The historic signet ring exceeded its estimate at Noonans Mayfair’s jewelry auction this week.
Last Saturday before Christmas expected to be super
Analytics firm ShopperTrak predicts that Dec. 20, a/k/a “Super Saturday” this year, will overtake Black Friday as the top sales day in the 2014 holiday season.
Chicago--As the holiday shopping season gets an earlier start each year, retail sales in the month of November have begun to catch up with December in percentage of overall sales.
But analytics firm ShopperTrak predicts that this year, the last Saturday before Christmas (Dec. 20), also called “Super Saturday,” will edge out Black Friday as the busiest shopping day of the year.
Thanksgiving Day shopping has played a significant part in this shift, ShopperTrak said, as more stores have announced that they will open on turkey day. This is pulling more customers away from shopping the following day. ShopperTrak Founder Bill Martin said, “Our numbers show over the last three years that Thursday (Thanksgiving Day) sales are growing at a pretty rapid pace. It’s leaching sales from Black Friday.”
Along with a bigger push for shopping as soon as the last bite of turkey is gone, the lateness of Black Friday this year also might contribute to lower total sales that day.
Thanksgiving weekend closes out the month of November, and ShopperTrak believes that many shoppers already will be well into their holiday shopping by that time. “Early promotions and more days to shop between Halloween and Black Friday will lead to earlier spending,” Martin said. “Retailers are anxious to get to the wallet before the money is gone.”
Still, Black Friday is expected to remain the No. 2 sales day this holiday season, followed by the second-to-last Saturday before Christmas (Dec. 13), the Monday before Christmas (Dec. 22), and then the Friday before Black Friday (Nov. 21).
With Christmas Day falling on a Thursday this year as well, Dec. 26 also is expected to see higher foot traffic, though not necessarily sales. In fact, the day after Christmas is expected to fall behind only Super Saturday in terms of foot traffic, as consumers likely will extend the holiday to create a long weekend and take advantage of the post-Christmas sales.
The Latest

Founder and longtime CEO Ben Smithee will stay with the agency, transitioning into the role of founding partner and strategic advisor.

The Starboard Cruises SVP discusses who is shopping for jewelry on ships, how much they’re spending, and why brands should get on board.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 of her favorite pieces from the jewelry collections that debuted at Couture.


If you want to attract good salespeople and generate a stream of “sleeping money” for your jewelry store, then you are going to have to pay.

The top lot was a colorless Graff diamond, followed by a Burmese ruby necklace by Marcus & Co.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

Gizzi, who has been in the industry since 2001, is now Jewelers of America’s senior vice president of corporate affairs.

Luca de Meo, a 30-year veteran of the auto industry, will succeed longtime CEO François-Henri Pinault.

Following visits to Vegas and New York, Botswana’s minerals minster sat down with Michelle Graff to discuss the state of the diamond market.

The “Your Love Has the Perfect Ring” campaign showcases the strength of love and need for inclusivity and representation, the jeweler said.

The former De Beers executive is the jewelry house’s new director of high jewelry for the Americas.

The New York Liberty forward is the first athlete to represent the Brooklyn-based jewelry brand.

Take a bite out of the 14-karat yellow gold “Fruits of Love Pear” earrings featuring peridots, diamond stems, and tsavorite leaves.

The one-day virtual event will feature speakers from De Beers, GIA, and Gemworld International.

The California-based creative talks jewelry photography in the modern era and tackles FAQs about working with a pro for the first time.

Al Capone’s pocket watch also found a buyer, though it went for less than half of what it did at auction four years ago.

The foundation has also expanded its “Stronger Together” initiative with Jewelers for Children.

Assimon is the auction house’s new chief commercial officer.

The De Beers Group CEO discusses the company’s new “beacon” program, the likelihood diamonds will be exempt from tariffs, and “Origin.”

The Danish jewelry giant hosted its grand opening last weekend, complete with a Pandora pink roulette wheel.

Industry veteran Anoop Mehta is the new chairman and independent director of the IGI board.

The winners of the inaugural “Kering Generation Award x Jewelry” are student Lee Min Seo and China-based startup Ianyan.

“Ombré Desert Diamonds” will emphasize cream-, champagne-, and brown-colored diamonds, shades that set natural stones apart from lab grown.

It's one of the “Gresham grasshopper” rings English financier Sir Thomas Gresham was known to gift to acquaintances or business associates.

The brand also debuted its new “Zorae” collection featuring a talisman of protection and harmony inspired by a sheaf of wheat.