Whether it is a handmade necklace or a custom-crafted pair of earrings, there is a charm that comes with handmade jewelry that is just missing from jewelry that is mass-produced and available to everyone.
It could be the fact that each piece is unique, or that the person who made it took the time to create something special. Whatever the reason, handmade jewelry has a target market of people who appreciate the artistry and care that goes into each piece.
In this article, we will review the target market for handmade jewelry and understand who buys it and why?
Who is Target Market for Handmade Jewelry?
To best understand the target market for handmade jewelry, we need to understand the reasons why someone buys jewelry and then the reasons why a subset of these people choose handmade jewelry over machine-made and semi-industrialized jewelry.
One way to segment the jewelry market is based on the type of manufacturing. And one of the ways jewelry is manufactured is by hand.
So, who buys handmade jewelry?
Here are the main segments of the target market for handmade jewelry:
- People who appreciate the artistry of handmade jewelry
- People looking for a unique piece of jewelry
- People who want to acquire jewelry with a custom design
- People who want to repurpose an old jewelry piece
- People looking to give a special gift to someone
Let’s look at each of these segments more closely.
1. People who appreciate the artistry of handmade jewelry
One of the main reasons people buy handmade jewelry is for the artistry that goes into each piece. Handmade jewelry is made by artisans who have honed their skills over years to create unique pieces of jewelry. Often such skills are passed down from generation to generation.
This segment of the target market for handmade jewelry includes people who appreciate the time, effort, and skill that goes into each piece. These people are willing to pay more for a piece of handmade jewelry because they know and they appreciate the value of the artistry.
2. People looking for a unique piece of jewelry
Another segment of the target market for handmade jewelry is people who are looking for a unique piece of jewelry. With mass-produced jewelry, it is easy to find pieces that look similar because they are all made from the same or similar molds.
With handmade jewelry, each piece is unique because it is made by a different artisan. Even when jewelry pieces are made by the same artisan, each piece will have something unique about it.
For instance, if an artisan makes a necklace with an amethyst pendant, it will likely be different than another necklace also with an amethyst pendant but made at a later time. The difference could be in the length of the necklace or its braiding, or the size, shape, or color of the amethyst stone. If the necklace itself is made of silver, even the shade of silver can be very different.
So handmade jewelry pieces are really one-of-a-kind.
3. People who want to acquire jewelry with a custom design
Many people have ideas and imaginations of the kind of jewelry they want but are not able to find it in any store. So, they seek out artisans who can create custom jewelry pieces based on their designs.
This segment of the target market for handmade jewelry includes people who have a clear idea of what they want and are willing to work with an artisan to get it made.
4. People who want to repurpose old jewelry
Another segment of the target market for handmade jewelry is people who want to take old jewelry and repurpose it into something new.
This could be because the jewelry has sentimental value or because they simply like the design of the piece and want to give it new life.
For instance, someone could have a piece of jewelry that belonged to their grandmother and they want to have it made into a new necklace. Or, they could have an old ring that they no longer wear and want to have it made into a pendant.
5. People looking to give a special gift to someone
Very few gifts are as special as a piece of custom jewelry that is handmade for a special person.
Many men will get jewelry handmade for their wives, fiances, or girlfriends as an expression of their love.
Women will also get handmade jewelry for their loved ones (or for themselves!) as a special gift too.
People in this segment of the target market are often willing to spend more money on a piece of handmade jewelry because they know it will be a truly special and unique gift that will be cherished and remembered always.
Conclusion
The target market for handmade jewelry includes people who appreciate the effort, the skill, and the artistry that goes into making a piece of jewelry by hand.
Most of these people are looking for a unique piece of jewelry, either for themselves or as a gift for someone else. There is something wonderful about knowing that you are the only person in the world owning a piece of jewelry that looks like that.
And this is why people with a creative mind or those who like to design their own jewelry also turn to an artisanal jeweler to convert their vision into reality.
Finally, when people inherit a piece of jewelry that is unusable or when they have an old piece of jewelry they no longer use, they can repurpose it or have it refreshed by a jeweler. This work too is almost always done by hand.
