Top Selling Gold Bracelets
January 12, 2009 by Tierra Wilson · Leave a Comment
Some gold jewelry pieces have a way of appealing to all walks of life and different personalities. This ability to cross cultural and economic lines is what best selling jewelry is all about.
Gold bracelets are especially admired this season because they have the ability to be mixed and matched with any fashion style while still having an elegant and classic look that can be passed down throughout the generations. Here’s a look at a few best selling gold bracelets available at Apples of Gold:
Fall in love all over again with the best selling Elliptical Link Bracelet. This 14K two-tone gold bracelet creates an extraordinary connection between yellow and white gold through links and shapes. The gold jewelry’s assembly features 7 bundles of yellow gold oversized ovals connected together by 6 bundles of smaller white gold circles; all in an alternating blueprint and protected with a lobster claw clasp.
Predicted to be hot in 2009 jewelry trends, the Elliptical Link Bracelet is available in 7 or 8 inches and weighs between 8 and 9.25 grams.
Another bestselling gold bracelet at Apples of Gold is this graceful and dazzling Byzantine Bracelet in 14K yellow gold. At first glance, it seems like a simple gold bracelet with a lobster claw clasp. However, if you look closely you will see an exotic Byzantine design with each section completing the next.
This gold bracelet measures in at 4 mm wide, 7 or 8 inches long, and 3.6 or 4.1 grams in weigh respectively. If you fall in love with the Byzantine Bracelet you’ll be glad to know you can finish your look with a matching necklace or another bracelet in 14k white gold or 14k rose gold.
Lastly, but not least, the best selling gold bracelet from Apples of Gold is this 14K Solid Gold Mesh Bracelet. It’s stunning appearance speaks for its popularity and charm. Expertly crafted from the finest 14K gold this bracelet measures 9 mm wide and includes a design that hold many surprises in shape, direction, and architecture.
Enjoy Spring 2009 fashions with these best selling gold bracelet picks from Apples of Gold.
Garnet Jewelry – January Birthstone
January 9, 2009 by Tierra Wilson · Leave a Comment
The Garnet gemstone is the birthstone for January and represents an icon of hope in history. At Apples of Gold we have a large collection of garnet jewelry to meet your every need or occasion.
Warm the heart with this Garnet Heart Clover Pendant in a 14K white gold setting. Each garnet gemstone on this garnet necklace is cut in the silhouette of a heart and arranged like a clover surrounding a .01 carat diamond.
Trillion-Cut Garnet and Diamond Ring
Another trendy garnet jewelry selection is our Trillion-Cut Garnet and Diamond Ring. A large .75 carat garnet gemstone is placed in a 14k white gold setting. At the top right and bottom left corners, four diamonds weighing .08 carats highlight the gemstone.
Cushion-Cut Garnet and Diamond Ring, 14K White Gold
For a sense of royalty this month try our Cushion-Cut Garnet and Diamonds Ring in a 14K white gold setting. This lush and fashionable ring is great for the index finger! It centers a cushion-cut garnet gemstone on a white gold band studded with diamonds. The band on this piece of Apples of Gold jewelry contains 30 diamonds totaling to .22 carats and one 6mm garnet gemstone weighing in at 1.30 carats.
Enjoy January and any month of the year with a stylish and elegant selection of garnet jewelry from Apples of Gold.
Garnet Pendants: January Birthstones
January 5, 2009 by Tierra Wilson · Leave a Comment
A symbolic gemstone that reminds us of the future and of promises made is the Garnet. Not only is the Garnet the official birthstone of January but it has repeatedly represented the start of something new and the end of something old in history.
This thesis with the Garnet is not new. Noah used garnet as a lamp on the bow of his ship as he traveled across a flooded earth. An act that became symptomatic of the end of something old and a pledge of a fresh existence, a new terrain, and a new foundation. Another strong correlation to Noah is the fact that Garnet gemstones can come in just about any color and each color is tied to a different geological region. A definite reminder of the rainbow God presented as a promise to Noah to never wipe out the earth again. For instance, Green garnets can be found in Russia and Africa and oranges from Sri Lanka and Namibia.
