10 Jewels for the Self-Purchasing Female Consumer

between the ages of 35 and 55--Jewelers of America’s Director of Public Relations and Events Amanda Gizzi said of the demographic, “She has been in the workforce for over fifteen years and is established in her career. She makes her own money and isn’t afraid to spend some of it on herself.”

“Satisfaction has a higher value than surprise.”--Ann Ko, Liven Co.

Designer Priyanka Kedia of Ayva Jewelry agreed.

“(Women) are transforming the marketplace,” she said. “They are no longer waiting for their men or partners to buy them jewelry. They now buy jewelry as tangible evidence of their successes and as a reward for their hard work.”

Part of this consumer trend is due to the availability of fine jewelry at non-exorbitant price points.

Last month, Marty Hurwitz, CEO of MVI Marketing, told National Jeweler that the typical retail price range for jewelry self-purchasers was between $95 and $995, which aligned with the results of a survey National Jeweler and Jewelers of America conducted last year in which jewelers confirmed that outside of the bridal market, their average price per unit sold was under $1,000.

Delicate Jewelry
Attainability remains key in fueling the self-purchasing phenomenon, and the delicate jewelry trend has been instrumental in keeping costs low, proving itself a mainstay in the market.

Designer Wing Yau of fine jewelry brand Wwake has been a stand-out in the layering, delicate jewelry arena, carving out a distinct, minimalist aesthetic focused on tiny opals, diamonds and gemstones.



“It’s a new age of jewelry purchasing,” Yau said. “Our customers are independent and thoughtful--they’re not waiting for men to buy them nice things anymore. More than anything, they do it for themselves.”

Kwon’s jewelry also is of a delicate, stacking nature, with plenty of options that retail for under $1,000.

“We've found that the pricing and aesthetic of our pieces are at sort of a sweet spot for the self-purchasing woman,” she said. “The unique-yet-wearable design of our pieces, as well as the luxurious feel of them despite their somewhat dainty scale, really resonates with this particular demographic.”

Brands today are relying on the exact opposite mentality of the “keep-it-in-the-safe” attitude of generations past, creating pieces that function as an effortless uniform, appropriate to wear in any situation.

“Everyday, flexible pieces are a priority for busy modern women,” Ko emphasized. “A fine piece that goes with everything, can be dressed up or down, and still offers great style is worth buying.”

A Cultural Shift
As more women and men delay marriage or put it off altogether, several designers stressed that fine jewelry no longer needs to be a purchase relegated to engagements and anniversaries, saying that instead, women are marking any number of life events with a self-purchase.

“Our core customer is a self-purchasing woman who buys herself jewelry in honor of her own milestones--usually little earrings or rings that they can wear every day as a sweet reminder of their achievements,” Yau said.

Meanwhile Page Neal, the co-founder and one half of the design duo behind fine jewelry brand Bario Neal, is looking far beyond her brand's bridal customer, hoping to engage with their audience through all aspects of life.

“We believe that our lives are rich with experiences of all kinds: triumphs and sadness and joy,” Neal said. “Monumental events and rites of passage that invoke our humanity are not limited to engagements, weddings and anniversaries. Jewelry has the power to mark these moments with a reminder that you can both wear throughout your life and pass on later as a token of strength, resilience and fortitude. This is the time to treat and celebrate yourself.”

“It’s a new age of jewelry purchasing. Our customers are independent and thoughtful--they’re not waiting for men to buy them nice things anymore." -- Wing Yau, Wwake

Designer Ariel Gordon also feels that fine jewelry is the ideal product to sate the self-purchasing need for an ever-evolving consumer.

“There is a new, more mindful shopper who places a premium on products that offer craftsmanship, usefulness and versatility,” she said.

But Ayva Jewelry’s Kedia adheres to an even more democratic philosophy when it comes to buying oneself jewelry.

“The best part about self-purchasing is that you don’t need a reason to treat yourself,” she said.

Connecting with the Female Self-Purchaser
When asked how brands were directly targeting the self-purchaser, designers’ answers all had something in common: an emphasis on social media.

“On Bario Neal social media, we have a weekly post titled ‘More to Celebrate,’” said Bario Neal's Manager and Design Administrator Sarah Maltais. “Our hashtag #moretocelebrate is our call to remember that rites of passage extend beyond weddings, engagements, and anniversaries. We think we should honor our own personal struggles and accomplishments.

“We engage our customers with the question, what do you want to celebrate? And what ring stack would you choose as a physical reminder? (Examples of) past customer commemorations have included finishing graduate school, submitting a first film to a festival, paying off consumer debt, quitting a job to travel and write, finishing a dissertation and PhD program, and buying a first house,” she said.

Brands specifically noted the visual appeal of Instagram and how showing their jewelry worn or photographed in an aesthetically pleasing way helped customers relate to the product.

“We use inspiring images and realistic photographs on Instagram to ensure that our brand is both relatable and accessible,” Yau said. “My goal is to be with our customers every step of the way.”

Ultimately, independent female designers have the direct advantage of understanding the self-purchasing demographic because they are a part of it.

Kent emphasized, “My collection is not only designed by a woman for woman, but inspired by them.”