Here's what makes this shift unprecedented: 58% of Gen Z bought jewellery three or more times in 2023, compared to just 41% of baby boomers. They're not waiting for special occasions. They're not collecting heirlooms. And they're definitely not following their parents' rules.
But what exactly are they buying? And more importantly—why? We've analysed the data, examined purchasing patterns, and identified the five trends that are actually driving sales in 2025. No speculation, just facts.
Understanding the Gen Z Jewellery Buyer
Before diving into specific trends, understanding who Gen Z is and what makes them fundamentally different from previous generations provides crucial context for why these trends matter.
Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z comprises the first true digital natives—they've never known a world without smartphones, social media, or instant access to information. This isn't just about technology comfort; it fundamentally shapes how they discover, evaluate, and purchase jewellery.
Market Impact: According to Bain & Company's 2024 report, Millennials and Gen Z now drive over 70% of global luxury sales growth. These aren't future customers—they're reshaping the industry right now.
What sets Gen Z apart isn't just age—it's values. Research shows that 48% of Gen Z luxury buyers prioritize self-expression over brand recognition. They're not collecting status symbols or building heirlooms. They're curating personal archives where each piece tells part of their story.
This generation approaches jewellery as a wardrobe rather than a collection. They want pieces they can mix, layer, and reconfigure to express their identity on any given day. The jewellery market hasn't seen this level of identity-driven, frequent purchasing behaviour in previous generations.
Lab-Grown Diamonds & Sustainable Gemstones
The Numbers
The data around sustainable jewellery purchasing is striking. In a CaratX survey of 150 Gen Z participants, 72% stated they prefer lab-grown diamonds over natural alternatives. This isn't a slight preference—it's an overwhelming majority driving real market change.
Lab-grown diamond sales in the United States jumped 16% in 2023, with Gen Z leading the charge. But perhaps most tellingly, 73% of Gen Z consumers report they're willing to pay more for sustainable products, according to First Insight's 2023 research.
Understanding Lab-Grown Diamonds
Lab-grown diamonds are chemically, physically, and optically identical to natural diamonds but are produced in controlled laboratory environments. They cost 30-40% less than natural diamonds while offering the same certifications and quality standards.
Why It's Taking Off
For Gen Z, sustainability isn't a marketing buzzword—it's a baseline requirement. This generation has grown up with climate change as an undeniable reality, and they expect brands to take environmental responsibility seriously.
Lab-grown diamonds solve multiple problems simultaneously: they eliminate concerns about mining's environmental impact, remove ethical questions about sourcing, and provide accessibility through lower costs. The transparency appeals to a generation that researches everything before purchasing.
But there's another factor at play: Gen Z views the premium paid for natural diamonds as arbitrary. When two stones are chemically identical, paying more for "rarity" that's manufactured through supply control doesn't resonate with their values.
What They're Actually Buying
- Lab-grown diamond engagement rings: Couples prioritising sustainability for life's biggest jewellery purchase
- Coloured lab-grown gemstones: Sapphires, emeralds, and rubies offering unique alternatives to traditional diamonds
- Everyday diamond pieces: Studs, pendants, and tennis bracelets made accessible through lab-grown pricing
- Recycled metal jewellery: Pieces using reclaimed gold and silver with clear certification
Personalized & Customizable Pieces
The Numbers
Google Trends data reveals a 37% year-over-year increase in searches for "custom name necklace" and "personalized ring" throughout 2024. This isn't just curiosity—it's converting to sales. According to Jewelers of America's 2024 research, 63% of Millennials and Gen Z consumers prefer brands offering bespoke or customization options.
Major brands have noticed. Tiffany & Co. and Pandora have both expanded their personalization offerings, with customizable charms, birthstone jewellery, and engraved wedding bands becoming significant revenue drivers.
Why It Resonates
Gen Z approaches jewellery as personal storytelling. Unlike previous generations who might have worn family heirlooms or traditional pieces, this generation wants jewellery that reflects their individual journey, values, and identity.
Social media amplifies this desire for uniqueness. When everyone's sharing their style online, having pieces that nobody else has becomes more valuable than wearing recognizable luxury brands. Personalization provides inherent uniqueness that can't be replicated.
