Sparking Conversations: How to Sell Platinum Jewelry
Use these four points when talking to your customers about buying platinum jewelry.
As jewelers, we know that the value of any piece of jewelry goes beyond monetary — there’s an emotional attachment as well. Jewelry signifies and represents life’s most precious moments. It tells a story meant to last beyond a lifetime.
According to a survey published in the New York Post, more than 40% of Americans have a family heirloom that’s more than 50 years old. The survey further discovered that more than half of Americans claim their most prized possession is either an engagement ring, a wedding band, or another piece of jewelry. It is clear that the meaning, love, and significance we place on our jewelry is meant to be lasting. And with the right materials, it can.
Consumers want jewelry they can wear day after day, but they also want something they can leave behind to a loved one. That’s a lot to ask from a piece of jewelry, but with a precious material like platinum, it is absolutely possible. While platinum has only been used in jewelry for nearly 275 years, it has already proven to be the metal of choice when it comes to heirloom-quality jewelry. To put that into perspective, gold and silver have been used in precious objects as early as 3000 BCE by the Ancient Egyptians.
The key to selling this premium metal option is a conversation with your customer.
“Exceptionally successful jewelry sales professionals understand the art of storytelling – and nothing tells a more compelling jewelry story than platinum,” says Kevin Reilly, senior vice president of Platinum Guild International. “Platinum’s unique qualities, like purity, rarity, exceptional durability and naturally white color that will never fade or change color over time give you lots of fascinating content to tell a story about the unique piece of jewelry you’re presenting to your customer. The fact that nothing holds a diamond or gemstone more securely than platinum is a perfect way to tie up the story with quality assurance and customer satisfaction in mind.”
There are several benefits of platinum, and education is key in growing demand. Use these four talking points when having those conversations to sell all the reasons why platinum is a prime choice.
Exceptionally successful jewelry sales professionals understand the art of storytelling – and nothing tells a more compelling jewelry story than platinum.
Kevin Reilly, Platinum Guild International
1. Superior Durability
One of the key benefits of platinum is its durability. Because of how dense platinum metal alloys are, it has the ability to withstand everything daily wear has to throw. Platinum does not have the metal memory that gold and silver have, which means that once it has been worked into position, it stays. That’s why platinum is the metal most trusted to secure stones.
2. Naturally White Color
Naturally white means that no other metals are combined with platinum to give it a bright white color. For comparison, white gold is created by combining white metals with yellow gold and plating it with rhodium. Over time, the plating will fade and begin to show a yellow tinge that needs to be replated. Platinum’s natural white hue will never fade. It also enhances the brilliance and shine of both colorless and colored diamonds and gemstones perfectly.
3. Timeless Appeal
You might compare platinum to a fine wine — it ages gracefully. Over time, platinum can develop a satiny finish on its surface called patina. This change in texture is celebrated by both jewelry designers and jewelry lovers because it signifies platinum’s authenticity and heirloom quality. All metals scratch, but when platinum scratches or shows signs of age, the metal does not wear or flake away as other metals do. Platinum simply moves aside so there is no loss of metal content within the piece. While the patina results in a slight loss of luster and can be polished back to its original shine, there is a significant visual appeal to platinum’s patina and many choose not to polish it away.
4. Pure Metal Composition
Platinum alloys used in jewelry are 90%-95% pure platinum. Not only does this density of platinum contribute to the overall strength and durability of the metal, but it also makes the metal hypoallergenic. Many consumers are concerned about the jewelry they wear because of skin sensitivities to certain metals. With platinum, that is never a concern.
How Can I Learn More?
While this is meant to be a quick view at the benefits of platinum, there is so much more to learn when it comes to working with and understanding this precious metal. Platinum Guild International stands as a leading expert in platinum education throughout the world. View their sales training modules, explore their technical education resources, download content to use when educating your customers, and so much more. Visit the Platinum Resource Center at PlatinumLearning.com.
You can also learn more about Stuller’s platinum products and the alloys we provide at Stuller.com/PlatinumBenefits.
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Interested in understanding the basics of working with platinum at the bench? Read our recent article — Working With Platinum: 3 Things to Keep in Mind.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Taylor Dizor
Staff Writer
Taylor holds degrees in Political Science and Communication from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette as well as multiple certifications from GIA. His years in the wedding industry and love of fashion trends helps him write content for the on-trend and creative jeweler.