If you’ve been paying attention to the news (or to the price tags at your local jewelry store), you know that the price of gold and silver has been rising steadily for quite some time. Gold and silver have both broken historic records. So what’s going on and why?
Why are prices so high?
I’m a jewelry designer, not an economist, but I can say confidently that gold prices rise and fall. I’ve lived through market highs before (like in 2011 and 2020) and came out on the other side. The challenge for designers is guessing when that peak will be, so we don’t make the mistake of buying a bunch of materials right when the price is highest.
For silver, the behind-the-scenes explanation is simple: manufacturing. Silver is used in most electronics, and it’s an essential component of AI data centers. The sudden boom in AI is also making the price of silver go up. Who knew!?
Cleaning and Refining
On the studio level, there are a few practical steps I’m taking to help ride the wave. First, Abby and I deep-cleaned the studio and sent 16 years' worth of silver and gold dust off to be refined. (yes, I’m serious!) This will be weighed, and we’ll receive a check for it. As they say, “One woman’s studio dust is another woman’s treasure…”
We’re also working on streamlining some of our designs so they can be made in the most efficient way possible. Work smarter, not harder.
What’s changing at Kristen Baird… not much!
The good news for me is that the value of my jewelry is more than just metals + gemstones. I will continue to focus on one-of-a-kind pieces, such as the Tidal Trio rings, that deliver a great experience in addition to beautiful jewelry. I will also continue to prioritize commission pieces, particularly heirloom redesigns and jewelry-box clean-ups that allow us to reuse and recycle materials.
How will this impact pricing?
I have always given the best fair-market price for my jewelry designs. I’m also very honest. Higher gold prices mean higher jewelry prices, which is frustrating for me as well. It also makes it challenging to give price estimates when I know the cost of gold is rising and falling constantly. That said, I will always give my most honest price estimates and final prices on every commission piece based on the cost of gold on the day of casting. My commitment to you is to be transparent and fair without ever compromising the quality of my jewelry.
It’s going to be a great 2026!
