Jewelry sales boom right around Valetine's Day, accounting for more spending — $5.8 billlion in 2020 — than chocolate and flowers combined for the holiday.
Whether it's an engagement ring or earrings for a longtime love, choosing jewelry for another person can be tricky.
With Valentine's Day coming up Sunday, Feb. 14, we talked to Cathy Bradford, co-owner of the family-owned King's Jewelry, for advice.
When choosing jewelry for someone else, what should the gift buyer consider?
We ask what other jewelry the recipient wears frequently to get a good understanding of their metal and stone preferences. We can use this information to find something that would complement their other jewelry pieces. We also ask questions about their lifestyle to get an idea of the style of jewelry they might like.
How can a jewelry store help an undecided gift buyer? Do you give suggestions or guidance, or do you ask certain questions?
Once we have an idea of the style of jewelry the recipient wears, we can begin to show the buyer possible options. We could also suggest various popular styles within the buyer's budget and see which one stands out to them.
What mistakes to gift buyers make and how can they avoid those?
We always hope that the recipient loves the gift they receive but we realize, sometimes, they would have selected something different. If someone gives a gift, and it is not perfect for the recipient, we will work with them to find something they love! This makes it easier on the buyer because they know there is little risk when selecting a piece of jewelry at King's Jewelry.
King's Jewelry is at 609 King St. in Old Town Alexandria. Learn more at kingsjewelry.net.