However, the garnet first began its voyage into the world of jewelry in 3100
B.C. when Egyptian artists would use the gemstones and handcraft jewelry. As a result, garnet pendants have become superb pieces of jewelry to give as a birthday gift. A great example is the above is Oval Shaped Contemporary Garnet Pendant from Apples of Gold Jewelry. This striking pendant securely holds a 0.60 carat garnet snuggly in 10k yellow gold prongs. Additionally, the pendant almost resembles an upside down heart hanging delicately from an 18 inch Singapore chain.
Another option includes a Heart Shaped Garnet and Diamond Drop Pendant (right) which uses its elegant symmetry and lines to display three .06 carat garnet gems and six .08 carat diamonds spaced perfectly; all hanging from an 18 inch 10K white gold Singapore chain. The exclusivity of this piece of white gold jewelry lays in the amalgamation of garnet gemstones and diamonds which give it a subtle yet magnificently graceful design.
Gemstone pendants can make extraordinary gifts for anyone; especially garnets because they embody much to their admirers, which makes it a faultless gemstone to represent the New Year; as well as our New Year resolutions.
Featured Left: Garnet Heart Clover Pendant in 14k white gold.
Sources: AGTA, Gemstone.org, and Wikipedia
Rose Gold Bangle Bracelet
January 3, 2009 by Afshin Yaghtin · Leave a Comment
Apples of Gold’s 14K Solid Rose Gold Bangle Bracelets are individually handmade for a superior and finer quality finish in comparison to standard every-day machine-made bangles. Each bangle’s weight is substantial and is ideal for every-day use.
Apples of Gold Jewelry individually crafts each rose gold bangle about 30% heavier than the standard machine-made gold bangle. This makes them perfectly suited for daily wear and life-time ownership.
Each bangle is available from 6mm to 25mm in width (1/4″ to 1″ wide).
Apples of Gold can also customize your bangle in a domed, rather than flat profile (shown above), or make it as heavy or as thick as you like. Also available in 18k rose gold by request, or as handmade white gold bangles or yellow gold bangles.
Apples of Gold originally developed this bangle for a customer who was tired of having to replace her bangles from too much wear and tear. She requested that we custom make her a 1″ bangle that was thick and heavy enough to wear every day of her life without it getting damaged. She specifically informed us that she is very rough on her jewelry and wanted to make sure we made her something she could pass down to her children.
She ended up with an 80.0 gram, 1″ bangle and we developed a new line of rose gold bangles based on her custom bangle, starting with a 1/4″ bangle all the way up to her custom-made wide 1″ statement bracelet.
View Each Rose Gold Bangle Below:
1/4″ Rose Gold Bangle Bracelet
1/4″ + Rose Gold Bangle Bracelet
5/16″ Rose Gold Bangle Bracelet
3/8″ Rose Gold Bangle Bracelet
7/16″ Rose Gold Bangle Bracelet
1/2″ Rose Gold Bangle Bracelet
5/8″ Rose Gold Bangle Bracelet
3/4″ Rose Gold Bangle Bracelet
7/8″ Rose Gold Bangle Bracelet
1″ Rose Gold Bangle Bracelet
Related Posts:
Is Rose Gold the New White Gold?
Pricing Gold Jewelry, An Insider’s POV
January 1, 2009 by Afshin Yaghtin · Leave a Comment
Keystone Pricing
Keystone pricing is taking the wholesale cost of a piece of jewelry and marking it up 100%.
Information site, About.Com, takes this a step further. They advise entrepreneurs:
“A simple formula when pricing for wholesale is to add up your costs (this includes labor, overhead, and supplies) and multiply by 2. For retail, do the same, but multiply by 2.5 to 3.”
In other words, they advise taking not only the cost of the jewelry into account, but also other variable business expenses to determine the net cost of jewelry and then to multiply by 2 to obtain a wholesale cost or 2.5 to 3 times to obtain a retail price.
