What Jewelry Gifts Actually Cost This Season, According to Real Appraisal Data

Why is December the Biggest Month for Jewelry Appraisals?

According to BriteCo data from 2019-2025, 12.7% of annual earring appraisals, 10.7% of necklace appraisals, and 10.6% of pendant appraisals occur in December, sometimes due to the purchase of holiday jewelry (although appraisals and purchases don’t always occur simultaneously). Other factors, such as insurance needs or end-of-year documentation, can likewise contribute to December being a big month for jewelry appraisals.

That pattern holds for retail, says Alkayam, who estimates her sales in December (and November as well) last year were 30% higher than an average month. At the family jewelry store where she used to work, holiday sales “could make or break a year.”   

How Much Do Popular Jewelry Gifts Actually Cost?

How Much Do Earrings Cost?

According to BriteCo, the median estimated sales price for diamond-set earrings was $5,726 in 2025, an increase of approximately 46% over the 2019 price of $3,922.

Diamond-set earrings, such as diamond studs, represent more than a third of earring purchases, but factors such as design, metals used, brand, the diamonds’ quality, origin (mined vs. lab-grown diamond earrings), and size, etc., can create a range of price points. Prices for earrings differ even further if you remove the diamonds from the equation.

Rest assured that you can find earring prices well below (and well above) the median of $5,726.

How Much Do Necklaces and Pendants Cost?

According to BriteCo, the median estimated sales price for diamond-set necklaces was $5,148 in 2025, and the median estimated sales price for diamond-set pendants was $3,767.

Comparatively, in 2019, the median price for a diamond-set necklace was $3,542, while the median price for a diamond-set pendant was $2,998.

What’s the reason for the big price difference between necklaces and pendants, regardless of year?

For data purposes, necklaces are a much broader category of jewelry, with diamond-set necklaces only representing 13% of all necklaces. Diamond-set necklaces can be long, short, elaborate, simple, etc.

In contrast, pendants are often a smaller piece of jewelry typically worn on a chain, though diamond-set pendants are popular, representing 34% of all pendants. While pendants are generally cheaper than necklaces, that’s not a guarantee — though it is certainly a trend, as we can see from the data above.

How Much Do Bracelets Cost?

According to BriteCo, the median appraised replacement value for bracelets was $6,975 in 2025.

Note that this absolutely does not mean that the median bracelet sold for $6,975 in 2025. Instead, it means the median estimate of what it would cost to replace a bracelet was $6,975, according to BriteCo’s appraisal records.

Still, it’s a helpful figure to know, if you know your recipient’s tastes and wrist size and are shopping for a bracelet as a holiday gift.

Sales Price Vs. Appraised Value: What Do the Numbers Mean?

A sales price is what jewelry has sold for, historically, whereas an appraised value tells you what it would cost to replace an item with one of like kind or quality if it was damaged, lost, or stolen.

Though similar, these two numbers are often not the same, even when applied to the same piece of jewelry.

For example, according to BriteCo’s data, though diamond-set earrings had a 2025 median estimated sales price of $5,726, the median appraised replacement value for diamond-set earrings in 2025 was $8,032.

This difference can be caused due to a range of factors, including replacement-market conditions, retail pricing, taxes, and original purchase discounts, dependent upon the item’s unique circumstances.

How Much Have Jewelry Gift Prices Increased Since 2019?

Between 2019 and 2025, median sales prices increased approximately 46% for diamond-set earrings, 45% for necklaces, and 26% for pendants.

This increase in cost over the years aligns with industry expectations and is relatively nominal.

The above numbers are not adjusted for inflation and do not account for differences in price related to craftsmanship, material, or diamond size/quality, nor trends that may mean certain products are more popular during certain years. As such, this is not an apples-to-apples matched-product inflation study.

While BriteCo’s records show substantially higher sales-price medians in several diamond-set jewelry categories in 2025 compared to 2019, the data alone cannot establish how much an identical item increased in price.

What Jewelry Gifts Can You Buy for Different Budgets?

When shopping for a jewelry gift for the holidays, it’s entirely possible to find beautiful, meaningful pieces of jewelry that fit a range of budgets, with potentially dramatic differences in cost based on factors such as the jewelry’s material (such as yellow gold or white gold vs. platinum), stones, craftsmanship, and just personal preferences.

Based on your budget and BriteCo’s data, consider shopping for the following items for the holidays (but also keep in mind that BriteCo’s data is based on high-value, fine jewelry and so it is possible to find pieces at cheaper price points — these are just reference benchmarks).

Under $4,000: Start With the Piece, Not the Median

If your gift budget is under $4,000, consider more affordable jewelry options such as:

• Sterling silver jewelry
• Pieces featuring smaller gemstones
• Simpler yet classic pendants
• Lightweight chains
• Non-diamond earrings
• Personalized accessories
• A piece specific to the owner’s existing collection, if they have one

Around $4,000-$6,000: Compare Fine-Jewelry Options

At around $4,000-$6,000, you have a little more wiggle room in your budget as you shop for jewelry, but your pricing for an individual piece can still differ depending upon the:

• Style and design of the piece, whether you’re shopping for earrings, a necklace, or pendant
• Use of natural vs. lab-grown diamonds
• Precious metal options
• Quality and complexity of the piece

Higher Budgets: Focus on Craftsmanship and Personal Significance

When shopping for a luxury piece of jewelry, focus on the craftsmanship and personal significance of a piece first and foremost, while keeping in mind that a higher price tag does not always guarantee a better quality or greater sentimental meaning.

