In NY, JA Special Delivery draws to a close

New York--JA Special Delivery ended Tuesday, wrapping up three days of buying and selling activity, with a number of vendors noting that their silver business was particularly strong.

The cash-and-carry trade show got off to a good start Sunday at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan as activity ramped up throughout the day.

JA New York Show Director Drew Lawsky said Tuesday that as a whole, the team was satisfied with the outcome of the show.

“Overall, we are very pleased with the show results. The buzz on the show floor was quite positive. After Hurricane Sandy last year, we are thrilled to be able to provide a solid three-day event for our buyers and exhibitors to conduct business,” he said.

According to a few vendors at Special Delivery, silver was a hot item among buyers at the show.

“I’ve had a lot of people asking if there’s any silver,” said Kerri Halpern of Madstone Design. “There are a lot looking for silver and 14-karat gold as well.”

She added that their pieces with skulls were getting a lot of attention too, just in time for Halloween.

Silver’s popularity has continued to increase over the last few years and appears to be climbing still.

Earlier this year, Silver Promotion Service (SPS) released its annual survey, reporting that 91 percent of retailers reported that their silver sales increased or stayed the same in 2012 as compared with 2011.

Additionally, silver jewelry posted greater year-over-year holiday sales gains than any other product category included in National Jeweler’s year-end survey for 2012.

Khel Baldeo from Ontario-based Best Bargains Jewellery also noted that while retailers appeared to be a little pickier this year, giving more detail to the final decision of what to buy, their silver business was up at Special Delivery as well.

“We’ve been selling a lot more silver than usual at this show,” she said.

The company’s CEO, Anita Agrawal, noted that opals and pearls, especially the traditional white colors for both, have been doing well for them this season.

The team at the Tashka by Beatrice booth said natural color pearls are always popular for them.

The collection’s multi-color pieces and long necklaces got a good response from buyers, filling a need for “one-of-a-kind pieces for one-of-a-kind stores,” they said.