Pearls & Savoring the Moment

Examining the connection between nostalgic trends and Millenials

A recent Tiffany’s ad with the words “Not Your Mother’s Tiffany’s” has marked the anticipated mass trend changes of the Jewelry industry. The most notable trend to return after over a decade out of the spotlight is pearl jewelry. Pearls were a major part of the jewelry scene for much of the twentieth century, alongside the diamond. However, as diamond sales grew and Americans adopted diamonds as the ideal engagement ring stone, pearls fell out of fashion in America. What was once a symbol of class and sophistication, was considered outdated and even gaudy by the 1990’s. Pearl necklaces and bracelets made a brief return in 2007, but the trend wave their riding now predicts the glossy ocean treasures could be back and here to stay for quite a few seasons.

As Millennials and the older half of Gen Z age, it is not surprising to see the return of more mature trends from the twentieth century. Consumers who are currently in their twenties are members of highly nostalgic generations. As pre-teens and adolescents they brought typewriters and record players back into American homes. So much so that popular artists of the 2010s such as Panic! At the Disco, Twenty-One Pilots, and Taylor Swift all released vinyl records of their albums in addition to CDs and online streaming access. In fashion, bell bottoms came back and left again, tye dye makes a brief appearance every few summers, while the mash up 90s and Y2K style has been prominent amongst teenage consumers for nearly a dozen consecutive seasons.

These nostalgic consumers are not interested in the function or initial purpose of a product. Instead, they obsess over what the product grew to say about the time it was invented and the effects it had on the society we live in today. When thinking about the symbol of the pearl in America, it is hard not to think of Jackie O and picture the grace and power of actresses such as Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. The modern consumer does not love the pearl for its previously conceived elitism. The modern image of the pearl is one of quiet black & white movie scenes - poetic moments of innaction - and the intimacy they elicit. It is a symbol of the maturation of the Millennial generation as we all take a new approach to life after 2020. The return of the pearl is the return of savoring the moment.