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A Gem Of Your Own
Why more women are taking matters into their own hands and buying jewelry for themselves
by Kate Yandoh
March 1, 2005
I
t lasts longer than a spa day. It can be a daily declaration of independence and success.
And, as more and more women are discovering, it's great, empowering fun.
About 57% of women bought themselves jewelry last year, according to Pam Danzinger,
publisher of "Jewelry Report 2004." The purchase may celebrate a birthday or a promotion, a
successful fundraising drive, election to office or an IPO, but it's no longer a second-choice
option for those who have grown tired of waiting for the proverbial little blue box.
In 2003, with an eye on the "Sex in the City" demographic, diamond giant DeBeers began a
massive promotion of the 'right-hand ring' using images of strong women, slightly subversive
slogans and contemporary designs to illustrate the possibilities of gems beyond the traditional
wedding set.
Some successful women purchase jewelry to create a trademark or a signature look, such as
the double strand of pearls regularly sported by Avon CEO Andrea Jung. Others methodically build a
wardrobe of key, classic pieces; while others choose to be inspired by fashion (this year's crop of
pins, brooches, and colored stones), yet choose to buy one 'investment' item instead of a handful
of costume pieces.
Krista Oguc of Mednikow Jewelers has a client "who is a very successful businesswoman and happens to be divorced. Her thinking was ,just because I'm not married anymore, why shouldn't I have the kind of ring I want? And why shouldn't I wear it on my left hand? She bought herself three rings, a yellow diamond, a sapphire, and an emerald, ranging from $20,000 to $100,000 each. If you're in business, and you want people to put their trust in you, you want to look like you know how to control money."
For Monica Boll, a portfolio manager at Ceridian, buying herself jewelry "speaks to the fact that I'm confident, that if I set my mind to something, I can get it." When Boll spent three months in Panama on a project, she forged a relationship with the owner of a jewelry store across the street from her hotel: "I took pieces I'd had as a child or gotten from my mother and ended up having them re-set and re-styled to make dozens of new pieces I designed myself."
That type of experience speaks to what Bill Frank, president and owner of Elite Diamond Import, calls jewelry's uniquely "personal nature... a piece you buy yourself, even if you don't wear it often, takes your breath away a bit every time you put it on. [The right piece] gives you a shot of adrenaline when you wear it in public, because you're proud of it."
Ticketmaster General Manager Karen Swopes bought her first piece of "grownup" jewelry in college: "I saved up for it, a little gold ring with four sapphires with a diamond in the center, shaped like a flower." As Swopes progressed in her career, she added pieces to complete a silver and gold-braided set that she often wears to work, along with a tiny frog pin that "people always comment on."
Gems and fine jewelry are also prized because they endure and become something to enjoy long after favorite clothes go to the back of the closet. Over time, the right piece of jewelry can be a confidence-boosting lucky charm that carries a steady yet subtle message that is worlds away from pining for a present: I'm my own woman, I can take care of myself, and I'm worth it.
Kate Yandoh likes vintage jewelry and wore brooches before they became trendy.
