Pop-Jewelry: What People Want Now

...Aside from contributing to an award winning jewelry blog (I award myself with tea and and a relaxing email checking session after every post - heh ; ), I also am a jewelry retail/wholesaler.  I've been involved in this industry in some form for about a decade (2 decades, if you count selling polymer beads in church parking lots!).  The strange thing about my career in the jewelry industry is the fact that I've sold to so many different customer demographics and in so many location types.  Maybe strange isn't the right word, but rather, a little bit unique to the industry.  Many retailers pick one product type and the natural customer for that segment, be it fine jewelry, handcrafted jewelry, hiphop jewelry, or fashion/costume jewelry etc will show itself, as will the obvious right location to sell such a product.  I have represented most jewelry types at one point or another in a large mixture of locations for better or worse!  The better part of that has been really getting a feel for the needs and wants of such a variety of people.  People's differences of course are always amazing, but even more so are the similarities in what people want across tax brackets, state and country lines, cultural backgrounds, and age groups.  The other day a friend of mine in the industry read one of my articles and it sparked a discussion about couture/rare type jewelry vs. what the vast majority of customers are looking for.  There really is a big difference, and during my first years as a retailer, this was hard for me to understand, since I was always that rare personality type who looked for jewelry that was sincerely unique,against the grain, and not necessarily in line with what the mainstream customers are looking for!  I'll get into that more later, but this being said, I wanted to share with you, for your own sociological curiosities, whether you are a fellow jewelry retailer or not, some of the things people of all ages have asked me for/purchased from me over the past couple special events I have participated in.  I will try to create a sort of top ten list...let's see how it goes (bear in mind this list is for the summer season, part of it follows fashion trend forecasts...and some of it, well, just doesn't.):

Nautical jewelry (mostly starfish) --- best seller for me for the last 3 years spring/summer

Frog jewelry--- surprising?  This has been heavily requested and quickly selling out this season

Peace sign jewelry--- still hanging on in popularity!

Knotted jewelry---think celtic knots, love knots, and knotted mesh!

Jewelry that includes coral --- it was in trend forecasts and they were right

Jewelry that includes turquoise or turquoise coloring --- I piloted many turquoise designs years ago. They simply weren't as desirable then as they are now.  Now people of all skin colors embrace wearing turquoise, whereas before, they may have felt it was a little too bold!  We now know it looks great on everyone! ahh, progress!

Coral/turquoise combinations --- our company started designing these on a hunch this winter, and people loved it! : )

Silver band rings ---- popular with fun gorgeous women in their 20's and 30's

Butterfly jewelry --- has been very requested by my older customers

Elephant jewelry--- I just can't do enough of this for all age groups!

My fellow retailers who serve customers know that this list can certainly depend on their location and customer, but I tell you, when selling to mainstreet America in general, this list is more accurate across the board than you would imagine. You also know that you couldn't pay most retailers enough to share a best sellers list like this!  Well here it is, because I like to be different.  I am happy to share my experience with you! To my fellow jewelry lovers, customers, and readers,  how do you feel about this list?  Does it describe you?  (I personally love the sociological and psychological implications!)