To ensure that you’re getting the best piece of jewelry for your money, judge luxury pieces based on factors such as:

• Craftsmanship
• Setting quality
• Metal and gemstone quality
• Customization options
• Available provenance and documentation
• Long-term wearability

“If there’s someone who doesn’t have a lot of jewelry, then I would probably encourage them to invest in the basics,” Alkayam says, “like something that they’re going to be able to wear every day, whether that’s diamond studs, or diamond hoops, or a simple necklace that they can stack or just dress up or dress down. 
If there’s someone who has a lot of jewelry, then I’ll show them something more unique and special, something that has a story behind it that’s not like anything else they own.”

When Should You Start Shopping for Holiday Jewelry Gifts?

Start your search for 2026 holiday jewelry gifts in November, particularly if you know that your purchase will likely require:

• Custom engraving
• Size adjustments
• Personalized designs
• Special ordering
• Shipping
• An appraisal

Beginning to research and browse in November will also allow some extra time in the event of unexpected delays.

Keep an eye out for the occasional holiday sale as well, without relying on one to afford your purchase. While December is the peak for appraisals and that indicates a lot of new purchases around this time period, November-December is not guaranteed to be the least expensive month for jewelry purchases.

Once you’ve found the perfect piece, before purchase, verify:

1. The maker’s production and customization deadlines, if applicable
2. Return windows
3. Shipping expectations
4. Ring and bracelet sizing needs
5. The retailer’s price terms

Order Personalized or Custom Jewelry Earlier

Custom designs, resizing, engraving, and special orders can require additional time. Rather than assuming or relying on a generic holiday shipping estimate, always ask your jeweler or retailer for a confirmed completion and delivery date.

“If it’s custom, like something complex where I have to source stones, I ask for eight weeks because I don’t want to be rushing and scrambling at the end of the season,” Alkayam says. “If it’s something more simple but a special order, then four to six weeks.

“If it’s something right out of the showcase, Christmas Eve is fine.
 I’ll be around. I don’t encourage it, but it’s possible.”

Should You Insure an Expensive Jewelry Gift?

If a jewelry gift would be costly to replace, consider how it will be protected from the point of purchase through gifting and then afterward.

As an example, according to BriteCo, diamond-set earrings came with a median estimated appraised replacement value of $8,032 in 2025, while the median appraised replacement value for bracelets was $6,975. If you were to buy one of these pieces for your loved ones this holiday season, would it strain their or your finances to replace the piece after a loss or damage?

If the answer is “yes,” securing appropriate coverage based on the jewelry’s value is often worthwhile. When Alkayam makes a sale, she says, “I strongly encourage everybody to get insurance.”

Quick Insurance Checklist

1. Would replacing the jewelry be financially difficult?
2. Does the intended owner already have jewelry coverage?
3. Is the item above the policy’s jewelry-specific limit?
4. Are accidental loss, theft, damage, and mysterious disappearance included?
5. Does coverage need to be arranged or updated when the gift changes ownership?

The process of determining how much jewelry insurance coverage you need starts with getting an appraisal, taking clear photos of the piece, and holding on to your original purchase receipt. Then, you can move on to getting coverage quotes.

Frequently Asked Questions About Holiday Jewelry Gift Prices

How Much Do Jewelry Gifts Typically Cost?

There’s no single price range for jewelry gifts. However, according to BriteCo, the 2025 median estimated sales prices for diamond-set earrings, necklaces, and pendants were $5,726, $5,148, and $3,767, respectively, but those figures do not include every type of jewelry.

Why Is December the Busiest Month for Jewelry Appraisals?

According to BriteCo, December accounted for 12.7% of annual earring appraisals, 10.7% of necklace appraisals, and 10.6% of pendant appraisals per the 2019-2025 data. Holiday activity may contribute to this increase, but the data does not confirm this.

How Much Do Diamond Earrings Cost?

According to BriteCo, diamond-set earrings came with a 2025 median estimated sales price of $5,726. Individual prices vary substantially by diamond quality/size/origin, metal, design, and retailer.

What is the Median Price of a Necklace?

According to BriteCo, diamond-set necklaces had a 2025 median estimated sales price of $5,148.

Have Jewelry Gift Prices Increased Since 2019?

According to BriteCo, median sales-price estimates for diamond-set earrings, necklaces, and pendants increased approximately 46%, 45%, and 26%, respectively, between 2019 and 2025. These are nominal category changes, not inflation-adjusted prices of identical products.

Make Your Holiday Jewelry Gift Last Beyond the Season

As you peruse the numbers above, keep in mind that while median sales prices can lend you some informative data this December, these prices are not representative of every single jewelry gift and you shouldn’t base your gift choices on medians or averages.

BriteCo’s jewelry data can show what higher-value earrings, necklaces, pendants, and bracelets cost or were appraised for in 2025 — but the right holiday gift is ultimately the piece that fits your recipient and your budget.

Whether you’re gifting a pair of diamond earrings, an heirloom-quality necklace, or another meaningful piece, keep its purchase records and consider whether the cost of replacing it justifies also buying dedicated jewelry protection. If so, get your estimate for jewelry insurance now.

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