There's also psychological appeal in jewellery that carries specific meaning. A necklace with a significant date, a ring engraved with a personal mantra, or a bracelet with coordinates of a meaningful place creates emotional connection that generic pieces simply can't match.
What They're Actually Buying
- Initial and name necklaces: Both delicate script styles and bold statement versions
- Birthstone jewellery: Rings, pendants, and earrings featuring personal or loved ones' birthstones
- Zodiac sign pieces: Constellation patterns, symbol pendants, and astrologically-themed designs
- Engraved pieces: Rings and bracelets with meaningful dates, coordinates, or short phrases
- Custom charm combinations: Building unique necklaces and bracelets with personally selected charms
The TikTok Effect: Personalized jewellery performs exceptionally well on social media. "What's in my jewellery box" and "What my jewellery means to me" content consistently goes viral, driving both discovery and sales.
Bold Statement "Hardware" Jewellery
The Numbers
Fashion publication Matter of Form describes Gen Z as "agents of chaos" seeking designs with "embellishment to the point of impracticality." This isn't hyperbole—it's reflected in sales data. Brands like Bea Bongiasca have found remarkable success catering to these tastes with jewellery characterized by funky shapes, oversaturated colours, and what the publication calls "psychedelic" designs.
The hardware trend—heavy chains, bold cuffs, and sculptural pieces—represents a complete rejection of the delicate minimalism that dominated the 2010s. Gen Z is searching for jewellery that makes statements, photographs dramatically, and refuses to be ignored.
Why It's Exploding
This trend sits at the intersection of several cultural movements. Streetwear's influence on luxury fashion has extended into jewellery, with urban aesthetics demanding bolder, more industrial pieces. The boundary between "fine jewellery" and "fashion jewellery" has blurred significantly.
Instagram and TikTok's visual nature rewards pieces that photograph dramatically. Delicate chains disappear in photos; chunky hardware demands attention. When jewellery serves partly as content creation tool, bold pieces simply perform better.
There's also psychology at play. Gen Z has grown up during unprecedented global uncertainty—climate crisis, pandemic, economic instability. Bold jewellery becomes a form of armor, a way to claim space and project confidence in an unstable world.
What They're Actually Buying
- Chunky chain necklaces and bracelets: Often in gold plate or mixed metals, with substantial weight and presence
- Oversized hoop earrings: Moving beyond classic hoops to sculptural, architectural designs
- Bold cuffs and bangles: Wide bracelets making strong wrist statements
- Asymmetrical designs: Mismatched earrings and irregular shapes that reject symmetry
- Layered chain bracelets: Notably, Gen Z prefers bracelet layering over necklace layering
Styling Bold Pieces
The key to wearing statement hardware is confidence and balance. Let one piece be the star—if wearing chunky chain bracelet, keep necklaces simpler. The goal is impact, not overwhelm.
Gender-Neutral & Unisex Designs
The Numbers
McKinsey's 2023 survey revealed that 42% of Gen Z respondents prefer brands that don't classify items by gender. This isn't just preference—it's expectation. Men's jewellery consumption has grown 15% annually over the past three years, driven largely by increased acceptance of gender-fluid fashion.
The jewellery industry's traditional gender divisions—delicate for women, heavy for men—simply don't resonate with a generation that views gender as spectrum rather than binary.
Why It Matters
Gen Z has grown up with more fluid concepts of gender identity and expression than any previous generation. They see jewellery as personal adornment for everyone, not coded by gender. Brands maintaining strict "his and hers" categories feel dated and out of touch.
There's practical appeal too. Gender-neutral pieces can be shared between partners, friends, or family members regardless of gender identity. This versatility aligns perfectly with Gen Z's desire for multifunctional items.
The trend also reflects broader fashion movements toward androgynous styling. When clothing blurs gender lines, jewellery naturally follows. Minimalist chains, simple hoops, and clean signet rings work with any style expression.