Keystone refers to doubling the cost of jewelry, whereas triple keystone is tripling the cost of jewelry to determine the retail value (A staggering 300% Mark Up)!
This is not uncommon in the jewelry industry and some jewelers mark up jewelry even higher.
Apples of Gold Pricing Methodology
Where Apples of Gold Jewelry differs significantly from standard jewelry industry pricing is that at best we mark up our jewelry an average of 30% from the cost of the actual merchandise. On select designer pieces, we may mark up select items 40% – 50% (you can call this half-keystone, if you will).
Compare this to 100% to 300% markup of the traditional jeweler, and you will see why customers often call us to ask us how we are able to sell jewelry for so low.
This is where we stand apart from most traditional jewelers and even online jewelers. When comparing Apples of Gold to traditional jewelers we are usually 50% below retail and when comparing to online stores, Apples of Gold Jewelry is an average of 30% lower than most online jewelry competitors.
This leads us to our value-based pricing methodology.
Value Based Pricing
Apples of Gold strives to determine its jewelry prices based on the value that a piece of jewelry creates for our customers. We believe that this is more profitable for us in the long term–as we serve our customers and provide an affordable, quality product.
By selling with greater volume nationally across all U.S. States and internationally across Europe, Asia, Canada, and other parts of the globe, and by limiting overhead, and very significantly not having the huge burden of stocking every jewelry item in-house, we are able to sell at vastly lower prices than most jewelers, while providing a fair valuation of our gold jewelry.
Additionally, we combine our value-based pricing with a “fair pricing” method. “Sometimes it simply doesn’t matter what the value of the product is, even if you don’t have any direct competition. There is simply a limit to what consumers perceive as ‘fair’. If it’s obvious that your product only cost $20 to manufacture, even if it delivered $10,000 in value, you’d have a hard time charging two or three thousand dollars for it — people would just feel like they were being gouged” (entrepreneurs.about.com).
The Bottom Line
Most jewelers have to charge anywhere from 100-300% to maintain a profitable business. With large overhead, shifting gold and metals prices, employee costs, and most costly–expensive inventory–they cannot survive on smaller than keystone margins.
The difference with online jewelers–and especially those who have deep and mutually beneficial relationships with manufacturers and wholesalers, the markup on jewelry will be significantly less, usually not breaching 30%-50%.
At Apples of Gold, we recently were in talks with one of our major suppliers to get lower prices to obtain a 40-50% margin on products that they supply us, and the idea was quickly dismissed–because both we and our suppliers understood that to be competitive in the online environment, such a mark-up is difficult to achieve. We finally settled on a 29.5% margin on items that we purchase from them. So an item that cost us $300, we are selling for about $385.00. A traditional jeweler would normally sell an item obtained at wholesale for $300 for $600 (keystone), or possibly $900 (triple keystone).
That is why Apples of Gold rightly advertises our products are approx. 50% below standard retail (and that is a conservative estimate).
Learn more about Apples of Gold Jewelry and our value-based pricing methodology.
Featured Products in this Post
Men’s 14K Gold Angular Link Bracelet
Sea-Foam Green Amethyst and Diamond Ring
Art Deco 1/4 Carat Diamond Ring
Featured on ApplesofGold.Com.
Pricing Gold Chains Like Jewelers
December 31, 2008 by Afshin Yaghtin · 2 Comments
Gold chains are by far the simplest types of gold jewelry to price. Learn how to price gold chains like professional jewelers!
The most important thing to look for is the gram weight of the gold chain in question. Once you have determined the gram weight, you are equipped for price comparisons.
Of course, keep in mind that price alone is not always the sole factor. Purchase jewelry only from reputable jewelry stores, and make sure they have a strong return policy, an established reputation, and excellent customer service.
Pricing Basics
Let’s use a 3mm gold rope chain for our pricing model. If a gold rope chain costs $450.00 and weighs 14.0 grams, you can do the math and realize that you are being charged $32.14 per gram of gold that is in that chain.
