Precious Metal Jewellery - UK - July 2008

SUMMARY

Abstract

Mintel estimates the market for precious metal jewellery is worth £2,620 million in 2008, up by 11% on 2003, with stronger growth in the quality sector.

Will this growth falter? We think not, or at least not significantly, and that is largely because consumers themselves have been learning a greater discernment and discrimination - they will be buying less but better - and the jewellery trade itself has increasingly invested in design and, especially in 2008, promotion.

Main themes of the report:

• Jewellery design more responsive to fashion trends and bringing excitement.
• Greater discernment and knowledge driving demand for higher quality.
• Women the key buyers - increasingly for fine as well as fashion jewellery.
• Men are becoming involved in the market as never before, especially in metals of all types and diamonds.
• Brands are playing a larger role in the market.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents

• Issues in the Market
• Main themes
• Definition
• Market in Brief
• A resilient and promising market
• New opportunities
• The wider picture
• Newer names and ranges
• And new ways
• Looking ahead
• Internal Market Environment
• Key points
• Styling and fashion
• Changing attitudes
• Closer links with fashion and accessory brands
• Individuality and experimentation
• Trading quantity for quality
  • Figure 1: Total spend on silver and gold jewellery without diamonds, 2005-07
  • Figure 2: Total spend on platinum and gold with diamonds, 2005-07
• The wide world of the Internet
• Ethical production and trading
• Jewellers themselves
• Let your purchase benefit someone else
• Metal prices -- up up up
  • Figure 3: Metal prices, 2003-08
• Broader Market Environment
• Key points
• More potential for volume
  • Figure 4: Age structure of the UK population, by gender, 2003-13
• And more potential for value
  • Figure 5: Working population of women, 2003-13
  • Figure 6: Forecast adult population trends, by socio-economic group, 2003-13
• The big event(s)
  • Figure 7: Number of marriages and births, UK, 2003-13
• Adjusting to decline and change
• The wider economy
  • Figure 8: Trends in PDI and consumer expenditure, 2003-13
• Competitive Context
• Key points
• General competitors
• For men
  • Figure 9: UK retail sales of watches and jewellery, 2003-07
• Looking good and paying for it
  • Figure 10: Agreement with selected lifestyle statements, 2002 and 2006
• Sometimes radical options
• Strengths and Weaknesses in the Market
• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Market Value and Forecast
• Key points
• Total sales
  • Figure 11: UK retail sales of precious metal jewellery, 2003-08
• Reason for optimism
• The ups and downs
• The future
• Forecast
  • Figure 12: UK retail sales, precious metal jewellery, 2003-13
• Factors used in the forecast
• Segment Performance
• Key points
• The wider picture -- volume and value
• Style notes
• Vibrant colour
• Diamonds on a sparkling high
• But also organic look a strong theme
• Metal trends -- the white and the yellow
  • Figure 13: UK retail sales of precious metal jewellery, by metal type, 2003-07
• The white
• And the yellow
• Rings and things
  • Figure 14: UK retail sales of jewellery, by type, 2003-07
• Rings have their moment
• A casual style
• Two different styles for wristwear
• Men add their weight
  • Figure 15: Precious metal jewellery, by gender, 2003-07
• Don't forget the children
• Companies and Products
• Key points
• Jewellery making and branding
• Major UK suppliers to the mainstream and premium sector
  • Figure 16: Major UK suppliers to mainstream retail jewellers, 2008
• Innovation for success
• Major contemporary jewellery brands
  • Figure 17: Major contemporary jewellery brands, 2008
• Argent of London
• Dower & Hall
• Gecko
• G McKenzie
• Goldmajor Group
• HDG
• Links of London
• Ola Gorie
• Ortak
• Major non-UK brands in the mainstream and premium sector
• Higher profile designer makers
• The luxury brands
• Fair traders
• Brand Communication and Promotion
• Key points
• Above-the-line budgets limited
  • Figure 18: Main monitored media spend on jewellery, 2003-07
• Taking a closer look
  • Figure 19: Main monitored media advertising expenditure on jewellery, by leading advertisers, 2003-07
• Highlighting the new (and the big)
• The other choices available
• Wider sponsorship
• Addressing the retailers
• Channels to Market
• Key points
• Share by category
  • Figure 20: UK retail sales of precious metal jewellery, by outlet type, 2003-07
• A brief comment
• Shifts in share
• Who's who among the multiples
  • Figure 21: Leading Multiple jewellers, 2008
• A resilient Signet group
• The role of Baugur
• The other multiples
• A strengthening independent sector
• The quality end
• Design jewellery
• Argos
• Online growing rapidly
• Who sells online -- a more varied group
  • Figure 22: Selected online vendors, precious metal jewellery, 2008
• Department stores limited but...
  • Figure 23: Main department stores and examples of brands offered, 2008
• And the others -- grocers
• Still more distance buying
• The Consumer -- What They Buy
• Key points
• Any notable changes?
  • Figure 24: What they buy, 2006 and 2008
• The implications
• Precious means gold
• Repertoire analysis
  • Figure 25: Number of items bought or received, by type of jewellery, April 2008
• Average numbers -- men and women
  • Figure 26: Number of items bought, by gender, April 2008
  • Figure 27: Average number of items bought or received by women, by age groups, April 2008
• Appendix
• Consumer research
• ACORN
• Abbreviations
• Advertising data
• Appendix -- Internal Market Environment
  • Figure 31: Women's purchase of jewellery in past 12 months, 2005-07
  • Figure 32: Men's purchase of jewellery in past 12 months, 2005-07
  • Figure 33: Women's ownership of jewellery, by type, 2005-07
  • Figure 34: Men's ownership of jewellery, by type, 2005-07
• Appendix -- Segment Performance
  • Figure 35: Hallmarking of articles of precious metals, 1997-2007
  • Figure 36: Hallmarking of articles of gold, 2003-07
• Appendix: What They Buy
  • Figure 37: Any jewellery bought or received in last three years, April 2008
  • Figure 38: What they buy, by gender, age and socio-economic factors, April 2008
  • Figure 39: What they buy, by gender, age and socio-economic factors, April 2008
  • Figure 40: What they buy, by Mintel's special groups, region, ACORN groups, technology users, Internet usage, daily newspapers, commercial TV viewing and supermarket used, April 2008
  • Figure 41: What they buy, by Mintel's special groups, region, ACORN groups, technology users, Internet usage, daily newspapers, commercial TV viewing and supermarket used, April 2008
• Women repertoire demographics
  • Figure 42: Number of items bought, by women, age and socio-economic group, April 2008
• Men repertoire demographics
  • Figure 43: Number of items bought, by men, age, socio-economic group, ACORN groups and TV viewing, April 2008
• Appendix: Typologies
  • Figure 52: Typologies, by attitudes to precious metal jewellery, April 2008
  • Figure 53: Typologies, by what they look for, April 2008
  • Figure 54: Typologies, by number of items bought, April 2008
  • Figure 55: Typologies, by item of precious jewellery bought, April 2008
  • Figure 56: Typologies, by gender, age, socio-economic factor, ACORN groups, TV viewing, region, daily newspaper, media used, Internet usage, TV reception and supermarket used, April 2008