Diamonds Are Forever, but Shoes — and Sex — Are Better; Jewelry.com Survey Reveals What Women Really Want

Business Wire, June 6, 2005

NEW YORK -- Jewelry.com knows what women truly desire, thanks to a brand-new survey of 3800 women conducted in support of "Right Hand Ring Month," a campaign co-sponsored with the Diamond Promotion Service that broadens the definition of the Right Hand Ring to almost any diamond fashion ring worn on the right hand. The survey respondents were split into two equal groups and quizzed about their attitudes towards either gemstone or diamond jewelry - with surprising results.

She'd Rather Buy Shoes - or Have Sex

Diamonds have been called a girl's best friend, but apparently only when given as a glamorous gift. Instead, women would rather spend their own hard-earned cash on other feel-good items, such as a pair of snazzy shoes or a piece of titillating lingerie. In fact, 53% of women surveyed said fancy footwear is better than fine jewelry, and 63.3% thought indulging in a relaxing massage was preferable to splurging on a sparkling gem. And only 17.8% of respondents would choose a dazzling diamond over a night of great sex! Looks like the ladies of "Sex and the City" had it right - more women crave a pair of Manolo Blahniks or a Samantha-like fling to beautiful bling.

If She Buys a Bauble, It's "Just Because" - and It May Not Be a Diamond!

Women who choose to shop for a shiny sparkler don't do so because of a holiday or a special event: instead, 47.5% of respondents would buy a piece of jewelry "just because," while 41.3% said it would be because they "see something they like." If they do self-purchase a present, one occasion stands out: their birthday - 30.8% of women would treat themselves on that all-important day. But if they buy a bauble, women are more likely to choose a colored gem over a diamond: 27.5% of women said they would "never" buy a diamond for themselves, but only 14.5% said the same about colored gems.

She Doesn't Care What Celebs Wear - but She's Influenced By Star Power

If Jennifer Lopez sashays down the red carpet dripping in diamonds, that doesn't mean a women will run to the jewelry store shouting, "I'll have what J.Lo has!" In fact, only 11.2% of women are seduced by what they see celebrities wearing in magazines or on television, and only 8.3% by what stars wear to "red carpet" events. On the other hand, 46.2% said they are influenced by what they see in store windows - and 35% are compelled by jewelry ads. Of course, celebrities can certainly trigger a "Tipping Point" effect: Styles worn by the stars trickle down to what is created by jewelry designers and what is shown in stores, so the power of heavily-photographed fashionistas is still a fact of luxury life.

What Does This Mean for the Right Hand Ring?

While some of the survey findings may appear negative for those in the diamond industry, the broadening of the Right Hand Ring definition by the DPS creates an enormous opportunity to overcome the psychological barrier many women have to buying diamonds for themselves, and it will challenge the self-purchase power of other luxury goods.

"We picked up some profound messages in this survey, which shows that the expanded definition of the Right Hand Ring is very powerful," says Ofer Azrielant, Chairman of Jewelry.com. "With these insights, we know what women buy and what they want - and we can help them feel more comfortable with the idea of self-purchase through this appealing campaign." With Right Hand Ring styles now available for every woman and at every price point, purchasing a piece of diamond jewelry can be a liberating experience for women...without limits.

About Jewelry.com

Jewelry.com is the definitive, one-stop resource for all jewelry needs. The #1 visited consumer website for jewelry and information, with over 2.5 million visitors per month, over 26 million unique visitors annually, and 2.2 million registered users. Jewelry.com retail participants include: Zales, Helzberg, Macy's, Finlay, JCPenney and Sears representing 4,500 individual storefronts with a combined $6 billion in annual jewelry sales.

For further information and print-quality images, please contact: Liz Kennedy, Liz@Jewelry.com, 212-886-6059