Jewelry District in Los Angeles Essay Example

When you think of Los Angeles what comes to mind? Is it possibly wealth? Maybe it's poverty? Some might think of diversity or even fame. Well, there isn’t just one answer. Los Angeles currently has a population of 3.9 million. Within this population, it holds a variety of people from an emerging homeless population, lower and middle class who own shops, live in the area, or maybe just come to shop around. It holds one of the densest populations through many skyscrapers as well as many workers that commute to Los Angeles and tend to everyone from tourists to regular everyday shoppers. 

Due to the presence of higher status consumers in the area, shops that sell jewelry have become so abundant over time that the non-official term of describing this particular area that sells mainly jewelry became known as “Jewelry district”. Here you could find retailers that own large amounts of shop space which is very uncommon in a dense city like Los Angeles, and shops located in apartment complexes that would sell jewelry off of rented workspace. As Jewelry becomes a fashion statement along with trendy clothes that famous musicians or artists wear, demand for it skyrockets. As demand skyrockets more and more shops continue to open in an already crowded sector. So where is this “Jewelry district” located? As previously mentioned, the Jewelry District is an unofficial term, its location is based on observations of others. According to Wikipedia it “spans between Hill and Main Streets, and 3rd and 9th streets”.

Having a connection with a jewelry shop owner who runs a workshop with his dad which has also worked with jewelry for several years, it’s very difficult to compete with other jewelry shop owners who have a reputation and their decent-sized shop compared to one in a work apartment complex or even a large shop with many vendors inside. These apartment complexes have the essentials such as running water, electricity, and concrete flooring with no bells and whistles for those looking to own their shop, or a workspace. These rooms of course have variable pricing determined via how desirable the room is aka having more space, or it has a better view. I’ve seen them as low as 400-500 dollars a month. Having personally been to these Jewelry districts, most tend to buy from well-known vendors that have a reputation and a fancy store. It seems obvious that a consumer would rather buy from a trusted vendor that has made it “big” rather than in someone’s run-down shop in an apartment complex. 

Most new jewelry shop owners have an origin story, everyone does. Most of these new owners have family in the business whether it’s working for a reputable jewelry shop owner and earning near minimum wage, or having a family that owns their shop. From what I’ve seen, these Jewelers tend to stay in these jobs long enough for them to realize after working for near minimum wage and gaining enough experience that they too can turn a large profit by making Jewelry even if it’s on the side. The Jeweler I know started by selling to their family, family law, and friends for discounted but profitable rates like most people do, leading to exposure by word of mouth and often time through social media platforms like Instagram. Though before even selling to anyone, they must first buy their equipment and space which often runs them a couple of grand. As these Jewelers don’t have as much experience selling and most sales are often with close families and friends of friends, they often don’t have the funds to make Jewelry worth value unless ordered prior, limiting their already limited range of potential customers to just those who know what they want. Due to a strict selection, they’re often also limited to a range of items they can advertise, meaning they can usually only advertise items that customers have previously ordered, are ordering, or those that come out of their pocket on a low salary. 

Economically where does jewelry stand? As previously mentioned, Jewelry often gets promoted in a general sense by celebrities like rappers. Rappers usually show off their wealth through materialistic goods like Cuban link chains. Famous rappers have even gone as far as competing in wealth by seeing who can have the most expensive Cuban link chain, often wearing exaggerated, heavy, and shiny chains. As most people know most trends are often set by celebrities in clothes. They wear or do and so does the population that they influence. Due to the simple fact that most celebrities love to wear jewelry as a fashion statement or as a symbol of wealth, it makes sense that the general population would too, even if it hurts them more than they benefit. Why would it hurt someone to buy jewelry? Well, as branded clothing and jewelry become the “norm” they increase the spending that a regular person feels like they have to do to fit into that “norm”. A large majority of people on the poverty line focus on looking wealthy and having these materialistic goods, which is good for demand, but ultimately hurts the lower class as they spend on cosmetic items because everyone else that “looks wealthy” or has fame and is wealthy, does so. It leads the average consumer to ask themselves “if I don’t look a certain way, will I fit in?” which influences the way they spend, which is why many commercials are advertised by paid celebrities.