Quick Formula: Price of Gold Chain / by Gram Weight = Price per Gram.
You find another 3mm gold rope chain priced at $500.00. This chain appears to be $50 more expensive. Upon closer examination, the chain weighs 16.5 grams. Using the above simple formula:
$500 divided by 16.5 = $30.30 per gram.
The second chain is actually the better deal when you consider the gold content ($30.30 per gram of gold vs. $32.14).
This is hypothetical of course and prices can vary significantly from store to store. We have found that most online jewelers charge an average of 30% more for the same gold chain as Apples of Gold Jewelry.
This is why we are not afraid to disclose what many other jewelers fear to share.
Watch out for jewelers who do not disclose gram weights
Jewelers to stay far, far away from are ones who do not disclose the gram weight of their chains or who use a wide range to list the gram weight–such as, “Chain weighs between 16 – 23 grams”.
There should not be more than a maximum of a 10% variance in the gram weight of a gold chain or substantial piece of gold jewelry. So if a gold chain is advertised at 10.0 grams, it should weigh somewhere in the 9 – 11 gram range (and that is being liberal).
Reputable jewelers will also honor the gram weights of their chains by adjusting the price of a gold chain if the chain turns out to contain a significantly less gram weight than advertised.
There’s Always an Exception to the Rule
There are always a few exceptions. It is often not customary to advertise gram weights of wedding bands, diamond rings, and gemstone rings (although if asked, jewelers should always disclose the weight if available).
The reason being that items such as wedding bands or diamond rings, for example, are not solely based on the precious metals content. Much larger factors come into play, such as design, the labor of love and time it takes to create such rings, and in the case of gemstones and diamonds: the quality and rarity of the stones weigh far greatly than the few grams of gold such rings often contain.
These types of fine jewelry are often sold by the piece, rather than by the gram (don’t be surprised if a jeweler takes it personally when the mistake is made of evaluating such items based on gram weight alone. Just hang your head in shame at this point and swiftly apologize).
Price Matching
Jewelers who want your business will do their best to price match or beat other advertised prices. Of course, keep cool and reasonable. Don’t expect a quality jeweler to match the price of a gold chain you found at a shoddy looking jewelry website whose prices haven’t been updated for 5 years and who don’t provide a customer service phone #. Identify and compare with jewelers’ real competitors to get a better price.
Gold Volatility
Lastly, keep in mind that gold prices can be volatile and the gold chain that you saw advertised at $300 today may soon hit $350 if gold prices continue to rise, as historical gold prices have indicated over the last several years.
Likewise, with a significant downturn in the price of gold, you should expect gold chain prices to decrease over time.
Keep in mind that other factors such as inflation, increased business expense, and the struggle for many businesses to survive in tough economic times, may play a role in determining whether to increase or decrease the price of gold jewelry.
The price of gold is a large determinant of the price of gold jewelry, but it is also often a guideline–not a stringent policy.
Jewelry Hot List
December 29, 2008 by Afshin Yaghtin · Leave a Comment
Last was the year of new jewelry for Apples of Gold, with the addition of over 600 new, unique jewelry pieces. Below are some of the “hot seller” highlights from our newest fine jewelry pieces:
Black Diamond Rings became a hit for Apples of Gold with our Art Deco Black Diamond Ring and so we added several new designer pieces to our popular black diamond jewelry collection, including a Benchmark Black and White Diamond Eternity Band, 1 Carat Black and White Diamond Cross Pendant, as well as our all black diamond solid gold cross pendant for men.
Of course, we love our blue diamond jewelry too!
By far, our best selling blue diamond ring was our 0.93 Carat Blue and White Diamond Swirl Ring. Our popular blue diamond jewelry pieces was expanded to include our best selling 0.93 Carat blue and white diamond swirl ring. We added many other blue diamond rings to our blue diamond jewelry collection as well that turned quite a few heads.
