Jewelers boost offerings for same-gender couples

As more states fight to legalize gay marriage and the bridal market begins to grow for same-gender couples, two more retailers have expanded their product selection to tap into the growing opportunity.

Michelle Graff michelle.graff@nationaljeweler.com

One of the pieces in online retailer Brilliance’s new line of “Mangagement” rings, created with proposals for same-sex couples and a woman proposing to a man in mind.New York--To date, 19 states plus Washington, D.C. have passed marriage equality laws and judges in an additional 12 states have issued rulings in favor of marriage equality, meaning that same-sex marriage now is legal, or at least under consideration, in a total of 31 states.

While the figure continually is changing as new laws are made and others struck down, the numbers continue to trend in favor of marriage equality for same-gender couples.

This provides a bump for the wedding market, and retailers that are open to change are capturing the new opportunities with increased support and expanded product selections targeted at the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender--or LGBT--community.

To tap into this growing market, online retailer Brilliance is launching a line of men’s engagement rings called “Mangagement Rings.”

Brilliance said that the inspiration for the new line came in part after the company saw many customers seeking a man’s engagement ring but ended up creating a custom piece since no one was offering a dedicated line of such.

After they started seeing this, the company began to research whether there was interest in such a collection, coming to the conclusion that, in fact, there was.

Brilliance said that the line makes them the first major retailer to create a dedicated line of engagement rings designed specifically for men that aren’t just re-purposed wedding bands or rings for women. With the Mangagement line, Brilliance is focusing on the structure of the rings--sharper angles, wider bands, and unconventional shapes.

Brilliance also is offering a custom design service for those who don’t see any rings that speak to their preferences.

The collection is slated to launch mid-October and only will be available online at Brilliance.com. It will include rings made in gold, platinum and palladium, with some designs available in silver for affordability. Brilliance is projecting a range of prices from $950 to $9,750 for the rings that will be included in the initial line.

“This project has been in the works for a long time, and it is finally coming together for launch,” Shai Barel, director of strategic partnerships at Brilliance, told National Jeweler. “It happens to be the perfect time, when you think about it, because of

Banner will be right here …

the large number of states that are legalizing gay marriage and the fact that primary demographic for this is gay men. We feel this is the prime time to get into the market and offer something like this.”

He added that while Brilliance will be advertising anywhere that reaches a primarily younger, male demographic, they also want to extend beyond the LGBT market by tapping into the increasing number of women who want to propose to their male partners--another increasing trend that the company has identified in the industry.

Its marketing initiatives involve mostly online avenues such as social media and Google advertising, in addition to several highly-targeted print publications.

In similar news, Kingston Fine Jewelry in Kingston, N.Y. has added bridal jewelry designed for the LGBT community to its offerings at the store.

Kingston now is selling bridal pieces designed for same-sex couples by New York-based designer Rony Tennenbaum, “joining the new generation of jewelry pioneers that are taking an accepting stance and showing support for the LGBT community,” it said.

The store said adding Tennenbaum’s line will allow them a wider outreach and enable them to include same-gender couples as part of their “all-inclusive accepted family of customers.”

In addition to showing its support for the LGBT community, Kingston also said carrying Tennenbaum’s line will boost its local presence and following by strengthening its foothold as a bridal destination.

Other retailers that currently carry Tennenbaum’s LGBT Collection include Ben Bridge Jeweler in Tacoma and Spokane, Wash., Rogers & Holland and Sparkle in Chicago, and Christensen & Rafferty in San Francisco and Richmond, Va.

Michelle Graffis the editor-in-chief at National Jeweler, directing the publication’s coverage both online and in print.