IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
SurveysSep 27, 2015
6 insights on the diamond market
De Beers’ latest Diamond Insight Report shows that chain and department stores are taking diamond jewelry sales from independent retailers in the U.S. market.
London--De Beers recently released its Diamond Insight Report, a report it prepares annually the covers the entire diamond jewelry pipeline from mine to market.
While the report, which is available in its entirety as a PDF here, covers diamond sales and production worldwide, what follows here are six insights about diamond jewelry and the U.S. market specifically.
1) While 2014 was a solid year for diamond jewelry, 2015 has been more challenging.
Global diamond jewelry sales grew 3 percent in 2014, exceeding $80 billion for the first time. In local currency terms, there was growth in each of the top five diamond markets (the U.S., China, India, Japan and the Gulf Region), which account for 75 percent of global demand.
However, because of the strengthening of the U.S. dollar and the slowdown in China, De Beers expects sales to be flat in 2015 when compared with 2014.
2) The U.S. market led the way for diamond sales in 2014.
A few years ago, luxury companies were betting high on China but the economy there has slowed and the U.S. is again the market where the luxury companies, including jewelry retailers, are doing the best.
The U.S. posted the strongest year-over-year growth in diamond jewelry consumption last year, even though it is the world's most mature market. Demand here was up 7 percent, with China (6 percent) and India (3 percent) trailing.
3) U.S. demand for polished diamonds returned to pre-recession levels last year.
The U.S.’s share of demand for polished diamonds reached 42 percent in 2014, a level not seen since 2008, before the global financial crisis hit.
The report also noted that since 2009, the compound annual growth rate for diamond consumption stands at 5 percent for diamond jewelry and 6 percent for polished diamonds.
4) More consumers are asking about specific brands.
The proportion of U.S. retailers who see consumers asking for diamond jewelry brands increased from 15 percent in 2012, to 33 percent in 2013, to nearly half (47 percent) in 2014, according to De Beers (which, it should be noted, has a diamond jewelry brand, Forevermark).
5) Independents are losing diamond jewelry sales to chain stores of all sizes.
In 2015, De Beers began a study of some 42,000 unique diamond retail locations in the U.S. What it found is that chain stores now sell more diamond jewelry than independent retailers, despite
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
the fact that overall the chains have closed even more doors than the independents over the past eight years.
In 2007, independents made 56 percent of diamond jewelry sales in the U.S., followed by chains (small, medium and large) at 27 percent, department stores at 8 percent, discounters/membership club retailers at 6 percent and “other” at 4 percent.
Today, independents’ market share for diamond jewelry sales has shrunk to 35 percent, with chains, now at 42 percent, and department stores, now at 11 percent, taking the most away from the independents. The market share for the discounters has crept up only 1 percent, to 7 percent, while other has remained steady at 4 percent.
(The 2007 sales figures do not include online sales made in these channels, while the 2015 figures do.)
6) There is a power in having a multi-channel presence, not being just brick-and-mortar or online.
In the U.S., between only 7 and 13 percent of diamond jewelry sales are made online, and two-thirds of those come through pure-play online retailers--many of which, like Blue Nile, now have a physical presence--or the websites of large chain stores.
Independents don’t sell a lot of diamond jewelry online but use it for marketing and communications, driving foot traffic into stores.
More on Surveys
The Latest
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Elderly NYC Woman Targeted in Jewelry Swap SchemeTwo suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
MajorsAug 12, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names New SVP of SalesLongtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
MajorsAug 11, 2026
Signet Jewelers Selects Mattel Exec to Lead Zales, BanterJamie Cygielman will take on the role on Aug. 24.
IndependentsAug 11, 2026
Polly’s Fine Jewelry Co-Owner Richard Moore Dies at 69Moore, Polly’s husband, is remembered as a family man with an easygoing spirit and a love for sports and the outdoors.
ColumnistsAug 11, 2026
Creative Connecting: How to Sell Colored Gemstones to Gen ZDuvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2026
NAJA Announces Lineup For 2026 Fall Virtual ConferenceThe mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.
TechnologyAug 10, 2026
Colorado Jeweler Launches Customization Tool He Built HimselfHonest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
QVC Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Names New Interim CEOQVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.
CollectionsAug 10, 2026
State Property Puts a Ripple in the ‘The Voyager’ CollectionThe brand also added two one-of-a-kind brown diamond pieces to the “Sanssouci” series of its “Gardens” collection.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
And IJO’s 2026 Vendor of the Year Is … Ostbye took home top vendor honors at the Independent Jewelers Organization’s show, held last month in Kentucky.
Supplier BulletinAug 07, 2026
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsSponsored by Stratus Estate Buyers
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Retail Veteran Pam Cloud Appointed President of Blue NileCloud, who will officially join Blue Nile on Monday, spent 26 years at Tiffany & Co. and founded jewelry brand Roseate.
