I think you are asking two different questions in some ways, but I will try to answer the title question. This is my opinion only. I don’t think entry level pieces are entirely based on price, though often they may be priced lower than some options that would not be considered entry level. I believe entry level is quite literal, they are the pieces that most people will buy as their first, second, third, fourth, fifth pieces etc. These are the pieces that everyone wants to buy, everyone recognizes, they basically sell themselves, typically Alhambra, Frivole and Perlee clover pieces. After X purchases, what does the client do? When they feel, “I have enough Alhambra, Frivole, Perlee…” Do they move on from the brand to another one for the most part, or do they dive in deeper? Is it a lifestyle brand for them? Yes, that could mean purchasing high jewelry, but it doesn’t have to. If the client wants to buy a pair of diamond studs, do they buy VCA studs/Fleurettes or do they buy no-brand studs because “you can’t tell the brand anyway”? If they want a watch, do they go for the most well-known watch brands that retain their value, or do they build their watch collection with several VCA timepieces? Do they buy from the less-popular VCA lines like the Perlee coleurs bracelets and zodiac gemstone pendants? Yes, of course they may often buy from the High Jewelry line as well; however, it’s not entirely a price consideration because for example, the 10 motif pave Alhambra necklace could likely be considered an entry-level piece, even though it is an expensive one and certainly appreciated, while the flowerlace pendant for example would be less expensive, but more likely to be purchased by the client who is not “one [3,5,x] and done” but who will keep coming back to VCA, looking for ways to find what they want from the brand because the brand history and aesthetics speak to them, rather than looking for what item of the moment they want and whether some other jewelry source is the best place to buy it from.
