50% less than mined diamonds.
"Lab grown diamonds have the same chemical and physical properties as mined diamonds. When they're made, they use a natural diamond rough and grow it in a laboratory. They mimic what takes the earth thousands of years to make within a few months. Lab diamonds are better for the environment, and no one's digging into the earth to get to them," explains Michael.
For every 1-carat diamond, he says producers must dig up approximately a ton of earth.
"We're the first retailer in the area to carry lab grown diamonds. We started out carrying just loose diamonds for engagement rings, then it evolved to diamond studs. Now it's the biggest thing in the jewelry industry, and we have lab diamonds in engagement rings, wedding bands and fashion jewelry," Michael says.
As for clients' other requests, radiant cut diamonds are the 'it cut' for 2022, he says. Radiant cut diamonds have straight sides and straight, cut corners. They possess a silhouette shape similar to an emerald shape, but their facets are cut in a more similar way to that of round diamonds. This means that the appearance of the diamond has an effervescent sparkle. Round diamonds are always the No. 1 cut, he adds, and "fancy shapes come and go." He says they're selling radiants this year like crazy.
Jewelry is a family business by trait, with Michael's grandfather being a watchmaker and his father, Lenny, a jeweler by trade who opened Michael’s Jewelers 46 years ago, naming it after his son and future business partner. Current services also include custom designs, watches and jewelry repair.
The team also recently began offering pre-owned, luxury designer handbags. They buy, sell and trade the handbags in-store.
"My goal is to be visionary, to stay a step, or two, ahead of competitors with offerings and updated assortments. We've committed ourselves to be the first in our region to carry new jewelry options, and customers appreciate that," Michael says.
1619 Big Oak Road, Yardley
215.944.5900
JewelryByMJ.com
Established in 1976, this family-owned/operated business provides a beautiful array of jewelry, such as fine diamonds, watches, engagement rings, bridal rings, wedding bands, necklaces, bracelets and custom pieces. They also handle repairs for watches and jewelry.
"Lab diamonds are wildly popular, and we're the first retailer in the area to carry them," reveals Michael Kanoff, owner of Michael's Jewelers.
