5 Predictions for Jewelry Retail in the Second Half of 2022
From a slowdown in sales growth to rising costs, Fruchtman Marketing outlines its expectations for the second half of the year.

In its latest “State of Jewelry Retail” report, Fruchtman Marketing outlines its expectations for the second half of the year.
“With all the turmoil in the news, including rising interest rates, inflation and the state of the market, there are a lot of unknowns as retailers move forward in 2022,” said the report.
Here are five key takeaways.
Sales growth is expected to slow.
Industry analyst Edahn Golan dubbed last year the “year of jewelry,” and for good reason.
Full-year sales in the watches and jewelry category reached an estimated $115.29 billion, a 51 percent increase year-over-year, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Jewelry sales in 2022 are expected to grow, but not nearly as aggressively as last year.
This year, as of March, full-year watch and jewelry sales are expected to reach an estimated $125.53 billion, about a 9 percent year-over-year increase.
Fruchtman predicts year-over-year growth of between 4 and 8 percent.
“We think it will be tough to hit double-digits over last year, which saw double-digit increases the year before,” the report noted.
Two major jewelry retailers, Pandora and Brilliant Earth, both also recently predicted a slowdown ahead.
Travel may not be as strong of a competitor as originally thought.
Travel tends to be jewelry’s biggest competitor in the fight for consumer discretionary dollars, and travel being restricted because of COVID-19 has worked to jewelers’ advantage.
An easing of travel restrictions coupled with the pent-up demand for vacations is a cause for concern for jewelers, but rising travel costs may soften the impact this year.
“One only has to look at what the cost of a roundtrip fare was pre-pandemic [compared] to now,” said the report.
The cost of airfare rose 19 percent from March to April, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, marking the highest-ever monthly increase since the agency began compiling that data.
Year-over-year, the cost of airfare has climbed 33 percent.
Inflation is taking a toll on shoppers.
The cost of airfare is rising, and so is the cost of nearly everything else.
The consumer price index, which measures the average change in prices over time consumers will pay for a basket of goods and services, rose 0.3 percent month-over-month in April.
It was up 8.3 percent year-over-year, nearing the highest level seen since the summer of 1982.
Prices are rising at the gas pump and in the grocery aisles, while housing costs are also going up.
“This will affect nearly every consumer. If you are a lower to a moderately priced retailer, it will most likely affect you more,” said the report.
“If your customer is more ‘middle class’, they’re getting squeezed the most.”
For wealthier customers, how the stock market is performing and other factors will impact their buying decisions, the report noted.
Engagement ring shoppers may prioritize value.
Consumers are also contending with rising mortgage interest rates and rent prices, noted the report.
With the cost of living rising ever higher, many young adults live at home with their families longer and when it’s time to pop the question, they might have less to spend on an engagement ring.
“This can go either way on the engagement ring front. They may spend more money on the ring if they are no longer in the market for a home. Or they may need to have more money to put down on that home, reducing their spending or looking to [natural diamond] alternatives such as lab-grown, less expensive colored gemstones, or repurposing an heirloom.”
The average age of an engagement ring purchaser is 32, said the report, with many people in this demographic saving up longer for larger purchases.
“This age group will be hyper-focused on ‘value’. You may see carat size go down. Or you may see less importance on quality in cut and color sacrificed to purchase that larger diamond. You also may see more inquiries about lab-grown diamonds,” said the report.
Rising gas prices may impact foot traffic.
U.S. retail gas and diesel prices hit a record high last week with energy costs up 30 percent year-over-year in April.
“Foot traffic might decline,” said the report. “On the other hand, if that customer is making the effort to come to your store, your closing ratios should be higher.”
Though foot traffic may take a hit, online shopping is expected to increase, so jewelers should fine-tune their websites now, if they haven’t already.
“Getting your website in tip-top shape will be critical in 2022. If you actually sell online, you should see an increase this year,” said the report.
“If you don’t, there’s no better time than now to seriously make this change.”
The Latest

The stone’s two zones, one pink and one colorless, may have formed at two different times, the lab said.

Hollywood glamour meets Milanese sophistication in the design of Pomellato’s new store in Beverly Hills, California.

The New York City store showcases a chandelier with 1,500 carats of lab-grown diamonds designed by an FIT student.

You deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.

The Museum of Arts and Design's new exhibition features 75 pieces by the designer, best known for her work in the “Black Panther” films.


Making its auction debut, "The Glowing Rose" is expected to fetch $20 million at the November jewelry sale in Geneva.

They were attacked on Oct. 15, as approximately 40 miners without licenses marched on the mine’s gate.

The upcoming show provides savvy retailers with the opportunity to stock their cases with best sellers in advance of the holiday season.

It took the masked thieves less than 10 minutes to steal eight irreplaceable jewels from two display cases in the museum’s Apollo Gallery.

Gemologist Lauren Gayda has previously worked at The Clear Cut, Taylor & Hart, and Effy Jewelry.

In 2026, the jewelry retailer will celebrate a milestone only a small percentage of family-owned businesses survive to see.

The new showcase dedicated to Italian jewelry design is set for Oct. 29-30.

Take a gaze at the sky with this pair of platinum diamond-set star earrings with blue lace agate drops.

Jeffrey Zimmer's decades of leadership at Reeds Jewelers are defined by integrity, a love of sourcing gemstones, and a heart for community.

The new high jewelry design and production process takes 30 days or less from concept to completion, the auction house said.

The holiday catalog for 2025 features never-before-seen images of more than 100 one-of-a-kind masterpieces.

The brand has released a second installment of its collection of traditional and non-traditional commitment heirlooms.

Corey rescued New England chain Day’s Jewelers, preserving its legacy with strong people skills, pragmatism, and a “get-it-done” attitude.

Charles Robinson Shay was sentenced to life in prison plus 120 years while his accomplice, Michael James McCormack, got 75 years.

Timepieces at Luxury will take place at The Venetian and, like Luxury, will be invitation-only for the first two days.

The auction house named a new global head of jewelry, as well as a new head of the jewelry department for the Americas.

As chairman of Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, Tom Dixon has been tasked with honoring the past and shaping the future of the family-run store.

Katty Villapando Lyte and Mica Rencher received a $10,000 grant for their business, Shimmer Culture LLC.

The parents of the Dallas Mavericks rookie bought their engagement ring at a Day’s store in Bangor, Maine, in 1997.

The UK-based brand sourced the gemstones, which are fully traceable, from an artisanal mining community in Tanzania.

The trio of Advent calendars include a version with 18-karat gold and lab-grown diamond jewelry in a red lacquer jewelry box.

Created in collaboration with Nymphenburg Porcelain, the lock is part of a four-piece collection that took two years to bring to fruition.




















