Jewelry counters · trays, busts and lining
Eighty per cent of the perceived quality of a jewelry display comes from the lining, twenty per cent from size and light. Get the lining wrong and the tray looks cheap no matter how accurate it is.
The same acrylic tray lined in 1.5 mm short-pile velvet and lined in microfibre sits at two different price points on the shelf, even though the substrate is identical.
| Lining | Hand and look | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short-pile velvet | Matte, saturated colour, reads as premium | Diamond and gold counters, hero positions | Holds dust; needs regular vacuuming |
| Microfibre | Fine, hard-wearing, consistent colour | Silver, everyday display, high wipe frequency | Flatter look, less depth |
| EVA foam | Thick, can be routed for location | Boxed sets, display and transit in one | Needs a fabric face to look right |
| Leather / PU | Firm, modern | Watches, designer brands | Light colours show scratches |
Cutting the recess is either die-cut, which is cheaper and suits volume and regular shapes, or CNC-routed, which follows a single piece's outline and suits one-offs and irregular shapes. The critical dimension is recess depth: 2–3 mm shallower than the piece, so it neither rattles nor resists being lifted out.
| Unit | Common size | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Flat tray | 300 × 200 / 350 × 250 / 400 × 300 mm | Set from counter depth; leave 30 mm at the front for fingers |
| Angled tray | Same footprint, 15–25° rise | Above 25° the piece slides unless a front lip is added |
| Necklace bust | 120–180 mm tall | Match to chain length so the piece does not rest on the base |
| Ring bar | 300 × 40 × 25 mm | 35–45 mm pitch between fingers |
| Earring board | 200 × 150 mm at 15° | Confirm post diameter before drilling |
Jewelry demands more from lighting than cosmetics because faceted stones return light rather than emit it. 3000–4000 K with high colour rendering is the usual range, and the fixture should sit at roughly 30° off the sight line so it catches both the bright facet and the lining texture without shining into the customer's eyes.
Security does not have to be expensive. Magnetic locating pads in the base keep a tray from sliding when staff lift it. A concealed lock position between tray and counter is a low-cost option. For hero pieces, a locked acrylic cover does the job. Watch the magnet strength: too strong and staff fight the tray every time they re-merchandise, too weak and it does not locate.
Design the lining as a consumable from the start — held by a groove, double-sided tape, or removable as a whole sheet. When the store changes seasonal colour, replacing the lining costs a fraction of rebuilding the tray.
Clean acrylic with a neutral detergent and a microfibre cloth. No alcohol, acetone or glass cleaner: alcohols and ketones dull the surface. Vacuum velvet weekly and dry-brush the areas that see handling.
Counter dimensions, the categories you display, roughly how many trays per store, and the lining colour or brand reference. We will propose tray footprints from the counter depth and send a 100 × 100 mm lining swatch for approval.
Yes. Send a colour reference or a physical fabric swatch and we produce a 100 × 100 mm sample for comparison before cutting the batch. Deep colours vary more between dye lots than pale ones, so for a multi-store roll-out we recommend buying the year's fabric in one run.
A bare acrylic edge can mark metal. Any surface that the product rests on gets lining or a microfibre pad, and unlined structures get polished, radiused edges as standard.
5 mm acrylic base plus 1.5 mm lining keeps the whole tray under 8 mm without noticeable flex. Thinner than that and it deflects when lifted, which reads as cheap in the hand.
Yes — MOQ is one piece. Jewelry buyers typically want a few sets each of a dozen designs; we nest parts of the same sheet and thickness in one cutting run to limit waste, and the unit price depends on the number of designs and the lining work.
Two options: a concealed lock position between tray and counter, which leaves the appearance unchanged, or a locked acrylic cover for hero pieces that stay on display after hours.
Sketches, CAD files or reference photos are all fine to start. MOQ 1 pc · 7-day sampling.
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