Setting up your Pearl Department

It took us many years to finally get our pearl department where it is today, but it is now one of our most profitable showcases.  We devote one showcase to mostly Akoya pearls, with just a few Tahitian and south sea pearl pieces and a couple of spectacular freshwater pearl pieces.

In Akoya pearl necklaces we carry these price points: $349, $449, $499, $599, $799, $999, $1299, $1499, $1995

These are 18” necklaces finished with 14k clasps.  At least one in each figure—we usually have two in the lower price ranges and three strands of Crown pearls.

If you will stock a dozen strands priced comparably to this—I think your pearl sales will soar—ours have quadrupled in the last three years since instituting this.  It took us 18 months to sell our first crown strand, but we have now sold four in one year.  No one in our area is able to compete with our pearl selection—they may have more pearls, but they don’t have the right variety.  You need all these prices to sell most people.  Key note:  Reorder when they sell—you cannot let your stock get down to 6 strands and expect to keep selling.

You need to carry at least:  one single strand bracelet and one double strand bracelet.  I would also carry at least one bracelet in crown quality—you will have to work on what is best for you—we have sold the double strand without diamond four times.

You need to have a basic earring and pendant unit.  Ours starts at 4mm in two different qualities, fine and extra fine and goes to 8mm.  If you use a unit, it is again easy to see what you sell and reorder.

I think you need at least one Tahitian pearl strand, and 2 or three beautiful, reasonably priced pieces to go with it.  We like to carry basics in this along with a couple of rings.

You need to carry at least 6 to 8 rings—we break ours up into small groupings mixed in with the pearls.  We carry both white and yellow gold—ask your vendor what their best sellers are and work with them to get rings that sell and you like.

The above were what I believe are the “must haves”—other things that I like to carry are:

One or two pearl pins—one classic and one contemporary or fun.

Some high fashion pieces—read your fashion magazines—like In Style and Lucky—they help me to pick out those pieces—we have done well with long chain looks with pearls this year and very well with pearls set in pink and white gold.  There are some great looks in freshwater and silver that are extremely reasonable—we are also selling the threader style earrings with pearls.

We also have a baby unit for baby’s first pearls—it is with our children’s jewelry and not in our pearl case—we find that people come in looking for baby jewelry specifically and not with the other jewelry.