This year marks a major milestone for women.
Women now make up the majority of the workforce in the US, with 50.4% of jobs being held by women, compared to 49.7% just a year ago.
Women today have more opportunities than their ancestors could ever have dreamed of, and more identities than ever before.
Daughter, sister, careerist, breadwinner, community worker, volunteer, friend, partner, leader. Defined by who she is, and by what she does. And much more.
Women’s Empowerment - Owning your accomplishments, and the rewards
While we celebrate International Women’s Day once a year, every day is really an opportunity to be strong, driven and empowered.
With empowerment comes responsibility and the fulfillment of duty. Many times, when there is so much to do, it is easy to forget about the woman inside.
Yet with empowerment also comes great joy, accomplishment, and a sense of “hey, I deserve this!”. Women today do not wait for others to show their appreciation. They know how to award themselves and reward themselves for a job well done amid a life of juggling expectations and commitments.
Empowerment has brought with it financial freedom, and this has placed many women in a position to treat themselves. And, some things never change - today, as always, the perfect treat is a piece of jewelry.
Women still love to shop, right?
It’s not just a stereotype! Women today make up the largest consumer segment. In fact, 70-80% of consumer purchase decisions in the US are made by women. No retail sector is left unaffected by that change. And that includes jewelry.
According to luxury diamond brand Graff, 25 percent of customers are women buying for themselves. And let’s not forget - this is a brand whose average product price is $150,000.
Of course, women making these purchases tend to be over 40, with established careers and the disposable income to support such a purchase. This is just common sense.
However, there are plenty of women buying jewelry for themselves at younger ages and more affordable price points too. Mejuri is a direct-to-consumer (D2C) jewelry brand whose majority of customers are women “buying what they want, when they want.” The company states that 75% of purchases are made by women, either for themselves or for other women.
Self-gifting - A new jewelry trend?
Although self-gifting may seem like a new trend for a new decade, some research traces it all the way back to the 1980s, when women first started to head into the workplace in large numbers. That new-found freedom and financial independence was the seed of the idea that women don’t need to wait for a man to enjoy a diamond or jewelry piece. And today, the trend has intensified, with women of all relationship statuses buying jewelry for themselves.
As one woman writing in Business Insider put it, “After 3 engagement rings and a divorce, I bought an engagement ring for myself.”
Tradition dies hard
Although women are buying diamonds and jewelry for themselves in record numbers, there are still plenty of partners out there who want to show their love and appreciation with a special jewelry gift. Birthdays, Valentine’s Day, and engagement season are still driving diamond jewelry sales, and according to one online jewelry retailer, the average American is spending a generous $7750 on an engagement ring.
So - whether she is buying it for herself, or he is buying it for her - what are the latest diamond jewelry trends that women love right now? Let’s take a look:
Color:
Fancy colored diamonds and other colored gemstones are more popular than ever, with many women combining a white center diamond with colored side stones, or even stones of complementary colors to create a really festive piece.
Image source: https://www.instagram.com/p/B8jCBrBJrdv/
Emerald cut:
According to Harper’s Bazaar, the emerald cut diamond is making a real comeback this year, with a modern twist, like side baguette stones or pave set band, or by playing up the classic antique look with vintage-inspired features.
Offset diamonds:
Quirky and one of a kind. That’s today’s modern woman and that’s exactly what you get with the new trend of offset diamonds. Diamonds set in an unexpected way keeps you on your toes and adds a spark of originality.
Image source: https://www.instagram.com/p/B8jCBrBJrdv/
While tradition will never go away, more and more women are deciding not to wait for special occasions or a partner to purchase a jewelry item. Forget birthdays and anniversaries. Women are looking to treat themselves with jewelry just because they can. And this opens up amazing marketing opportunities for diamond and jewelry retailers.
Happy International Women’s Day!
