Trends for Fall 2010

Hard to believe that we are nearing the end of Summer! Here in Hawaii it's just a variation on the theme of warm weather and balmy trades, but for those on the Mainland it's time to start thinking about back to school fashions, cooler weather, and warmer clothing.

On tap for the coming season, look for artisan techniques as a recurring theme. Hammered, handmade and chunky semiprecious stones are all variations on this theme. People like the handcrafted jewelry, especially one-of-a-kind pieces like you see in Sundance Catalog.

There will also be emphasis on natural/organic materials like leather and painted wood beads. We'll see lots of "mixed media" looks that incorporate disparate elements like seed beads layered with bold semiprecious, or leather with chain and ribbon.

Jewelry customers are going to be on the prowl for rustic, almost vintage styles that remake familiar themes in surprising ways. Coral will be big this fall, especially in big, chunky faceted pieces mixed with other opaque stones like jasper and agate.

Looks will tie in with the trend toward natural fibers and organic fabrics that capture a Peruvian influence. Macrame, crochet, and hand-knit scarves make the whole big and bold jewelry a must in order for that coral necklace to be seen.

Can't wait to see these trends hit the street when temperatures drop! Check out our wholesale silver rings and other wholesale 925 jewelry at indiasilver.com

Surviving Thailand!

I just returned from a dramatic trip to Thailand and India. I arrived in Bangkok the day after the government dispersed a rally of over 5,000 protesters that had walled themselves in in the center of Bangkok's shopping district. In the ensuing melee, 29 buildings were burned, including the second largest shopping mall in Asia.

Despite martial law, curfews and 120 degree heat in India, I managed to find some really unique pieces.

Although most of what I purchased will be coming in a few weeks, I did buy some ready stock from several suppliers. I have added some new designs to the site, and have restocked some of our best sellers.

One thing I am really excited about are these hand painted images set in sterling silver. They have a really intricate mandala pattern on the reverse, and they are just so cool. I'll be sending out the monthly newsletter in a few days with more about the trip and my finds.

Political Unrest

I recently returned from a buying trip to Bangkok with a new appreciation for America. Not just America, but the whole system of democracy.

Thailand is one of the primary suppliers of wholesale silver jewelry to world markets. It is a huge producer of sterling silver, with thousands of people in the country earning their living producing what the world wants.

Throughout recent history, Thailand has had a tumultuous political environment. The past few years have seen the Prime Minister and Parliament ousted, a military coup, a new government installed, and seemingly endless political protest that has resulted in the closure of Thailand's main airport and currently the shutting down of Bangkok as a destination for tourism and business in general.

Without going into the specifics, I will just say that the recent battles in the US over "partisan politics" pale in comparison to what has been going on in Thailand. There doesn't appear to be any end in sight, and the ultimate losers are the people who are suffering from the lack of income and jobs caused by this disruption.

Whether we are in retail, wholesale, jewelry, clothing, the stock market, the insurance business or some other line of work, be grateful that our form of government is stable. Riots in the streets and political unrest make our arguments over health care and Wall Street reform seem like minor blips on the radar..

Wholesale Silver Jewelry Prices Spike!

Silver prices, mirroring a rise in petroleum costs, have spiked over the past week, rising from the low $16's per ounce to over $17. As I've mentioned before in this blog, precious metals have been tied to the price of oil for the past several years.

As we recover from the current economic downturn, it seems logical that demand for oil will increase as well. At the Tucson Gem Show, I spoke with several large silver wholesalers from India and from China about this issue. The consensus was split, with one camp predicting higher prices and the other calling for a reduction.

Knowing what we know about the world economy and that great driver of commerce, China, I am looking for prices to rise in the long term, probably higher than we have seen in recent history. You might remember two summers ago when oil neared $200 per barrel, when the world economy was really rocking. I think we'll see a return eventually to those kinds of numbers if not this summer, then by next summer for sure.

As prices rise, I'll be posting tips and direction for dealing with higher silver prices. Stay tuned for more info as the situation develops! For more info and articles on wholesale silver jewelry, visit my website: Whirled Planet Wholesale Silver Jewelry.

Tucson Gem Show 2010 Review

The Gem Show was pretty subdued this year, as buyers and vendors deal with the continued collapse in consumer spending. Most vendors I spoke to seemed to be happy with sales volumes, and they were hopeful for the coming year. The hot stones this year seemed to be the same as last year: mystic topaz, kunzite and prehnite. There wasn't any new "must have" stone. There was a huge influx of Chinese crystal, however. In a direct challenge to Swarovski, the crystal beads had rich, colorful coatings and there were a wide variety of size and shapes to choose from. To give an idea of what this could mean for Swarovski, a typical 4mm bicone, the heart of their bead line, sells at retail for about 12¢, though it can be purchased in bulk through some dealers for as low as around 5¢ per bead. The price most dealers at the show were charging for a strand of 100 bicone 4mm beads was $1. That represents a price advatnage of about 80% over Swarovski. Chinese manufacturers have been trying to get their production right on this type of crystal for several years, but it looks like they have finally succeeded with a decent product and finish. Make no mistake, this crystal is not as good as Swarovski. It is very close, however, and at 80% less than Austrian crystal, I am sure consumers will go for it. The response from Swarovski should be interesting. I am betting they will go for the quality difference, but given what I saw at the show, this probably will not be enough to convince consumers to shell out five times more for a product that is hard to discern from the Chinese version. I heard several people remark at the show that they thought this would be a real challenge for Swarovski. We'll have to wait and see what happens when all this new product finds it way through bead stores and designers to end consumers. My bet is that buyers will vote for Chinese crystal in big numbers... For more info and articles on the world of wholesale silver jewelry, please visit our archive of past newsletters.

$15 Silver?

Silver touched below $16 per ounce briefly today! We have been seeing an overall decline in price over the past week or so. Let's hope it continues.

The US Dollar has been gaining in strength against the Euro for the past month or so, with only a couple of hiccups. It seems like this might have something to do with the decline in prices. A stronger Dollar is better for imports, too (it makes the cost of buying imported goods in the foreign currency cheaper).

I'm hopeful we'll see further declines in silver and rising strength in the Dollar.

Restock of Popular Items

I just received a new shipment from Thailand of popular products. Peace signs jewelry is still selling well, and we have several well-priced designs. Those little sterling silver peace sign posts shown to the left are just $2.75

We've also restocked our celtic amber earrings, and a couple of charms including our breast cancer charm.

Silver prices seem to be a on slightly downward trend since last week. Right now the spot price is about $16.80 per ounce, but it has dipped below $16.40 today. Let's hope for more of this!