Is it possible to judge whether or not the price of silver commodities will affect the consumer’s ability to purchase silver jewelry? The answer is a resounding yes! The reason that the price of silver will affect the consumer’s ability to purchase silver jewelry is that the jewelry manufacturer’s will have to pay more for the silver and they will pass that expense on to the wholesaler who will pass it on to the retailer who will finally pass it on to the consumer.
To think that the price of silver has nothing to do with the price of silver jewelry at Cartier or Tiffany would be like saying that the price of gas at the pump is not affected by price of crude oil. The simple premise is that everyone will pass the buck when it comes to higher prices. If the price of the raw material (i.e. gold, silver, aluminum) goes up, that price hike will be passed on. However, if the price of the raw material goes down, the manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer have a choice to make. Do they keep the price the same and keep more profit or do they drop the price and try to get more costumers by volume. The answer is neither one. In fact, the market will determine the price that can be offered to the end consumer because there are so many players in the market.
For example, if Lee’s silver jewelry gets his silver for $10 per lot and decides to offer the silver to his customer for $15 per piece, he stands to make a 50% profit (all else being equal). However, if Tom’s silver jewelry decides to sell his silver for $12 per piece then Lee is going to be sitting on his silver jewelry while Tom gets all the volume. And if Tom gets all the volume then Lee will be out of business.
If you are familiar with fashion jewelry, you know that it’s not only part of your jewelry portfolio but it’s also an expression of fashion. You are making a fashion statement when you wear fashion jewelry. We all know that fashion jewelry is a part of society that is here to stay. There are few people who can afford the three-carat diamond necklaces from Tiffany but buying a simple heart ring with a paste stone is much easier. However, there are millions who can afford a fashion necklace or fashion bracelet from Kohl’s, Ross or TJ Max. But just because you wear fashion jewelry does not mean that you don’t wear your fine jewelry pieces as well.
I have a personal bias to fashion jewelry because it allows for my creativity and imagination to take flight, without the checkbook taking over. There are so many places to buy fashion jewelry on the cheap. But don’t confuse cheap with cheap quality. It would take me hours, even days, to search through all the online stores that sell fashion jewelry. And like I said previously, Kohl’s, Ross and TJ Max (and even Marshalls) are great places to buy fashion jewelry if you do not feel comfortable buying online. It’s not to say that you are worried about using your credit card online, but there is something to say about going into a store so you can touch and feel the fashion jewelry for yourself.
If you are not experienced with buying fashion jewelry online, you may try sticking with some of the major brands. In fact, you may want to start by shopping at places like Target.com or Walmart.com. Of course, you can also go to the other department store websites mentioned above. The next step after you have found the best place to buy your fashion jewelry is to figure out which jewelry will go best with your wardrobe. Remember to pay attention to detail and use your creativity and imagination.
