By Sara Duck
It’s no secret silver jewellery has had some preconceived notions in the past, especially when compared against its costly rival, gold. Maybe your customers still regard the yellow metal as the absolute high-end jewellery standard, something to be gifted for special occasions or handed down as a family heirloom. And maybe they grapple with the concept of silver ever carrying the same high-end cachet that one equates with gold. Yet, with gold continuing to command record-breaking prices, is this finally silver’s time to shine?
“It’s about changing people’s perception of silver,” says Jennifer Shigetomi, co-owner of Toronto’s Matsu Jewellery. “Silver can be as luxurious as gold, but without the exorbitant price tag.”
This precious metal has the amazing versatility to be shaped into bold and pricier pieces, experts say, and more and more designers are doing just that, capitalizing on the high-end silver jewellery market.
“When branded designers expand to silver, consumer confidence in the metal increases and expands the category for all designers,” says Amanda Gizzi, director of consumer communications for U.S.-based Jewelry Information Center (JIC).
Let’s consider high-end silver jewellery’s presence in the market, and whether it can shake off its pesky second-place standing for good.