What They're Actually Buying
- Unisex chains and pendants: Simple designs that work across gender expressions
- Minimalist signet rings: Classic style experiencing renaissance in gender-neutral context
- Simple band rings: Stackable designs without traditionally gendered elements
- Ear cuffs: Edgy accessory that works for everyone
- Streamlined hoop earrings: Classic style freed from gender associations
Stackable & Modular Jewellery
The Numbers
Rings represent 43% of the U.S. jewellery market share, with stackable rings particularly strong among younger consumers. The appeal is mathematical: a collection of five stackable rings creates exponentially more styling combinations than five individual statement rings.
Social media has amplified this trend dramatically. "Ring stacking tutorials," "ear curation" content, and "How I style my stack" videos consistently generate high engagement, driving both inspiration and sales.
Why It Works
Stackable jewellery perfectly aligns with Gen Z's identity-driven approach. They can change their look based on mood, occasion, or outfit without purchasing entirely new pieces. A collection of thin rings can be worn all together, split between fingers, or paired differently each day.
This trend also addresses the generational desire to build collections over time. Rather than saving for one expensive piece, Gen Z can gradually acquire stackable items, each purchase providing immediate gratification while contributing to a larger collection.
The modular nature appeals to Gen Z's creative instincts. There's genuine artistry in curating the perfect stack or designing a complete ear look across multiple piercings. Jewellery becomes active styling rather than passive wearing.
What They're Actually Buying
- Thin stackable ring sets: Collections designed to work together in various combinations
- Mix of textures and widths: Smooth, hammered, twisted, and beaded rings for visual interest
- Multiple ear piercings jewellery: Curated collections for creating "ear stories"
- Layered chain necklaces: Multiple lengths designed for layering
- Stackable bangle sets: Multiple bracelets creating collective impact
Cost-Per-Wear Victory: Stackable jewellery offers exceptional value through versatility. Five rings creating 20+ different combinations provides far more styling options than purchasing 20 individual pieces.
The Common Thread
While these five trends might seem disparate, they share fundamental characteristics that reveal what truly matters to Gen Z jewellery buyers:
Self-expression over status. Every trend prioritizes personal meaning and individual identity over brand recognition or traditional luxury signaling. Gen Z wants jewellery that tells their story, not someone else's.
Sustainability as baseline. Whether through lab-grown diamonds, recycled metals, or versatile pieces that replace multiple purchases, environmental consciousness threads through all five trends.
Versatility and wearability. These aren't occasional pieces. Gen Z wants jewellery that works in their actual lives—pieces they can wear daily, style multiple ways, and mix with their existing collection.
Social media shareability. In an age where personal style is performed online as much as in person, jewellery needs to photograph well, tell compelling stories, and create content opportunities.
Most importantly, these trends reflect values alignment. Gen Z doesn't separate their purchases from their principles. The jewellery they buy must reflect who they are and what they believe in—not just what they can afford or what's trending this week.
Quick Shopping Guide
If you want to incorporate Gen Z jewellery trends into your own collection, here's where to start:
Your Gen Z-Inspired Starter Collection
- One personalized piece: Initial necklace or engraved ring with personal meaning
- Sustainable option: Lab-grown gemstone piece or recycled metal jewellery
- Bold statement item: Chunky chain, oversized hoops, or sculptural piece
- Stackable foundation: Set of 3-5 thin rings for mixing and matching
- Gender-neutral basics: Simple chain or minimalist hoops that work with everything
Remember: These trends aren't about age. They're about approach. Whether you're Gen Z, Millennial, or Gen X, incorporating values-driven, versatile pieces that express your authentic identity works at any age.
What's Next
Understanding what Gen Z buys is only part of the story. The more interesting question is why they buy this way—and what traditional jewellery brands are getting wrong in their attempts to reach this generation.
In Part 2 of this series, we'll explore the psychology behind Gen Z jewellery purchases, the non-negotiable values driving every decision, and the common mistakes brands make when trying to capture this market.
Continue the Series
This is Part 1 of our 3-part series on Gen Z jewellery trends. Next up: "Why Gen Z Jewellery Shopping is Different (And What Most Brands Get Wrong)"
Explore our collections designed with Gen Z values in mind—sustainable practices, versatile designs, and pieces that tell your story:
