SPRINGFIELD/CHICOPEE/HOLYOKE – The coronavirus pandemic forced the world to slow down and stop. Many events, such as engagements, parties and weddings, were put on hold. With COVID-19 positivity rates down and over 50 percent of the United States population now vaccinated, there is a sense of normalcy returning again. Many local jewelers are now seeing a rise in sales of engagement rings, wedding bands and diamond earrings.

According to wedding website The Knot, “The vast majority of weddings had to be modified in some capacity due to COVID-19 (96 percent). The good news is that for nearly 93 percent of engaged couples, the pandemic didn’t cancel their wedding celebrations altogether.”

The Knot said that a majority of couples set their sights on dates in 2021 instead.

Springfield’s Smith & Son Jewelers was forced to close in March 2020 because of the pandemic. When they reopened, owner Michele Smith said that they were extremely busy.

Smith said that they saw many people picking up repairs they had dropped off before the shutdown and also buying engagement rings. With ring sales up, Smith said that customers might have realized how uncertain the world was and that they shouldn’t wait to get engaged.

“People were realizing what was going on in the world and maybe that life is short and to not put everything off in life,” she said.

This year, Smith said that customers are purchasing rings at an even higher rate than 2020. She said that they are doing “very good” when it comes to sales. Having a sense of normalcy and a busier wedding season feels great, according to Smith.

“It feels good. It really does. It’s nice to see people’s smiles again and just nice to be with our customers. We have a great customer base and family generations that come in, because we’re fourth generation as well, so it’s just really nice to see all of that,” she said.

Smith & Sons Jewelers has a live case of engagement rings in their store where customers can come in and purchase a ring in the same day.

Smith said that they also offer custom-made rings, which can take anywhere from two to eight weeks to make depending on certain factors.

Sayegh Jewelers in Chicopee also offers both ready-made and custom rings in their stores. Eddy Sayegh, owner of Sayegh Jewelers, said that their ring sales were down last year but are up for 2021.

“Engagement rings and wedding bands are a lot better than last year and even better than 2019, at least at this location in Chicopee,” said Sayegh.

Sayegh attributes this to the postponement of weddings in 2020 which is bringing people in now to buy their bands. He also said that extra stimulus money might have helped people buy rings and jewelry this year.

After a slower year in 2020, Sayegh said that it feels great to have customers back.

“It feels good. We’re very busy at both of our stores. A lot of repairs and orders. It’s good and we’re not worried. We feel very confident,” he said.

Furnari Jewelers in Holyoke is also experiencing higher engagement and wedding band sales post-pandemic. Owner Joe Furnari attributes this to extra money and also a strengthening of relationships.

“The whole jewelry industry, from those I’ve talked to, has been up a lot since reopening. I think people aren’t going on the vacations they used to and I think people are appreciating each other more too,” said Furnari. “People were able to spend more time together and decided, hey we got through this tough period in our world’s history, let’s get married and keep doing it.”

Furnari said that despite having to close their store in March 2020 due to government mandates, they are now back and better than ever.

“It’s been one of the best years so far,” he said.

Getting back to the way of life before COVID-19 feels great in all aspects of life, said Furnari. Business is booming and the world is taking time to appreciate their loved ones after a period of uncertainty, he added.

“It feels great. Not just for business, but for everyday life aspects. Just to get back to the way things were,” said Furnari. “I think there’s a deeper appreciation for it now which is fantastic. It’s all the small things people appreciate, and I think it’s strengthened a lot of people’s relationships, too, in every aspect, not just with loved ones but I think people appreciate their children more, their parents, their friends...it’s a deeper appreciation, because for a while we didn’t have it. Sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone, but now it’s back so you appreciate it.”

Those interested in learning more about Smith & Sons Jewelers are encouraged to visit their website at https://www.smithandsonjewelers.com/. Information on Sayegh Jewelers can be found at https://www.sayeghjewelers.com/ and information on Furnari Jewelers can be found at https://www.furnarijewelers.com/.