Brilliant Earth Reports 51% Sales Growth in 2021
The retailer attributed its success to its appeal to younger consumers, expansion in non-bridal jewelry, and growing network of showrooms.
The San Francisco-based retailer reported Wednesday it had a record quarter in Q4 2021, with net sales reaching $121.9 million, its highest ever quarterly sales performance.
Sales were up 38 percent year-over-year, outperforming expectations, and were nearly double what the retailer recorded in the fourth quarter of 2019, pre-pandemic.
Net income was $11.4 million, down from $13.4 million in the fourth quarter 2020.
For the year, Brilliant Earth reported sales totaling $380.2 million, a 51 percent increase over 2021 and up 89 percent when compared with 2019.
Net income increased to $26.3 million, up from $21.6 million in FY2021.
During Wednesday evening’s earnings call, Brilliant Earth CEO Beth Gerstein said the company’s fourth quarter was “an excellent finish to a strong year of growth.”
She cited its expansion beyond bridal into “trend-forward” fine jewelry that appeals to self-purchasers, the strong performance of its new showrooms, and the brand’s appeal to millennial and Gen Z consumers as the factors behind its strong performance.
She said younger consumers are “embracing the brand” because of the beauty and quality of its products, and its pledge on ethical sourcing and commitment to inclusion.
Last year, the company nearly doubled its physical footprint, opening new showrooms in six cities: Seattle; Portland, Oregon; Austin, Texas; Dallas; New York; and Scottsdale, Arizona.
Brilliant Earth now has 15 showrooms nationwide and she said the company will be opening additional locations “soon,” including one in Bethesda, Maryland, its second in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
During Wednesday’s call, Gerstein also addressed the issue of Russian diamonds in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
She noted that the company removed all Russian-origin stones from its website earlier this quarter, “ahead of our peers.”
She said the company does not expect the exclusion of Russian goods to have a material impact on its financial performance because of the company’s “diverse” supply chain, a point she reiterated later in the call in response to an analyst’s question.
Looking ahead to 2022, Gerstein said the company has continued to perform well post-holiday and is positioned to deliver another year of “significant” growth.
Brilliant Earth forecasts first-quarter sales will total $96 million to $98 million, up 36 to 39 percent over last year.
For fiscal year 2022, sales are expected to total between $485 million and $500 million, with year-over-year growth of 28 to 32 percent.
The Latest
Step inside the nearly 21,000-square-foot suburban Chicago jewelry store with Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff.
These punk-inspired earrings from the new Canadian brand’s debut collection reveal the alter ego of the classic pearl.
The company brings its nanotechnology to two new fancy cuts for diamonds that feature its signature color and brilliance.
From protecting customer data to safeguarding inventory records, it's crucial to learn how to tackle cybersecurity challenges.
Sponsored by Tasha R
Three Titanic survivors presented him with the personalized Tiffany & Co. timepiece about a year after the tragedy.
A federal court found that the jewelry store chain violated terms of the settlement reached after it was accused of defrauding customers.
This fall, sharpen your skills in jewelry grading, quality control and diamond assessment.
Cynthia Erivo chose Dreams of Hope, an organization dedicated to empowering LGBTQA+ youth, as the charity for this year’s collection.
The new space was designed to evoke a warm, inviting vibe.
Kinney, who spent nearly 30 years at IJO, has been hired to head Abbott Jewelry Systems’ new virtual marketplace.
The auction house was accused of helping clients avoid paying taxes on millions of dollars’ worth of art purchased from 2010 to 2020.
The four finalists will present their pieces at the 2025 JCK Las Vegas show.
The “Camera Oscura” collection showcases earring designs celebrating female Surrealist artists Claude Cahun and Leonor Fini.
The money will fund the planting of 10,000 trees in critical areas across Oregon, Arizona, Montana, and other regions.
The event centered on advancing jewelry manufacturing technology will return to Detroit in May 2025.
Local reports identified the woman as the wife of the jewelry store owner.
A collection of pieces owned by Ferdinand I, the first king of modern Bulgaria, and his family, blew away estimates in Geneva last week.
The Australian jewelry box brand’s new West Village store will showcase new jewelers each month through its Designer in Residence program.
“Lovechild” was created in partnership with Carolyn Rafaelian’s Metal Alchemist brand.
Hampton discussed how Helzberg is improving the customer experience and why it was inspired by the company formerly known as Dunkin’ Donuts.
The group will host several curated events and an exhibition of designer jewelry made with Peruvian gold traceable to the miners’ names.
The collection honors the 50th anniversary of Dolly Parton’s “Love is Like a Butterfly” song, which shares a birth year with Kendra Scott.
This year’s theme asks designers to take inspiration from classic fairy tales.
Senior Editor Lenore Fedow makes the case for why more jewelers should be appealing to nerds at the annual event.
The latest “Raiz’in” drop showcases a newly designed “Scapular” necklace and donates a portion of the proceeds to Make-A-Wish France.
No. 1 out of 100, the timepiece was created to mark Citizen’s 100th anniversary and will be auctioned off at Sotheby’s next month.