Wedding Bands have always been at the heart of our jewelry line and Paisley Wedding Bands have always been at the top of our list. Our Paisley Collection was expanded with a new deeply engraved paisley wedding band in 14k white gold, 14k yellow gold, and our most popular paisley release: the 14k rose gold paisley wedding band.
It was our goal to added many new unique personalized jewelry pieces to our collection, and we met our initial goals! The most popular being our Personalized Gemstone Circle Pendant, the Engravable Boy Gemstone Pendant and Engravable Girl Gemstone Pendant, our Personalized Gemstone Baby Shoe Pendant, and Personalized Gemstone Heart Pendant.
We also introduced a new line of Personalized Disney Jewelry, and new gold name pendants.
Benchmark Wedding Bands - A high-end wedding ring brand which includes a Lifetime Warranty and Lifetime Re-Sizing Policy. We plan on adding many new Benchmark styles in 2009.
Official Disney Jewelry – featuring popular Disney characters such as Tinkerbell Jewelry, Mickey Mouse Jewelry, Winnie the Pooh Jewelry, and more! Our Personalized Disney Jewelry collection also proved very popular and all very affordable!
Read more about our Disney Jewelry line: Disney Jewelry for an Imaginative Holiday, A Man Named Walt, and our official Disney Jewelry Release.
We plan on adding more popular Disney characters in 2009.
Apples of Gold’s most popular cross, The Polished Solid Gold Cross Pendant also saw a new addition, including: 18K Gold Cross Pendant, an 18K White Gold Cross Pendant, and a Men’s Platinum Cross Pendant.
This cross is fully solid gold and finished on both sides (not hollow), measuring approx. 1 1/4″ tall x 1″ across and 2.5mm thick. Although originally crafted for men, both men and women enjoy this beautiful, expression of Christian faith.
This amazing cross was followed by the release of our 18K Gold Onyx Cross Pendant.
What is better than your own writing or the handwriting of your beloved, engraved onto a wedding band? Apples of Gold Jewelry created the concept of engraving your own writing onto a gold band with our new Personalized Handwritten Wedding Bands in 14k gold yellow, 14k white gold, and 14k rose gold.
Simply scan your handwriting onto your computer and email it to us! We’ll do the rest!
Our unique Victorian-Style Three Stone Diamond Ring became a hot seller in 2008 and as platinum prices dropped, we decided it was the perfect time to offer a Victorian-Style 1 Carat Three Stone Diamond Ring in Platinum also. Also available as a three stone 1 carat diamond engagement ring in 14k white gold or a 1/2 Carat Platinum Three Stone Diamond Engagement Ring.
We look forward to 2009 as we expect to add more items than we did in 2008! We expect to double our production in 2009, with 500 new jewelry pieces being added in the 1st Quarter alone. Yes, we plan on keeping the Apples of Gold Jewelry elves very busy through 2009!
Jewelry Industry Hit Hard By Mumbai Terrorist Attacks
December 29, 2008 by Tierra Wilson · Leave a Comment
As 2008 comes to an end, one event stood out this year that affected the jewelry industry like no other, The November 2008 Mumbai Attacks. The Mumbai Attacks was a premeditated and deliberate series of 10 harmonized terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India. As a consequence the financial capital and India’s largest city lost 164 people including 30 foreigners from 10 countries. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families and communities of loved ones lost.
One of the most startling economic aftermaths of the November 2008 Mumbai Attacks, aside from destruction, was the economic casualties to the jewelry industry. The Mumbai attacks caused widespread global panic and forced foreign jewelry buyers to skip the shopping season and consumers to stay home due to travel warnings.
Especially hit was the south Mumbai district, which includes the Taj Mahal and Leopold’s café; all a part of what used to be considered an economically flourishing hub in the heart of Mumbai. One antique shop owner, Mohinduddin stated, “We stock merchandise specifically for foreigners. They’re just not there, and sales are down 70 percent”.
