Bridal jewelry has, for obvious reasons, always been a sentimental purchase.
Even so, pieces using repurposed, recycled or vintage and antique diamonds have grown in popularity over the last few years amid social media’s help with discovery and new consumer shopping habits.
Fashion, too, has seen a surge in the secondhand market, a sector that leapt ahead last year amid concerns about money during a global pandemic and the continued emphasis on producing less clothing waste.
But where the bridal market often follows fashion trends, this time it seems bridal has led the way, according to Engagement 101’s Severine Ferrari.
She said the uptick in demand in the secondhand bridal market started a few years ago with the return to vintage-style fashion and jewelry.
In the latter, the popularity of the category can be seen in the number of bridal manufacturers launching vintage-style settings to compete with true antique and estate pieces.
For those who deal directly in secondhand bridal, the increased interest over the last few years has meant good business.
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Jay Moncada of Perpetuum Jewels said the wholesaler has seen the popularity of antique, vintage and other storied jewelry increase “exponentially” over the last decade.
Engagement ring shoppers wanting something unique are “increasingly interested in historical context, a good story or narrative, and the romance of past eras,” he said.
Wanting a piece that tells a story or makes a statement is also driving buyers for Jewels by Grace, said designer Grace Lavarro.
She said antique and vintage diamonds have been doing “extremely well” over the last 10 years, driven by women gravitating toward unique but also more meaningful pieces of jewelry.
“The pandemic has definitely brought forth a more emotional and sentimental connection to one’s family.”— Corina Madilian, Single Stone
For Los Angeles-based Single Stone, the past couple of years have brought an increase in sales of vintage and repurposed diamonds as well as vintage jewelry, according to co-founder Corina Madilian, a trend she attributes to consumers being more thoughtful about their choices.
Engagement ring shoppers are increasingly interested in historical context, a good story or narrative, and the romance of past eras.
Photo © Bernard Nacht & Co. Under The Crown
