Proper store lighting can attract more customers to any store, help sell more products, and strengthen the image of a store. Many designers argue that the most important element of a store design may be its lighting. Unfortunately, lighting is often the most neglected component of a store design.

When choosing lighting for any store or display case, here are some ideas to consider.

Ceiling height: The height of the ceiling of a store is one of the most important factors that go into a plan to illuminate a jewelry store in such a way that the merchandise looks spectacular. As the light source moves away from the merchandise, the power and intensity of the light decreases. Stores with higher ceilings (over 9 feet) face some challenges with lighting. Stores with higher ceilings should use more lights that are closer together to illuminate a display case or bring the light source closer by lowering a track or using a pendant.

Color: The color of light is measured in Kelvin (temperature). The higher the temperature reading (Kelvin), the cooler the color of the light, and the lower the temperature, the warmer the color. For example, a 3000K light would be a warmer color and a 4000K light would be a cooler light. As the temperature of the light becomes too high (over 4200 K), the color of the light begins to take on a blue quality. Lights that are between 5500K and 6500K will appear “blue” to the eye.

Bulb Life / Quality: The time a bulb is expected to last is based on its “rated life”. The best bulbs have a lifespan of over 10,000 hours. The quality of a light bulb can also be measured by its CRI (Color Rendering Index). The higher the CRI of a bulb, the better the quality of the light it projects. CRI numbers above 80 mean very high quality of light. CRI numbers above 90 signify exemplary light quality.

Power of Light: The power of a light bulb is measured in lumens. The amount of light that is generated is measured in Lux or, more commonly, in chandeliers (“fc”). The higher the lumens, the more chandeliers the bulb will generate.

Different light sources: There are three main sources of light that are used in jewelry stores. They are (1) Ceramic metal halides (2) Halogens (3) Fluorescent. LED technology is being used more and more, but it is still far behind the top three. The best source of lighting for jewelry is still ceramic metal halide. This is due to its qualities. They are energy efficient, powerful (lumens over 6000), come in warm and cool colors (3000K to 4200K), have excellent CRI (over 80 and in most cases over 90 CRI), and can provide standing candles that can exceed 400. Halogens are hot, have lower CRIs, do not maintain their color for the life of the bulb, and have about a quarter to a third the power of a ceramic metal halide. Fluorescent lamps are energy efficient, but they do not project enough energy to be useful in a jewelry store when it comes to lighting merchandise.

LEDs are the “buzz” but they have limitations and problems. LED technology is constantly changing. An LED device you buy today (as in the case of a personal computer) will be out of date a year from now. Maintaining a consistent LED color over time can be problematic due to changes in LED technology. LEDs can make jewelry look good inside the display case, but they are not powerful enough to place it on top of the box where the sale takes place. Due to this limitation, a different light source is required on the cabinet, such as a halogen or ceramic metal halide. This is where problems occur. What happens is that there are two different light sources, each of which makes a piece of jewelry look different. For example … a customer sees a piece of jewelry inside a display case illuminated by an LED strip. They ask the seller to take it out for them to see. It is pulled out and is now on the glass being illuminated by a DIFFERENT light source that makes the piece look different. The customer begins to wonder if the lighting inside the box is there to “trick” them into thinking the jewelry looks good. Since sales are finalized in the “glass,” having a light source that makes the jewelry look the same inside the box as it does on top of the box is crucial to closing a sale.

ADVICE:

(1) Most designers who understand the correct way to light a jewelry will tell you that you light “for diamonds” and that the rest of your merchandise will survive and that if you light for gold, your diamonds will die. Diamonds require bright white light that provides enough energy to make them sparkle. Diamonds should be displayed under lights that are in the 4000 -4200K range. This provides a beautiful white color that does not achieve blue qualities. Gold and warmer colored stones look best under warmer colored lights of 3000K to 3500K. However, if a store is going to use a single color of light in all of its display cases, then the adage of “diamond lighting” is the way to go.

(2) Make sure the lighting is powerful enough to produce a minimum of 200 fc. It is universally accepted that having a light below 200 fc is less than the minimum amount of light to properly illuminate jewelry, especially diamonds. Readings between 200 and 400fc is the optimal amount of light power over a display case, depending on the store owner’s personal preference for how much light they think looks best.

(3) Make general or ambient lighting warmer and less powerful than cabinet lighting. The human eye is attracted to brighter light. If the general lighting in a store is the same color and power as the display cases, then there will be nothing to attract customers to the display cases and the store will feel cold and unwelcoming. By having less powerful general (ambient) lighting (around 75fc) and warmer color (between 2500 and 300K), the lighting on the merchandise will stand out and attract the customer to the display cases.

(4) When lighting a storefront that has natural sunlight, use twice the amount of light that would be commonly used over a storefront to combat the power of the sun.

When updating lighting, the trend is usually a change from halogen technology. Halogen customers who switch to ceramic metal halides will notice an immediate difference in the quality and power of the light, the decrease in heat and the noticeable change it produces in their products.

Things to consider when choosing the type of lighting:

Clue: This provides the most versatility as accessories can be easily moved and repositioned. Whether merchandise is moved from one display case to another or the display cases are moved, track lighting gives the store owner the most options.

Recessed: This provides the most elegant look. The limitations are that the store owner will be limited in their ability to add or decrease light, as well as limitations with the movement of merchandise and display cases within the store. Once a recessed light is installed, the cost of adding or removing lighting becomes a great expense as electricians are required to remove / move the lighting, as well as problems related to repairing the holes in the ceiling where recessed fixture installed.

Pendants: Pendants are a great way to bring a light source closer to display cases where the ceilings are high and store owners don’t want to spend the money needed to add additional lights to offset high ceilings.

Interior Display Case Lighting: Having lighting inside a display case can really add sparkle and sparkle to your jewelry. The best lighting for the inside of a housing is LED. However, be careful when choosing the LED to ensure that the light color is not blue (5500K = color gamut). Having a bright color on your merchandise within the box and a different color on your merchandise on the box has the real potential of losing a sale. Stores don’t want their customers to be drawn in by how jewelry and diamonds look on the inside only to have them look different on top of the glass where the sale is actually closed. Customers will think that stores are trying to fool them by using fancy lighting.