Q1 is officially in the rearview mirror — and while the economy threw a few curveballs, the jewelry industry held its sparkle. We’ve been keeping an eye on the trends, tech, and tariffs so you don’t have to (but you probably still should). Here’s your cheat sheet on what happened, what it means for your business, and how to stay ahead of the game in Q2.
1. What Shoppers Were Loving in Q1
The market grew a modest 1.8% (we’ll take it), clocking in at $64B. Consumers kept things colorful — emeralds, sapphires, rubies... basically, if it looks like a Skittle, it’s selling. The ‘80s are back too, apparently, with bold earrings and whimsical charms making a loud comeback (somewhere, Cyndi Lauper is smiling).
Stainless steel continues to be the MVP — durable, budget-friendly, and trending across genders. Our Jewelry Trends Collection is updated weekly, so if you’re not peeking at it... you’re probably missing sales.
2. What We Learned from Thousands of Customer Interactions
We cornered our Head of CX in the breakroom and got a few golden nuggets from Q1:
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Email is still queen. Yep, even in 2025.
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Gen Z wants TikToks, Boomers want a phone call, and everyone still wants a real human on the other end (go figure).
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Privacy matters. Shoppers are asking, “Are you tracking me?” So... yeah. Be cool about it.
3. AI: Retail's Newest Coworker That Never Sleeps
AI is the hotshot intern who does everything — smarter, faster, and without a lunch break. In Q1, the biggest wins came from:
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Personalized product recs (finally, your site knows what people actually want).
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Inventory that doesn’t overstock itself into oblivion.
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AI-powered chat support that works while you’re asleep. Dreamy, right?
Meta’s going all-in on AI across their apps, which means your customers are going to get real comfy talking to bots. Spoiler: ⅔ of consumers still don’t love AI-generated ads. But image search, AI-assisted content, and 24/7 chat? They’re warming up.
4. Marketing Moves That Actually Work in Q2
Authenticity wins. So does storytelling. So does not sounding like a generic brand from 2012.
Here’s your cheat code:
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Elevate product pages with crisp photos, engaging copy, and videos (bonus: fewer returns).
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Share the why behind your brand — people buy stories, not SKUs.
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Use social to connect, not just sell.
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Lean into AI for smart personalization that doesn’t feel creepy.
And yes, shoppers are cool with sharing a little data — if it gets them something better in return.
5. Don’t Forget These Sales-Boosting Q2 Dates
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Graduation Season (May & June) – Think keepsakes, personalization, and sentimentality.
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Father’s Day (June 15) – Think stainless steel bracelets and cufflinks that don’t look like Dad’s golf bag.
Plan early. Promote well. Smile when the orders come in.
6. Bonus Tip: ROI is Cool, But Have You Met VOI?
We all love ROI — the spreadsheets, the graphs, the "look what I did" emails. But what about VOI (Value on Investment)? That’s the softer, harder-to-measure stuff: brand love, buzz, community sentiment... the vibes, basically.
Quick summary from Amanda Natividad’s great breakdown:
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ROI tells you if your ad made money.
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VOI tells you if people care about your brand.
Use both. One feeds the bank account. The other feeds the legacy.
And yes, that was dramatic. But accurate.
