| Men have always been an important part of the | | | | attire, they are interested in accenting their wardrobes |
| jewelry market, but mostly as buyers of expensive | | | | not only with a fine watch, but gold rings and cufflinks, |
| women's jewelry. Yet their role as exclusive | | | | and wholesale costume jewelry,fashion jewelry |
| purchasers of women's jewelry is beginning to shift, as | | | | wholesale,wholesale jewelry,jewelry supply,pearl |
| the sales of fine jewelry for men virtually doubled from | | | | jewelry, body jewelry as well." |
| 2004 to 2006 to reach $6 billion, according to a new | | | | Jewelry store sales on upswing in 2006 |
| study of the jewelry and watch market published by | | | | This surge in interest in men's jewelry coincides with an |
| Unity Marketing. | | | | overall trend in the jewelry market toward specialty |
| "Jewelry designed for men used to be a step-child in | | | | retailers who can provide unique designs and |
| the jewelry business, as compared to women's | | | | individualized service. After losing market share for |
| jewelry," said Pam Danziger, president of Unity | | | | several years to discounters and mass merchants, |
| Marketing and author of "Shopping: Why We Love It | | | | specialty jewelers regained a full 50 percent share of |
| and How Retailers Can Create the Ultimate Customer | | | | the jewelry market in 2006. Says Danziger, "Jewelry |
| Experience." "But in 2006 the men's jewelry market | | | | shoppers, in their search for higher-quality merchandise |
| reached a 10 percent share of the market, so it can't | | | | and more fashion-forward designs, found that the |
| be ignored any longer by jewelry marketers and | | | | service and expert advice available in jewelry stores |
| retailers." | | | | was exactly what they needed. They were willing to |
| Men's jewelry sales continue strong in the luxury | | | | trade up for service and experiences that they couldn't |
| market | | | | find in discount and warehouse retailers." |
| Signs are that sales of men's jewelry will continue | | | | About Unity Marketing's new study of the jewelry and |
| apace in 2007 and beyond. For example, in Unity | | | | watch market |
| Marketing's quarterly surveys of luxury consumer | | | | Unity Marketing has just published a new study of the |
| purchases, men's jewelry purchase incidence rose | | | | jewelry consumer market, entitled "Jewelry & Watch |
| each quarter this year to a high of 12 percent at the | | | | Report, 2007." It combines the results of in-depth |
| close of the third quarter 2007. This compares with an | | | | qualitative focus group research and a quantitative |
| historic level of 5 percent purchase incidence in 2006. | | | | research study of 750 recent jewelry buyers' shopping |
| Such strong sales bode well for the health of the | | | | preferences, behaviors and attitudes. |
| men's jewelry market going into the traditional fourth | | | | Included in the new "Jewelry and Watch Report, 2007" |
| quarter gifting season. | | | | are profiles of the nation's top ten jewelry retailers, as |
| "Our findings suggest that men are putting their | | | | well as details about where shoppers turned for their |
| experience as knowledgeable consumers of women's | | | | last jewelry or watch purchase and what features |
| jewelry to work in making fine jewelry purchases for | | | | about the shopping environment influenced their |
| themselves," says Danziger. "Now that many men are | | | | shopping decision. |
| abandoning business casual for more formal business | | | | |