
Wellness jewelry is a trend that continues to escalate, and consumers are buying it more than ever. The products coming out of this category are elegant accessories that serve a purpose, adding glamour to look while providing healing. Variations range from gemstones and crystals channeling positive energy to flutes reminding guests to breathe, plus stylish yet discreet devices that have specific medical functions.
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Wellness jewelry is a trend that continues to escalate, and consumers are buying it more than ever. The products coming out of this category are elegant accessories that serve a purpose, adding glamour to look while providing healing. Variations range from gemstones and crystals channeling positive energy to flutes reminding guests to breathe, plus stylish yet discreet devices that have specific medical functions.
“Wellness jewelry is becoming so popular that anyone and everyone is buying it, from the healthy to non-healthy to senior citizens,” says Chris Olshan, CEO of the Luxury Marketing Council, who adds that such offerings help guests feel like they’re taking control of their own health and well-being.
Keep your eyes peeled for brands that are redefining wearable wellness with products that are innovative, exciting and beautiful as ever.
Making an Impact
There are many jewelry options that address health-related concerns for guests. Spas and wellness destinations are no doubt familiar with acupressure bands that help prevent motion sickness, but there are now solutions that are both stylish and effective. Not only are they comfortable and pretty, they are also inconspicuous to protect the individual’s dignity and privacy.
Katie Aparicio, founder of Blisslets acupressure bracelets, notes that the attention to both form and function is essential. “If a wellness bracelet gives you relief from nausea or anxiety but looks awful, you’re unlikely to wear it. Then, you miss out entirely on its wellness effect,” she says.
Some jewelry is aimed at daily self-care. Wearable breathwork flutes, for example, help guests develop the habit of breathing better. They’re similar to flutes used by ancient Japanese monks to meditate, and they’re meant to be a regular ritual that addresses good mental wellness.
“The necklace allows people to slow their pace of breath because they’re wearing it as a physical anchor,” explains Todd
Steinberg, president of Komuso Design, a company that offers these types of breathwork flutes. “It can reverse the feeling of stress by slowing the rate of exhalation, which triggers the vagus nerve to calm the person down. Our breathing rate is directly connected to our nervous system, which controls how we feel. Shallow breaths equal tension; longer breath equals calm.”
Wellness jewelry can also serve as a mood booster by simply incorporating uplifting colors that promote joy and give off positive energy. “It is all about that special piece of jewelry that uplifts and encourages the person to live a healthy, happy lifestyle,” opines Francesca Simons, consultant for Bea Bongiasca, a brand filled with bright enamel colors designed to make the wearer feel happy.
Healing Stones
A huge category of wellness jewelry is crystals and gemstones, with plenty of brands that claim to channel positive energy, seek clarity, manifest intentions and more. “I believe adorning yourself in gemstones and minerals from the Earth is an act of wellness in itself,” says Jacquie Aiche, who created a line that merges Native American fossils and gemstones with Middle Eastern gold and amulets. “Working through the vibration of the chakras, crystals harness the elements of the Earth to move, absorb, focus and direct energy within the body.”
Whether someone is seeking to manifest intentions, release negative energies or cultivate a balanced spirit, each sacred stone holds special properties that will guide them on their journey. Gemstones like amethyst, lapis, quartz and jade are standards for good, healing energy.
“We always infuse colors and embellishments into our collections, and we elevated the group by using genuine semi-precious stones,” says Lele Sadoughi, owner of the Lisa Sadoughi brand of hair accessories and fashionable jewelry. She adds that the healing properties are a great selling point for consumers.
Some companies are taking this healing one step further by infusing the pieces with their own good energy. Gemstones can be enhanced with reiki, vibrations, prayer or other meaningful spiritual practices.
On the Horizon
Of course, there are always new trends emerging in wellness, and healing jewelry is no exception.
With anxiety levels rising in recent years, Aparicio expects to see more products designed to help people manage and cope with stress. “People have developed a taste for products with a wellness function that are also stylish, so we will see those with purely utilitarian designs being reimagined as fashion accessories,” she adds.
Steinberg believes that consumers will increasingly look for ways to get off the grid and reconnect with themselves. Technology makes life more convenient, but it consequently stifles creative thinking with constant interruptions and stimuli. Wellness jewelry can serve as an anchor that helps people focus on self-care.
Because popularity has risen, fake wellness jewelry has also gained momentum. There are businesses using cheaper, manufactured beads, “gemstones” or other gimmicks to take advantage of the new market potential. Just because a stone is pink doesn’t mean it acts like rose quartz—especially if it was originally pale yellow and chemically treated to be pink. This doesn’t have the desired effects and is an injustice to the artists and craftspeople who pride themselves in delivering authentic wellness jewelry to you and your customers.
It’s up to the spa to curate a collection that is both beautiful and effective. Your clients will come back over and over if your wellness jewelry delights and delivers results.
Nancy Trent is a writer, speaker, lifelong wellness activist, trend watcher, and founder and president of wellness PR firm Trent & Company. A former journalist for New York Magazine, Trent has written seven books on healthy lifestyles and travels the world speaking at conferences and trade shows. She is a recognized expert in PR, with more than 30 years of experience creating highly successful campaigns.