At the just-concluded June 2024 Hong Kong Jewellery Show, Annaigee met many old friends and clients who have cooperated for many years. Sitting together, we shared the design trends for future jewelry packaging and the popular packaging styles for the second half of the year. As jewelry merchants, they also shared their opinions on the future of jewelry design, raw material procurement, and brand marketing.
There is an old Chinese saying, "Onlookers see clearly." One topic we singled out to discuss is: How can a jewelry brand enhance its influence and build a successful jewelry brand?
It is well known that the jewelry industry is a high-margin industry. The price of a piece of jewelry can increase by ten times from raw material cost to retail price, a profit margin higher than that of products made from the most expensive metals like platinum.
The modern luxury industry is characterized by low sales costs and high SG&A (sales, general, and administrative expenses), with exclusivity and perceived value being key to brand success.
For jewelry merchants aspiring to be top-tier jewelry brands, finding a unique positioning is essential to reaching their goals. Creating a highly recognizable jewelry product is crucial. We have observed that all successful jewelry brands have a pillar product that is easily recognizable.
Common jewelry positioning includes the following: fashion jewelry, costume jewelry, fine jewelry, luxury jewelry, etc. Here we elaborate one by one:
l Fashion & Costume Jewelry: Generally speaking, the jewelry products in this positioning are designed to complement the seasonal clothing. Therefore, jewelry designers need to have a keen grasp of seasonal clothing design, the high fashion field, and the forefront of trends. These jewelry pieces are usually made of less expensive materials such as base metals and pearls, focusing on highlighting the fashion and decorative attributes of the jewelry. The pricing of such jewelry is typically around several hundred to several thousand dollars.
l Fine Jewelry: Compared to fashion jewelry, products positioned as "fine jewelry" are mostly made of precious metals such as 18K gold and platinum, and some luxury brands' fine jewelry pieces are set with diamonds or other precious gemstones. We have noticed that in this positioning, similar luxury brands like Gucci, Prada, Giorgio Armani, which are not traditionally known for jewelry, are accelerating their presence by opening independent jewelry stores, organizing jewelry exhibitions, becoming an undeniable "new" force in the jewelry industry. The pricing of such jewelry typically surpasses a thousand dollars;
l High Jewelry: The high jewelry series undoubtedly represents the brand's highest craftsmanship and passion in jewelry, with its eternal attributes and mystique defining its differentiation from other jewelry. Enchanting gemstones, exquisite craftsmanship, classic timeless designs, and the value of scarcity and exclusivity embody the multi-faceted needs of high-end consumers from different eras and countries for decoration, heritage, and value preservation. The high jewelry series helps elevate the brand and also introduces a sales approach targeting affluent customers. Furthermore, high jewelry pieces from top brands are never mass-produced, with their collectible value far exceeding their commercial value.
Different positioned jewelry product lines are not isolated, they will impact each other, and this influence will grow.
In fact, in recent years, more and more traditional high jewelry brands have begun to adopt the model of the fashion industry, with the new generation of consumers paying more attention to freshness and excitement. Against this backdrop, an increasing number of global jewelry brands are launching entry-level jewelry collections every year (such as fashion jewelry and apparel jewelry) to expand their influence.
Choosing a jewelry positioning that suits their own development, focusing on market gaps, user needs, and their own strength, creating segmented categories or personalized products, shaping distinctive brands, forming differences and distinguishing themselves from competitors, seizing consumers' minds.
We suggest that it is a wise move for startup jewelry brands to focus on regional positioning, occupy regional markets, achieve a higher market share and brand loyalty, increase brand consumption frequency, and also achieve brand value growth and good operating income.
Louis Vuitton CEO Michael Burke once said in an interview:
"No one needs another jewelry store like the one on Vendome Square - offering just a common ring with a large gemstone in the middle and diamonds around it."
To succeed in the jewelry industry, your jewelry designs must be original, the manufacturing impeccable, and cultural connotations must be integrated into the brand, creating brand differentiation at a cultural level, and enhancing brand taste. Jewelry's functions and attributes are easy to imitate, but brand culture is hard to replicate.
Compared to other luxury goods categories, the jewelry industry has higher perceived value, with customers more willing to pay for the brand. Exclusivity and perceived value are crucial to the success of jewelry brands; combining unique and more relevant perceived value will make consumers addicted to them.
Leading jewelry brands all have dedicated jewelry design positions and many even have their own jewelry workshops for manufacturing. We always believe that the reason luxury brands in the jewelry industry can attract consumers is because of their craftsmanship and design. These are the results of creativity, historical heritage, elegance, beauty, and intricate craftsmanship.
To grow into an internationally leading jewelry brand, having extremely high jewelry quality is the most basic requirement. Having the ability to produce high-quality jewelry, possessing these, only then can one create unique products.
Have you often heard that major jewelry brands are busy organizing exhibitions, from Bulgari to Van Cleef & Arpels, to Buccellati, and so on?
