Jewelry Stores Draw Male Shoppers

More men than ever before are shopping in jewelry stores. Here are some tidbits about this phenomenon.

Some may think that jewelry stores are having a rough time in our downward spiraling economy but this isn’t the case. Although the luxury market overall has slipped a bit in some ways, in others it’s quite vibrant. Take baubles, bangles and rings, for example. Both men and women are still loving their jewels with males showing the largest increase in purchases. Back in the day, men didn’t care so much about their appearance but today, this has shifted. Males pay attention to their haircuts, grooming, physical fitness and, not surprisingly, their accessories. Here are some tidbits about this phenomenon:

- 10% increase: A study of upper income individuals showed the guy half of the population increasing their jewelry spending a full 10% while the gals upped their expenditures by 6.5%.

- Accessories for men: Not only are the guys buying jewels, they’re also snapping up something that Time Magazine dubbed 'mancessories.' Some examples of these 'must haves' for men include:

- Manny Hose: Yep, that’s right. Why should males expose their imperfect gams when they can accessorize them with these flattering stockings. Uh, I mean 'legwear.'

- Makeup: Why should ladies be the only gender encouraged to make up their eyes and faces? Some companies are making 'manscara' and 'guyliner.'

- Mandals: The Romans were so sexy in their gladiator sandals and so are modern man-feet. Mandals, in case you didn’t already figure it out – are man-sandals.

- Carryalls: The dude-purse made its debut back on a Jerry Seinfield segment where it was politically correctly labeled a 'European Carryall.' Don’t knock it, guys, once you’ve experienced the purse, it’s hard to go back.

- Who is whipping out their wallet: The males are buying their own rings, watches and necklaces. Yes, they also buy bangles for their sweeties but lots of these baubles are for them-sweet-them.

- What they’re purchasing:

- Rings: And not just wedding rings, either. Non-marriage related rings were the highest category of treasures being snapped up.

- Bracelets and necklaces: Not just ID bracelets and gold chains. Dudes are going for all kinds of styles on items to adorn their wrists and necks. These products reportedly showed a 20% increase in sales.

- Cufflinks: Another classic item, cufflinks rank high in the 'most popular items' category. Gold, silver, plain, fancy, jeweled, engraved and more are the choices selected to grace shirt cuffs.

- Less expensive options also popular: Not only is there a surge in jewelry purchasing at fancy shops, but some of the mainstream retailer department stores are also reporting an increased number of men picking up accessories to wear. Buying a pair of cufflinks in Macy’s can feel like an exercise of faith that the economy is going the proper direction.

Jewelry stores have always been a staple in American retail. Jewelers who know their gems and precious metal are valuable experts and providers of treasures and heirlooms. Not only are jewelers selling their wares to lots of guys, they are also still catering to the female customer, repairing items, resetting stones and even buying unwanted gold, silver and jewels from customers who’d rather make some cash from their unwanted items.

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