Wholesale Jewelry: Adornment in Bulk

Wholesale Jewelry goes back at least as far in human history as the most rudimentary animal skin clothing. Indeed, according to our good friends at Wikipedia, baubles and bangles of various sorts date back to our Cro-Magnon ancestors, back to what kids call “caveman days.” We imagine, the first cave man or woman who made enough necklaces out of string made from animal hair and bones or rocks that he decided to trade them in large numbers to a traveling hunter gatherer, was the first supplier of wholesale jewelry. We can’t imagine if it was long before the first bulk discounts came along – “100 stone anklets for just two baby goats – this week only” or “shrunken head necklace close out – no offer too small.” Of course, before they could do this, they’d have to figure out how to express these ideas via cave painting, but you get the idea.

Of course, the manufacture and marketing of fine and costume jewelry is much more sophisticated now. We use jewelry to show off our wealth, to highlight our beauty, to advertise our sexual confidence (or overcompensate for a lack of same) – all those subtle and not so subtle tricks of the social trade that have turned jewelry into one of the largest and most permanently lucrative fields there is. In good and bad economies alike, people want to look good, adhere to fashion trends, and advertise a certain level of wealth.

Jewelry Trends
Jewelry – from the finest works of wearable art to cheap trinkets – has been a constant throughout recorded human history. However, with the worldwide rise of consumerism in the middle of the twentieth century, relatively affordable high quality and low cost costume jewelry became increasingly popular. Today, women and men of all income levels aspire to a certain look of affluence. That was just one of several revolutions that would help build business in both retail and wholesale jewelry.

A few generations back, the only jewelry men in America conventionally wore were functional, i.e., watches and the occasional religious token – a cross, a St. Christopher medal, or perhaps a Jewish star of David – usually worn under shirts were they wouldn’t be visible. Also, of course, there were rings. Usually it was a wedding or engagement ring and, in those pre-feminist days, lots of men didn’t even wear those. Of course, men were still a huge part of the jewelry market, but as buyers of gifts for women -- including those all-important, salary consuming, wedding and engagement rings.

Along with the various revolutions of the late sixties and early seventies, the jewelry market expanded, particularly on the lower end, and by the late seventies earrings on men and disco-music together moved from the gay community into the general world, presaging the era of the metrosexual. Various types of necklaces favored by late sixties era hippies of both genders also moved into the general population. By the mid-seventies, Hawaiian puka shell necklaces were as big a fad for teen boys as for girls, and no disco-diving hipster’s ensemble was complete without a gold chain and the wild variety of ornamentation that rappers would be celebrating decades later as “bling.” With the arrival of the hip-hop era, wholesale jewelry deals and shipment were never as large or as lucrative.

Still, the bulk of the jewelry market skews towards women. There remain men in the world – geeks and stubborn classicists alike -- whose idea of major league bling is a Timex watch. Most women, however, will at least wear a discrete necklace or broach. And, in a lot of ways, diamonds have never stopped being, to paraphrase the old song, a female’s best friend. Zircons and now moissanite may not be as close pals, but are still well liked acquaintances of women of all ages.

Such matter as deals, closeouts, wholesale jewelry suppliers, and the like, may change from year to year and month to month, but jewelry is never going away.