Policies & IssuesJul 09, 2025
James Avery to Donate $1M to Texas Hill Country Relief EffortsThe jewelry company is one of several contributing to relief efforts in the region after the recent floods.
SurveysOct 20, 2015
Specialty jewelers’ sales flat in August
Though total sales of fine jewelry and watches in the U.S. were up during the month, sales at specialty jewelers fell flat as retailers reported weak foot traffic.
New York--In August, total sales of fine jewelry and watches in the U.S. grew approximately 2 percent year-over-year to $5.4 billion, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
However, specialty jewelers--defined as retailers that sell fine jewelry and watches and little or nothing else--didn’t benefit from this improvement. Instead, their sales were essentially flat in August, totaling $2.2 billion.
Industry analyst Ken Gassman said that the figures from the Commerce Department back the reports he has gotten from a sample of specialty jewelers; most said traffic was weak this summer, though the average ticket price went up due to the slowing sales of beads and the rising sales of diamonds.
Meanwhile, jewelry sales at multi-line merchants rose an estimated 4 percent during the month. Gassman noted that while consumers have been willing to buy jewelry lately, they are buying more of it from these type of retailers than they are from specialty jewelers.
For the past four months, monthly jewelry sales have grown by an average of 2 percent, which is in line with average monthly growth of total U.S. retail sales.
Economic forecasts call for the U.S. economy to grow by about 3 percent total in 2015.
Gassman predicted that for the holidays, the same low-single-digit sales growth will continue. He added that while total jewelry industry sales are up only 1 percent year-to-date and specialty jewelers’ sales are down 2 percent through August, they “continue to see positive signs.”
The economic data that Gassman pointed to as positive for the holiday season included growing employment levels and the fact that shoppers have extra money, especially with lower gas prices. He also noted that jewelers seem ready for the holidays with adequate inventory, and that De Beers has started marketing diamonds generically again, which is a boon for the industry.
As a result, American shoppers are in a more positive mood than they have been in several years. Gassman said this likely will benefit the jewelry industry, though it remains to be seen if the benefit will be for multi-channel retailers or specialty jewelers.
More on Surveys
The Latest
CollectionsJul 09, 2025
Cece Jewellery’s New Fruit Jewels Celebrate Life’s SweetnessThe “For the Love of Fruits” collection features five fruit pendants, each holding a different meaning.
EditorsJul 09, 2025
The Most-Read Stories of 2025, So FarDiamonds and crimes (some involving diamonds) top the list of National Jeweler’s most popular stories halfway through the year.
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
SourcingJul 09, 2025
Florida Couple Finds 3-Carat Diamond in ArkansasThey discovered “The Dash Diamond,” named for their dog, at the Crater of Diamonds State Park earlier this month.
Weekly QuizJul 02, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsJul 08, 2025
Mikimoto’s High Jewelry Collection Turns Pearls into PetalsThe “Les Pétales” collection imagines roses caught mid-bloom as a tribute to nature’s beauty.
ColumnistsJul 08, 2025
Peter Smith: Why Jewelers Struggle With Premium PricingLuxury brands charge thousands for their shoes and handbags. Jewelers pricing diamond products should take note, Peter Smith writes.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America is Headed to Las Vegas for JCK 2025The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.
IndependentsJul 08, 2025
David Rotenberg of David Craig Jewelers Dies at 79Rotenberg was an active member of the American Gem Society and an accomplished appraiser who also worked with therapy dogs at a hospital.
TechnologyJul 08, 2025
‘Diamond Divas’ Brings the Showroom to Social Media Reality SeriesIt follows New York-based brand Shahla Karimi Jewelry’s all-women team in “Say Yes to the Dress” meets “The Office”-style episodes.
Policies & IssuesJul 08, 2025
SMO Gold Launches New FoundationIn its inaugural year, the SMO Foundation will focus on supporting two organizations in West Africa and one in South America.
Policies & IssuesJul 07, 2025
Higher Tariffs Set to Take Effect Aug. 1, Officials SayThe announcement comes just as the 90-day freeze on the “reciprocal” tariffs nears its end, giving countries more time to negotiate.
MajorsJul 07, 2025
Natural Diamond Council CEO David Kellie To Step DownKellie, who joined the organization in 2019, will remain in his role through the end of 2025.
CrimeJul 07, 2025
7 Suspects Charged in California Jewelry Store BurglaryPolice officers apprehended the suspects as they were allegedly attempting to gain entry into another jewelry store.
Events & AwardsJul 07, 2025
Applications Open for Ella Klein Internship The program, a collaboration between Julius Klein Diamonds and the Women’s Jewelry Association, is in its second year.
Supplier BulletinJul 03, 2025
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessSponsored by the Gemological Institute of America
MajorsJul 03, 2025
Brilliant Earth Names Tennis Star Madison Keys as Its New AmbassadorThe 2025 Australian Open champion is the jewelry brand’s first athlete ambassador.
MajorsJul 03, 2025
Muse Sets Up Shop in Nordstrom’s New Jewelry HallThe West Village jewelry boutique’s new shop-in-shop is the cornerstone of Nordstrom’s revamped jewelry hall.
SourcingJul 03, 2025
SRK Announces Its Natural Diamonds Are Now Carbon-NegativeThis past year, the manufacturer said it recorded below-zero emissions per carat of natural diamond.
CollectionsJul 03, 2025
Piece of the Week: A Firework of Diamonds From YepremThe brand’s “Golden Strada” statement necklace features round, marquise, and pear diamonds that sparkle like Fourth of July fireworks.
CrimeJul 03, 2025
JSA Shares Holiday Weekend Security Tips Amid Spike in BurglariesJSA’s Scott Guginsky provided a list of nine security measures jewelers should observe while locking up for the long weekend.
MajorsJul 02, 2025
Boucheron Looks to LA for First West Coast FlagshipLocated on Rodeo Drive, the store’s design was inspired by Hollywood and Los Angeles culture.
MajorsJul 02, 2025
Marco Bicego Opens Milan FlagshipThe new location continues the brand’s celebration of its 25th anniversary.
WatchesJul 02, 2025
Chrono24 Revamps Brand, Launches New CampaignThe online watch marketplace’s “Time Is Our Thing” campaign highlights the importance of time.
SourcingJul 02, 2025
Bernadette Mack Joins Gem Legacy as Executive DirectorShe will oversee strategic planning, fundraising, industry partnerships, and the launch of the Gem Legacy Campus in Tanzania.
CrimeJul 02, 2025
Pandora, Amazon Partner to Uncover Counterfeit Jewelry NetworkWorking with Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit and law enforcement, Pandora helped to shut down a large-scale counterfeit network in China.
MajorsJul 01, 2025
Cast Closes Business, Plans for RelaunchThe jewelry company has closed its three California brick-and-mortar stores, as well as its online shop, for now.
