Baskadia

It sounds like a no-brainer for a jeweler, but there are a number of variables to keep in mind – including stocking, stone availability, customer budgets and sizing. Once you start to have something different in the shape, metal, setting style, or stone size, a collection can become a nightmare. This can lead to a huge stock with items that may not be exactly what they're seeking.  

The place where mountings turn into more than merely a manufacturing part. With a well-designed ring mounting, retailers have a foundation to build upon and can choose a suitable stone and customer preference. Rather than just considering how many finished rings can be on offer, retailers can consider how many design possibilities are available in their current range.  

Get the perfect retail value with a ring mounted 

A mounting is the part of the ring that is used to engage the Centre stone, if the ring has one and, if required, to secure the surrounding or accent stones that are attached to the Centre stone. It may be made of prongs, basket, galleries, shoulders, and shanks. All of them serve a function, but they also play a big role in the ring to finish.  

This is an important opportunity for retailers. The character of a ring is set by a mounting before the last stone is chosen. An uncomplicated solitaire mounting is a stark contrast to any halo or a side stone graded arrangement. Recognizing these differences will give a retailer the option of developing a collection on solid design principles rather than collecting completed items for variety.  

The importance of the stone's shape in the design conversation 

The Centre stone changes and the ring is not the same. The proportions and personalities of the stones vary according to the shape of the bezel and require the right bezel to be able to fit the stone. It is a significant difference that versatility does not necessarily mean the ability to attach to every stone, but rather the ability to accommodate meaningful variations as part of the design boundaries intended for the stone.  

This provides an additional option for sales teams to present. If a customer is fond of the overall design of a ring, they cannot necessarily give up on the design because they prefer another type of Centre-stone. If the construction permits it, the retailer can consider some suitable changes and still maintain the design features that initially appealed to the customer.

Treat every ring as a new product: There is no need to!

One of the most significant problems following product variety is inventory. When a retailer desires to have 10 styles to offer and each style is available in a variety of metals, stone shape, stone size and specification, the number of finished products can grow rapidly. There will not be the same demand for all combinations, and this can result in more capital being tied up in slower moving pieces.  

A solution with a mounting-based approach can offer more flexibility. Retailers can have the selected finished designs to show a customer as a reference so that they are able to discuss other stones or specifications that can be made for them. This doesn't mean that there's no need to have inventory, or that all mounting systems can have an unlimited number of changes. The benefit of its value is that it can help retailers differentiate between design variety and physical stock variety.

Making the customer's preferences into the design's choices 

To have a successful jewelry consultation, it should start with the individual, not the jewelry itself. A customer might have an idea of what they want an engagement ring to look like but may not know if it's going to be a solitaire, halo, three-stone or pavé. They might also have a metal or diamond style or shape they prefer but be unaware about how it will influence the final ring.  

Retailers can use mountings to provide them with a helpful framework to guide that conversation. Appearance, canter stone, setting style, wearability, and budget are all things that a salesperson can start with and then determine the type of setting that is appropriate for the construction. A jewelry company could apply this kind of design thinking to create a wearer-centric collection, expanding and diversifying it with new pieces, but without having to propose an entirely new idea for each ring.

The perceived size of a ring will change depending on the setting

Two rings with Centre stones of the same weight can appear quite different due to difference in setting. The building context will influence the visual harmony of the composition, and a halo or carefully arranged accent of stones will provide detail around the Centre. The size and shape of the mounting can also have an effect on the ring's placement on the finger.  

This can be helpful for retailers when assisting their customers to compare options within a specific price range. While it's important to consider the Centre-stone weight, a discussion can also be held about how the setting helps to enhance the overall impression.

Mountings Can Help a Well-Organized Collection  

Retailers can also use mountings to better consider their product mix. Instead of just designing a bunch of designs, they can decide on a few basic designs and think about what stone shapes, metals and details go well with each design. The outcome may be a collection that has a definite organization but still provides customers with differences that make it meaningful.  

The design-first approach also emphasizes the link between manufacturing and retail aesthetics for a jewelry brand like MeruliyaJewels that is focused on mounting. The seemingly technical aspect can end up affecting the number of options a retailer can offer, the ability of the salesperson to communicate those options, and the confidence of the customer to take an idea and make it a complete ring.  

Customization and Real Retail 

Customization is appealing to customers because it allows them to feel he or she is part of the end product. However, customization works best when the boundaries are embraced for retailers. When choosing stone sizes, the proportions in which they are set, the strength of the structure, the type of metal, and the requirements of the stone making process must all align. A mounting should thus be chosen for compatibility, not as if it were just a “blank template” for endless modifications.  

This is where the expertise of a retail advisor comes in handy. A retailer can get down and dirty with a design and say, “Well, you can do a lot with this design—here are some things that can change; here are some that can't.”