State of Business, Survival Tips from Jewelers, Experts

I can truly tell you that the jewelry industry has permanently shifted and will still do so with huge bankruptcy and fallout. People right now are truly trying to afford diapers, nevermind diamonds.-Kivi Bernhard, an Atlanta-based diamond wholesaler

The fine jewelry industry has always been slow to change, but they are coming along. Right now the middle rung has suffered the most. High end will still be purchased and low end has grown. People are spending less.-Los Angeles jewlery designer Claudia Endler

There is room in the market for the ‘mall jeweler,’ just not room for a dozen of them all selling essentially the same thing.-Jewelry industry analyst Hedda Schupak

My biggest change was to act like I was just starting my business and get out there. It was now time to burn the midnight oil and go for it like it was a start up. That helped me tremendously in dodging the jewelry-business-closure bullet.-Calla Gold, owner of her namesake jewelry store in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Online purchasing is certainly one of the trends that is making it much harder for traditional jewelry retailers.-Meghan Connolly Haupt, who owns both an online jewelry site and line 

Most jewelry stores are intimidating. Guys would rather set their hair on fire than come into a jewelry store.-Denver jewelry store owner Michael Nedler

With such a horrific economy, people just don’t have the disposable income to use on jewelry.-Tod Ulery, owner of Jewel Box Jewelers in Campbell, Calif.