Prestige Promenade pearls and sweets
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1200894
46 www.thejewelrybook.com What is Collector Insights? This author takes to the streets of New York City to video interview consumers wearing fi ne jewelry. This department sum- marizes some of this quarterly research. Subscribe to see the videos, all two minutes or less, on www.Youtube.com under the Jennifer Heebner channel or simply click on the Conversations header on www.JenniferHeebner.com. Jewelry has long been a gift of love, a fact reinforced by consumers in recent on-the- street video interviews. In October 2019, this author took to the streets in New York City to interview folks about the most romantic pieces of jewelry they've ever received. Replies are sweet, super sentimen- tal, and inspiring for jewelry retailers to read and remember; jewelry packs an unbeatable emotional punch that no other product could possibly match. Watch "Conversations VI: What is the most romantic piece of jewelry you own?" on JenniferHeebner.com under Conversations or on the JenniferHeebner.com channel on Youtube.com. Conversations VI: What is the most romantic piece of jewelry you own? Not too surprisingly, many romantic pieces are rings—particularly engagement rings— though a few bracelets and a pair of earrings also made the cut. Among twentysomethings, silver was an obvious choice. Macy from Indianapolis, Ind., loves to wear a heart ring in sterling silver made by Pandora that she received from a boyfriend, while Enzo from São Paulo bought commitment rings in sterling silver for himself and his girlfriend of two and a half years. Hers had a stone—though he isn't sure of the gemstone type—while his was plain. He gifted her the ring when their rela- tionship reached the six-month mark. "Hers has some detail on it because it's a woman's ring," he said. Among older shoppers, diamond engage- ment rings were routinely mentioned. Levato from Gettysburg, Pa., has a pair of engage- ment rings featuring narrow baguettes in an eternity style. Elke from Germany has a 2.5 ct. diamond ring that her husband gave to her as an upgrade to her original engagement ring. When she and her spouse married, "He was in the service at the time so he could not afford a 2.5 ct. diamond," she recollected. When he gave her the upgrade, she had it reset into a massive halo style in white gold (and held it up for the camera). Myriam from New York City has her mother's diamond ring, a gift from her father to her mom on their 25th wedding anniversary. The colorless marquise-shape stone is set in plati- num with tapered baguettes on either side. Bracelets were also a popular gift. Jennifer from Elmwood Park, N.J., received a dia- mond one from her husband for Valentine's Day one year. "He gave it to me right before we got married," she said. Anne from New York City recalls a Valentine's Day when she and her husband were in a jewelry store while on vacation. She admired an antique style, and when they left the store, they hopped in a taxi and her husband pulled it out of his pocket. "I was so touched!" she said in warm remembrance. "It was a wrap bracelet with a snake and I still wear it with joy." Meanwhile, Ronda from Houston held up a yellow gold Cartier Love bracelet for the camera. "My husband gave it to me for my 50th birthday," she explained. "And you don't take it on and off, it stays on, which is kind of nice." BY JENNIFER HEEBNER Tokens of Affection Consumers in the city open up about the most romantic pieces of jewelry they've ever received. T O K E N S O F A F F E C T I O N C O L L E C T O R I N S I G H T S Halo-style engagement ring with colorless dia- monds from Hearts On Fire, 617-912-5311, www. heartsonfi re.com Band with French baguette-cut diamonds from Single Stone, 213-892-0772, www.singlestone.com