Japanese Jewelry Market

Though Jewelry market size in Japan in 1991 was three trillion yen (around thirty billion USD at current rate), its size is less than one trillion yen (around less than ten billion USD at current rate) in 2013. Jewelry market size in Japan grew up with bubble economy in Japan. After collapse of bubble economy in 1991, the market size continues to shrink up to the present date. Japan had not had western style of Jewelry market because Japanese wore “kimono” and western style of jewelry does not fit with kimono, Japanese does not wear western style of jewelry. After restoration of Imperial power in 1868, western style of clothes was getting popular in Japan and western style of jewelries started to be manufactured and sold in Japan. Along with western style of clothes population, western style of jewelry market continued growth. It means western style of jewelry market in Japan has only one hundred and fifty years’ history. In addition to that, generally the value of jewelry is difficult to judge for consumers. This is true not only for Japanese but also western people. In the process of new market of western style of jewelry growing, I will investigate how the knowledge of western style of jewelry was implemented and diffused or Not implemented and diffused to Japanese. I also will analyze how western style of jewelry market was formed in Japan during these one hundred and several decades and how the relationship among seller, purchaser and institution was transformed and affected each other from view of institution of jewelry and its contribution. As researches on jewelry from sociology points of view is very rare in Japan, I would like to make contribution by stating historical background of Japanese jewelry market and relationship of players and institutions.