Last week, I sat down with Nikki Swift, the founder of Nicole Mera, a private jewelry concierge in San Antonio, to talk about gold: what’s hot, what’s not, and how the metal’s sky high price is affecting sales.
The funny thing is, our chat took place in Philipsburg, Mont., as we sifted through piles of rocks, looking for rough sapphires. Swift and I were guests of Parlé, the Pocatello, Idaho–based fine jewelry brand, on its inaugural Montana Showcase, a hosted trip for nearly two dozen of the company’s best retailers. Our destination? The Rock Creek sapphire mine located about 23 miles southwest of town and owned, since 2011, by Potentate Mining in Toronto.
Swift and I met in Missoula on day 1, during a group lunch organized by Jonathan Farnsworth, Parlé’s president, shortly after we landed in Montana (the university town is about an hour’s drive from Philipsburg). As we introduced ourselves, Swift’s jewelry—stacks of gold bracelets, layered gold necklaces, and a Bulgari Serpenti bracelet watch—caught my eye.
Later, she told me about the origins of her business, which she founded in 2016, while she was working for Pompos Jewelry, a custom manufacturer in L.A., and fielding requests from friends asking her to help them with their wedding rings.
“I was sharing things on social media, and friends and family would reach out to me and say, ‘Hey, can you make me an engagement ring?’ Or, ‘I’m looking for this or that. Do you know anyone?’ And I’m like, ‘Well, actually, I can help you.’”
In 2017, Swift moved back to her hometown of San Antonio, where, with Pompos’ support, she began to grow her private concierge business.
“When I first started, I was doing just custom, and it was really bridal and very, very high-end—mostly over $10,000 pieces,” Swift says. “But I realized that my aesthetic is not that. I wear T-shirts and jeans every day. I’m a casual girl. But I also like to wear fine jewelry and feel put together. So I was looking for designs that were well-made, beautiful, and fine, but still casual and every day. You know—cool-girl vibes.
“I started a new collection recently called Nikki by Nicole Mera. And it’s basically an extension of me. It has a lot of color. I’m a color lover. I love spinels. Obviously, sapphires as well. Every color you can think of. I love them all.”
Swift and I talked about the gold styles that are trending among her clients—mostly women who are self-purchasing—the effect rising gold prices have had on sales, and what the pricing sweet spot will be this holiday. The interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
What gold styles are resonating with your customers right now?
The Nikki by Nicole Mera collection is mainly 18k yellow gold, but I’ve started to enter in some 14k pieces because of price points. I wanted to have pieces under $5,000, even under $3,000. And 14k offers that. And it’s been really popular.
Obviously, yellow gold complements color so well. And I’ve seen that it really brings the stones to life, makes them very vibrant. Not that platinum or white gold don’t, but they’re different. And my clients really want—I said it earlier—that cool-girl look.
Layering necklaces, layering bracelets, and doing that with gold looks elevated and very chic. I love a good touch of diamonds with the gold. I love to see gold, but I want to see diamonds with it. That is another elevated element that I’m seeing in design.
That’s clearly your personal style, too. Tell me about what you’re wearing (when you’re not sifting for sapphires).
I have on a graduating diamond bezel necklace, and then I have my spinel pendant—it’s in platinum and I had it made for myself. And then this is my grandmother’s locket. There’s a picture inside of my grandparents. And I put it on a Nicole Mera paperclip chain because these are very on-trend, very casual, effortless. And then earlier, I was wearing a paper-clip chain bracelet. And I had a bangle with diamonds that says Amore. It’s a tubogas bracelet, very Bulgari vibes, like my watch.
Oh yes, your beautiful gold Bulgari Serpenti bracelet watch.
If you go on The RealReal, that’s one of their most requested styles right now. The Bulgari watches. Those are super popular all of a sudden. I bought mine right before AGS Conclave, in March or April.
How much does the gold price weigh on your clients’ decision-making?
On gold chains, semi-solid seems to be getting people into better price points. They’re kind of shocked at the prices of gold chains and whatnot when it’s super heavy, but those that really want fine pieces, price doesn’t matter. They’re still going to pay for it. But yeah, when I get quotes for custom pieces in yellow gold, I am shocked sometimes.
But I think most of the clients that I work with, they want what they want, and they’ll pay. It doesn’t matter the price of gold. But it is hard because I’ll have designs listed on my website, for some of my bread-and-butter items, repeatable pieces like the graduated bezel necklace. You get pricing, you put it on your site, and then if you’re not continually watching the price of gold, you order one from your supplier, and then they’re like, “Oh, by the way, we need to raise it a few hundred bucks.” And you’re like, “Okay, no problem.” But you’ve already gotten that sale and you’ve got to replace it. And it’s now more expensive. So it’s like you’re always playing catch-up. But all of that, I think, will settle in time. And if it doesn’t, then we’ll just have to raise our prices.
What are three gold styles that you think are going to be strong this holiday?
I just got a trombone link in and I have sold like four of them in the last two weeks. Are influencers wearing it? I don’t know. I’m not in the influencer game, but I think people are styling it. It’s easy. It’s effortless. But it’s cool. That’s what’s selling for me right now: cool, chic, effortless.
Layered pieces. Elegant. With my clients, it’s those layered looks. But I do think big gold cuffs are cool. And bezels. Bezel-set, brushed finish, and very modern, very different. I’m seeing more and more people reach out to me to do that look versus the classic solitaire or the pavé halo.
What’s your price sweet spot this holiday?
$1,500 to $2,200. That’s for a delicate bracelet or some of the semi-hollow chains. Little stackable bands. Anything that’s stackable, layerable, easy, effortless, nothing too big, with diamonds, stuff like that. The women self-purchasers are buying those things.
Necklace in 14k yellow gold with 1.34 ct. bezel-set Montana sapphire, $2,850
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