The Jewelery Viligance Committee (JVC) understood the economic concerns of the jewelry industry, but more importantly, understood the pain and suffering caused by the attacks. As a gesture of support, JVC wrote this touching letter to Anup Mehta, President of Bharat Diamond Bourse and Vasat Mehta, Chairman of Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion:
December 8, 2008
Mr. Anup Mehta
President
Bharat Diamond Bourse
Bandra – East
Mumbai 400 051
Maharashtra
India
Dear Mr. Mehta,
On behalf of the entire Board of Directors of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, we wish to express our deepest sympathies to the people of Mumbai, India at this painful time.
Our prayers go to the families and loved ones of those who were killed or hurt in the calculated terrorist attacks that started on November 26. Our thoughts also go to those who narrowly escaped harm, including members of the international jewelry industry.
It is our ardent hope that those who are in mourning find solace and that governments around the globe can band together to fight and ultimately end terrorism.
Sincerely,
Eli Haas
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Jewelers Vigilance Committee
Cecilia L. Gardner, Esq.
President and CEO
Jewelers Vigilance Committee
No matter the economic graphs, export numbers, gold prices, or stock quotes; it’s essential to support the families who lost loved ones, and as Hurricane Katrina taught me personally, it’s important to focus on the healing power of the recovery process.
Our condolences go out to all affected by the November 2008 Mumbai Attacks, our prayers are with you still.
Sources: smh.com.au, jckonline.com, arabianbusiness.com, The China Post, Wikipedia
Gold Hoop Earrings: An Endless Tradition
December 29, 2008 by Tierra Wilson · Leave a Comment
Somewhere between 2,500 and 3,000 BC in Iraq someone was buried in a royal grave with hoop earrings on, leading us to the oldest earrings ever unearthed by archeologists. It is rather fascinating that hoop earrings for women continue to be a fashion staple in wardrobes around the world. Maybe we will never discern why the world is spellbound with hoop earrings; maybe it’s the endlessness and versatility of the circle, or the elegant arches of made possible by gold jewelry? Whatever the reason, Apples of Gold Jewelry has a number of ways to tastefully and elegantly incorporate design gold hoop earrings into your wardrobe.
A grand statement can be made with Apples of Gold Hammered Hoop Earrings. These elegant 14K gold hoop earrings gets its name from the intricate hammer like design lovingly applied to the 22.5 mm diameter hoop. Each hammer-like imprint reflects light at different angles creating a sparkling motif.
Another choice is the Flat Italian Hoop Earrings which make a gallant statement using sheer size and elegance. Created entirely of 14K yellow gold, these Flat Italian Hoop Earrings measure at 1 3/4 inches wide and 3mm thick creating a great and stunning silhouette.
Lastly, for the boldness of the Hammered Hoop Earrings and the size of the Flat Italian Hoop Earrings, another superb choice would be Apple of Gold’s Beaded Hoop Earrings. These hoop earrings are made of 14K gold beads that complete the hoop which measures 1 1/4 inches in diameter and 2mm thick. Weighing approximately 2.6 grams, these Beaded Hoop Earrings close with a secure latch and provide a lovely and slender side view. 
It’s a pleasure to consider that each piece of jewelry we wear today was influenced by the struggles and lifestyles of our ancestors; and each piece of jewelry worn tomorrow will be influenced by us.
Share your Real-Life Jewelry Story
December 24, 2008 by Apples of Gold · Leave a Comment
We loving hearing real-life stories from Apples of Gold Jewelry customers!
Have a story to share about your experience at Apples of Gold? Did something interesting happen that involved your jewelry? Have a must-tell wedding story?
Email your Story to share@applesofgold.com. Email us a pic to use also and we may post it on our jewelry blog!
We love simple stories or complex, creative ones, from the serious and beautiful to the ridiculous!
Read our first real-life jewelry story about a husband who lost his original wedding ring as he struggled to stay alive after a tragic hiking accident at the Elliot State Forest in Oregon–and why replacing that ring was so important to one family.
