44 percent of consumers would buy ‘smart’ jewelry

Paso Robles, Calif.--The latest study from the Jewelry Consumer Opinion Council shows that consumer interest in so-called wearable technology, smartwatches and bracelets designed to make everyday life easier, is growing.

For the study, called “Is Wearable Technology the Next Big Jewelry Category?,” JCOC surveyed 520 U.S. consumers between Jan. 21 and Feb. 2. It was designed to measure consumer preferences and likely behaviors related to this new category.

According to the study, 72 percent of those polled had heard of wearable technology.

When asked if they would buy jewelry equipped with secure technology that can unlock doors, cars, personal computers and cell phones, 44 percent said they were likely to do so. A total of 29 percent said they were neither likely nor unlikely to purchase, with the remaining 27 percent somewhat unlikely or not at all likely.

Of the 44 percent who said they would buy wearable technology jewelry, 13 percent said they were very likely to purchase while the remaining 31 percent categorized themselves as somewhat likely to purchase.

About 55 percent of survey-takers said that they would be interested if this type of security technology could be added via a chip to a piece of jewelry that they already own.

When presented with the idea of wearable tech jewelry that could read and send texts and email as well as manage a phone, clock, music and camera, about 75 percent of participants thought that it would be useful in some way, while 13 percent said it wouldn’t be very useful and 12 percent said it would be not at all useful.

Approximately 53 percent of those surveyed also indicated that they would be interested in an earring that would work with their smartphone as a listening device and microphone, made for both men and women.

Though the majority of those surveyed had heard of wearable technology before, in terms of exposure to smartwatches-- the most buzzed-about example of which is Apple’s yet-to-be-released, but allegedly on the way, iWatch--only about 30 percent of participants said that they had ever seen one before in a store, online or in an advertisement.

RELATED CONTENT: Apple's iWatch: The next big thing

“Is Wearable Technology the Next Big Jewelry Category?” is available to view for free on MVIMarketing.com.

The JCOC is an Internet-based market research service for the gem, watch and jewelry industries. It is the consumer research