people come together lovingly in an embrace. as her eyes fill with grateful tears, he places the necklace around her and smiles warmly. Traditionally, women have waited for their besotted lover, boyfriend, or husband to indulge them in a piece of jewellery. but these days, there is an emerging trend—that of the self-purchasing woman or SPW. “We are seeing dramatically increasing numbers of women buying their own jewellery with or without gemstones,” says andrea Hopson, vice-president of Tiffany & Co., Canada. So just who is this modern SPW ©Image from BigStockPhoto.com N o doubt you have seen the commercial a hundred times before. rousing, classical music playing in the background, while two and how can you, as a jeweller, meet her needs? Ms. Independent Tapping into the market of the self-purchasing woman By Sara Duck Milky moonstone necklace in 18-karat gold by Trésor. 80 Jewellery Business ❘ February 2010