Why are they so enthusiastic about organizing exhibitions?
What are they actually showcasing?
The most important thing is to "show off" the brand's profound historical and cultural background. Yes, almost every successful jewelry brand has its own cultural genes, and spiritual totems, because only they can achieve soulful resonance with all fans and collectors, becoming treasured possessions for generations and also becoming classic symbols of the brand.
l Bvlgari's spirit snake - Transformation: Bvlgari's spiritual totem is undoubtedly the spirit snake, a totem that is quite intriguing. In ancient Western civilizations such as Egypt, Greece, and Rome, the snake symbolizes wisdom and rebirth; but in the Bible, the snake represents enlightenment and temptation. Which cultural image will Bvlgari's spirit snake choose? The answer is "transformation." Since the birth of the first Serpenti in 1948, the entire Serpenti series has been undergoing transformation over more than 70 years from its inception to the present day.
l Cartier's panther - Independence: Cartier's spiritual totem has always been the fierce panther, embodying a strong sense of aggression. The panther is dangerous, powerful, and independent, serving as the spiritual representative of modern women. Every fashion icon of any era possesses these traits, as daring to be a fashion pioneer undoubtedly requires exceptional charisma and courage. Cartier has integrated the panther into representative styles of various eras, from Art Deco style to architectural style to Indian-style fruit baskets... all can be combined with the panther.
l Buccellati Butterfly - The Continuation of Reincarnation: Buccellati's spiritual totem is the butterfly, a fragile and beautiful creature that fully embodies the Buccellati family's inheritance and continuation of craftsmanship. The most impressive are the spiritual totems created by three generations of designers - 4 butterfly brooches, which fully demonstrate Buccellati's exquisite craftsmanship and aesthetic changes.
l Chanel's Lion - Guardian: It is well known that Mademoiselle Chanel loves lions, and Chanel's lion has always been a representation of personality. It guards every independent woman who dares to break tradition, giving them courage. You can see its majesty in jewelry, and whenever it appears, it is definitely the center of attention.
l Van Cleef & Arpels' Clover - Poetic: Van Cleef & Arpels is a very artistic jewelry brand. The iconic ballerina and fairy series speak for themselves, deriving from literary creations and ballet art. Their poetry lies in their ability to capture the beauty in ordinary details inadvertently. The most representative of this is the brand's spiritual totem - the clover.
Almost all successful jewelry brands can tell their brand stories well.
These intangible products can give jewelry a tone, inspire consumer resonance, and greatly increase consumer recognition of the products. Jewelry is definitely a product that expresses personality well. They speak for themselves, even if you don't communicate with others, you can usually read a lot of information from the jewelry they wear.
That being said, brand culture construction is a long-term effort. Even for well-known "non-jewelry" luxury brands, it is not easy to make a mark in the jewelry industry. The spiritual culture created by these jewelry giants has been continued for several generations, whether in aesthetic style or craftsmanship. Therefore, the "newcomers" in the jewelry field must make long-term investments to differentiate themselves from their competitors.
Successful jewelry brands in the jewelry industry all have excellent packaging designs without exception.
Jewelry boxes are the external image of jewelry and the first impression left to customers. An excellent jewelry packaging design can make jewelry more dynamic! Customized design of packaging suitable for brand products, through jewelry packaging, let your brand speak!
Every Famous Jewelry Brand Has a Very Representative Jewelry Box.
l Tiffany & Co.'s blue box wraps the jewelry dreams of countless girls from childhood to adulthood;
l every Christmas, the installation composed of Cartier's red boxes will be unveiled in the heart of the world's most fashionable cities;
l Chaumet's aristocratic genes are expressed vividly on the box alone.
For a brand that is not widely known, we must believe that packaging design can bring more unexpected value. For jewelry packaging boxes, it must not only have the function of protecting jewelry and conveying the image of jewelry but also bear the function of improving the grade and added value of jewelry.
Annaigee Jewelry Packaging Company has been established for more than 20 years. It is a company that started with manufacturing, insists on quality first, and is ingenious. It is a very good jewelry packaging supplier for jewelry brands. In the production workshop, every package is an art. From raw materials to finished products, every step reflects our craftsmanship and the perfect details also give us an endless sense of accomplishment.
The jewelry industry is a very beautiful field, and it always witnesses a happy moment worth celebrating.
Brands that want to succeed in the jewelry industry need to make long-term investments in their brands while maintaining a humble attitude. Find the right positioning, use exquisite jewelry and profound brand culture to find touch points for emotional connection with customers, stimulate their strong emotional resonance, and satisfy their sense of belonging and respect, so as to distinguish themselves from competitors. Inheritance and accumulation, ingenious design, and exquisite craftsmanship stimulate customers' desire and provide a full range of after-sales services to bring consumers unique services and luxury experiences.
I hope the above content is helpful to you, and I also hope that your jewelry brand will soon have wide popularity and reputation. In the supply of customized jewelry packaging, Annaigee will do its best to help your brand succeed!