The Unassuming Luxury Item Gen Z Is Investing In Next Year

We listen, and we don't judge: One of my first big purchases as a Gen Z fashion-literate person was a $400 diamond stud ear piercing that I've worn for five years. Instead of spending a big paycheck on a pair of designer shoes or the hottest handbag, I went down to one of my favorite high-end piercing studios in New York City to get pierced with a piece of jewelry that I knew would stay in forever without problems. Sure, I have my fair share of hastily done piercings from my friend's piercing gun and a "sterile" needle and ice-cube à la The Parent Trap, but there was nothing that felt more grown-up than graduating from my $20 steel studs to 14-karat solid gold hoops and teeny yet worth-it diamond studs.

I know I'm not alone. Over the last few years, I've noticed more and more of my sub-26 friends trading out their low-quality piercing jewelry and investing in luxury piercing jewelry. As more of Gen Z enters the workforce and ups their budgets on discretionary spending, it's our demographic's first step into the world of fine jewelry. Most of us can't buy two-carat-weight diamond studs at our current salaries, but we can buy a single diamond earrings that's a quarter of the size.

"I think that if you are going to put something into your body and especially if you are going to get pierced with a piece of jewelry, it should be high-quality materials, and it should also be made with a lot of love by people who are treated well," explained Pamela Love, founder of her eponymous fine jewelry label. Love's Brooklyn-based brand is known for its small, intricate, high-end alternative piercing jewelry. "It's the most intimate form of jewelry wearing in my opinion," she added.

Love, who began her label in her 20s, turned to jewelry making and piercing as a form of self-expression and healing during a time of grief. "I find getting pierced to be a little cathartic," she explained. After noticing a gap in the market for whimsical, delicate designs ("Everything [else looked] so hard and edgy and just a lot of repetition"), she decided to start her own artisanal label. Now, the brand has expanded into different fine jewelry categories, but its unique piercing and flat-back pieces are still the heart and soul of the brand.

"Over the years, piercing has seen a dynamic shift in trends—partially because of the amazing variety of jewelry available now," Love explained, nodding to the rise of fine jewelry within the space. No longer are industrial barbels and giant metal studs the norm. Consumers are opting for delicate, dainty, diamond-encrusted pieces and simple, whimsical designs. "Previously, the trend leaned toward more industrial jewelry and heavier aesthetics, while piercing curation is now the norm, and people want to invest in statement pieces as they would with other forms of fashion or adornment," she said.

Gen Z's appetite for fine piercings has exponentially grown. Youth-focused brands like Banter by Piercing Pagoda, Mejuri, and Studs have come to disrupt the market, offering a mix of high and low piercing offerings for everyone's budget and taste. Now, they're stepping into accepting the finer things in life: Banter has a robust lab-diamond and 14-karat solid gold offering, and Studs has expanded into a fine jewelry collaboration with NYC-based jeweler Stephanie Gottlieb, which is launching on December 10. For those seeking an even higher level of luxury care and aesthetics, Maria Tash has remained one of the go-to spots for investment piercing jewelry.

What's in store for piercings as a whole in 2025? "Next year, piercings will continue to evolve as a popular form of creativity and self-expression. We predict cartilage piercings—such as tragus, helix, conch, and rook—will continue to rise in popularity, offering even more options for unique ear stacks customized to personal anatomy," the piercing and innovation team at Banter told Who What Wear. Celebrities like Zoë Kravitz and Kylie Jenner are notable celebrities whose pierced ears will be major inspirations in the 2025, and constellation piercings and vertical stacks are adding extra impact to already-pierced lobes for Gen Zers who are looking to break from traditional piercing aesthetics alongside an interest in fine piercing jewelry.

"At the end of the day, personal style is what's most important, and if it makes you happy, then it's a piercing worth getting," the Banter team explained. "Whether it's mainstream in the media and trending on various social platforms or a bit more niche, get the piercing that'll make you feel confident, empowered, and more like you."

Below, shop fine piercing jewelry and luxury piercing staples Gen Z is investing in in 2025 and beyond.

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