How Tall Should a Jewelry Showcase Be?

The short answer: Most standing jewelry showcases are built at about 42 inches tall, and sit-down showcases for bridal and consultation selling work best at about 36 inches, according to jewelry store designer and friend Leslie McGwire in INSTORE. If a case doubles as your sales counter, the ADA also requires a section no higher than 36 inches. The right height for your store depends on how you sell.

Standing showcases: about 42 inches

The standard case is a standing case. The customer looks down through the top glass, and the associate brings pieces up and across the counter. At about 42 inches, the top sits at a comfortable height for leaning in, setting down a tray and handing over a ring, while the glass front still shows the merchandise to people walking by.

Standing cases suit fashion jewelry, watches, gifts and anywhere you want quick, browsable selling.

Sit-down showcases: about 36 inches

A sit-down showcase lowers the counter so the customer and associate can sit across from each other. The conversation slows down, and that's the point. Bridal, custom design and high-ticket sales usually happen here.

INSTORE's roundup of innovative showcase strategies shows how stores mix the two. Falls Jewelers in Kannapolis, North Carolina, uses sit-down cases at the bridal counter and front-opening walk-around cases elsewhere. Storey Jewelers in Gonzales, Texas, combines walk-around islands, front-opening displays and bridal sit-down cases.

Tower and wall cases: eye level

Tall tower and wall cases put pieces at standing eye level, where they can be seen from across the room. They're often used for brand collections, statement pieces and anything you want visible from the door. Varying heights across the floor also gives the eye somewhere to travel. A store where every case is the same height reads flat.

The ADA rule your sales counter must meet

Under the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, a sales or service counter must offer an accessible section. Section 904.4 gives two ways to comply:

Approach	Accessible section	Clear space
Parallel approach (904.4.1)	At least 36 in. long, no higher than 36 in.	Floor space alongside the counter
Forward approach (904.4.2)	At least 30 in. long, no higher than 36 in.	Knee and toe space under the counter

Checkout counters in a check-out aisle have a separate limit of 38 inches maximum (904.3.2). Many jewelers meet the counter rule by lowering one section of the wrap or service counter, or by designing the bridal sit-down area to serve both purposes. Confirm the details with your architect, since state and local codes can add requirements.

Leave room around the cases

Height is only half the fit. McGwire also told INSTORE that stand-alone cases can sit about 2 feet from a wall, versus about 6 feet for a traditional case setup. Walk-around and island cases can open up the floor and change how customers move through it.

Height is a design decision, not a catalog number

Catalog showcases come in fixed sizes. A custom showcase is built for your floor plan, your merchandise and the way your team sells.

At Moonrise Jewelry in Cape Charles, Virginia, Artco Group designed custom display cases for side-by-side selling in the center of the store, as INSTORE reported in its 2023 profile of the store. Owner Meredith Lusk says the cases "are highlighted for the elegant and casual coastal feel they lend to our store's interior."

Frequently asked questions

What is the standard height of a jewelry display case? About 42 inches for a standing case and about 36 inches for a sit-down case are common guidelines. Custom cases can be built to any height the layout needs.

Do jewelry showcases have to be ADA compliant? Any case that serves as a sales or service counter needs an accessible section: at least 36 inches long (or 30 inches with knee space) and no higher than 36 inches.

What's the difference between a full-vision and a standard showcase? A full-vision case is glass almost top to bottom, so merchandise shows from across the room. A standard case has glass on top and a solid base below, which adds storage and a more furniture-like look.

Designing a new store or replacing your cases? Artco Group designs and builds custom showcases at our Miami facility for jewelers across the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean, and our own crews handle installation. Start at artcogroup.com.