A small jeweler opening a moissanite line faces a specific problem: the wholesale prices are low enough to tempt a big order, but a big order ties up cash in stones that may not sell. The princess cut is the worst shape to overstock, because it skews to a specific buyer and does not move through the slow seasons. A disciplined starter pack solves this. Here is the order size that covers the first quarter of a princess line without leaving a drawer of dead stock.
The starter pack
We recommend a ten-stone opening order for a new princess line, weighted to the sizes that actually sell. The mix below is built from the reorder data of small retail partners.
| Size (mm) | Stones in starter pack | Wholesale cost each (USD) | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4x4 | 2 | $10 - $18 | accents, small pendants |
| 5x5 | 3 | $18 - $30 | stud earrings, signet stones |
| 5.5x5.5 | 2 | $26 - $42 | entry solitaire |
| 6x6 | 2 | $35 - $58 | main engagement size |
| 7x7 | 1 | $55 - $90 | display / made-to-order |
The total wholesale cost of that pack sits around $350 to $500, depending on the grade. It covers the most likely first ten orders without gambling on the 7x7 size that may sit for months.
Why not start bigger
A fifty-stone order looks cheaper per stone, and it is, but it assumes demand that a new line has not proven. If half the pack sits at the end of six months, the per-stone savings are gone in carrying cost. Start with ten, watch which sizes reorder, and build depth there. The 5x5 and 6x6 sizes are the ones that usually justify a second order within the quarter.
Dropship versus inventory
For sizes above 7x7, do not stock at all. Offer them as made-to-order and ship from our warehouse on a two to three week lead time. The customer waits, and you never tie up $90 to $150 per stone on a size that may sell twice a year. Mark the larger sizes as "available on request" on your site rather than "in stock"; it costs nothing to list them, and every order that comes through is profit without inventory risk.
What to pair the pack with
A princess line needs settings to sell. Keep two or three mounting types on hand rather than a full range: a four-prong solitaire, a pavé band setting, and a bezel for daily wear. Stones in the drawer do not sell; stones mounted on a card do. Most small jewelers find that one mounted sample per size converts more than a tray of loose stones, because customers need to see the scale on a finger.
- Keep a four-prong solitaire mounting on hand.
- Keep a pavé band setting.
- Keep a bezel for daily-wear customers.
- Mount one sample per proven size rather than stock all loose.
Reorder logic after the first quarter
At the end of the first quarter, look at which sizes were actually cut. Reorder those, and stop reordering the ones that sat. A princess line that moves 5x5 and 6x6 should grow those sizes, not add 8x8 just because the price looks attractive. The line grows by depth on proven sizes, not by range on speculative ones.
Pricing the starter pack at retail
The ten-stone pack costs around $350 to $500 wholesale. Retailed across solitaire rings, stud earrings and signet stones at three to four times cost, the pack turns into roughly $1,200 to $1,800 of retail sales if every stone sells. That is the number that makes the starter-pack logic work: the capital outlay is small enough that a slow first quarter does not hurt, and the upside is large enough that a good quarter funds the next order on its own. Compare that to a fifty-stone order at $1,500 that sits half sold at the six-month mark.
Common mistakes when opening a princess line
The first mistake is ordering the largest size available because it looks impressive in a sample tray. The 7x7 and 8x8 princesses turn slowly and tie up cash. The second is ordering mixed color grades to save money; the corners show body color, and a G stone next to a D on the display card is obvious. The third is not mounting any stones. A drawer of loose princesses does not sell; one mounted solitaire on a display stand sells three loose inquiries. Start small, mount the proven sizes, and let the line teach you what the local customer wants.
Keep a written record of every order size and reason. After six months, that log tells you more than any sales rep about whether your local buyer wants solitaires, studs or signets. Most new jewelers order on gut feel the first time and on data the second; the starter pack is small enough that the first order's mistakes do not cost much.
That is the whole point of starting small: the learning is cheap.
Starter-pack princess stones are listed in the loose stone catalog under Princess Cut.