Years ago, I worked in retail, mainly clothing stores, but it's pretty much the same jewelry too (worked a season in a jewelry store as well). Men are notorious for waiting until the last minute to shop for the holidays. This was great for those of us on the selling side of the counter because people were desperate by the time they made it into the shop. Men, in particular, were my favorite customers because they were in a hurry and didn't want too many choices: " You can never go wrong with hoop earrings or a gold chain." Bam! Sold!

A report in National Jeweler confirms this customer trend still continues today: " With the holidays quickly approaching, strong sales continued last week, with women leading the charge, reports Steven Goldfarb of Alvin Goldfarb Jewelers in Bellevue, Wash. [...] "We are expecting the men this week," he says. "This is about where the switch happens, when the men start showing up who think they have a lot of time left."

Watch sales were especially strong last week, says Goldfarb, and the men that did come in were buying diamond jewelry and colored stone rings. Citrine, amethyst and "for the first time in years, blue topaz," were the most popular stones, according to Goldfarb.

"Pastels are strong this year," he says.

If there is any fashion trend evident in Goldfarb's holiday business thus far, it is in the sales of yellow gold."

If you are on the selling side of the counter, look out for those male customers in the next few weeks!