PodcastsAug 19, 2026
Episode 8: Diamond Industry Update With David Bonaparte & Ronnie VanderLindenThe industry veterans join the podcast to discuss diamond marketing, the FTC Jewelry Guides, and lobbying for lower tariffs.
SurveysOct 30, 2018
JBT Q3 Update: More Retailers Closed
But more jewelry industry businesses also opened during the third quarter, according to the Jewelers Board of Trade.
New York—The trend of more jewelry businesses opening continued in the third quarter, according to recent data from the Jewelers Board of Trade, but more jewelers also ceased operations during the period.
The JBT’s third quarter data shows that the total number of business listings in North America (Canada and the United States)—including retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers—was down almost 5 percent in the third quarter. There were 20,025 retailers in Q3 2018, as compared with 20,972 in the same quarter last year; 3,856 wholesalers this year, compared with 4,043 last year; and 2,643 manufacturers in 2018 as compared with 2,782 last year.
In the U.S. alone, business listings also were down 5 percent, with retailers declining by 939 in the quarter to 19,101; wholesalers by 172 to 3,651; and manufacturers down 144 to 2,516.
Canada saw a decrease in total listings of only 1 percent, with 8 fewer retailers, 15 fewer wholesalers and five more manufacturers than in Q3 2017.
But when it came to new businesses, North America saw a total of 54 companies start up in the third quarter, marking a 63 percent increase over the prior-year period. There were 42 new retailers, seven new wholesalers and five new manufacturers.
In the U.S., 39 retailers opened their doors in the third quarter, compared with 34 in the same period in 2017, as did seven wholesalers and five manufacturers.
New businesses in Canada also were up in the third quarter as three new jewelers set up shop, compared to 2017 when no new companies opened across any of the categories.
As for business discontinuances across North America, retail was the only area to see closings increase year-over-year; a total of 161 retail jewelers ceased operations in the third quarter, compared with 149 in the same period in 2017. Nineteen wholesalers shut down in Q3, as compared to 33 in 2017, and nine manufacturers closed, down from 15 in 2017.
Thirty-three retailers consolidated (meaning they merged with or were acquired by another company) in North America in Q3, up from 23 last year, as did two wholesalers (versus one last year) and four manufacturers (flat from 2017).
In the U.S. alone, 155 retailers closed in the third quarter, up from 146 in the prior-year period. There were 17 wholesalers and eight manufacturers that closed down during the period, compared with 31 and 15, respectively, in the third quarter 2017.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
In Canada, six jewelers shut down during the third quarter—double the amount that did so in Q3 2017—while two wholesalers (the same as last year) and one manufacturer (up from zero) closed.
More on Surveys
The Latest
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Mike Alexander To Succeed Scott Murphy as Jewelers Mutual CEO Murphy will retire at the end of the year and Alexander, currently the company’s president, will take over at the start of 2027.
Policies & IssuesAug 19, 2026
Spinelli Kilcollin Embraces Dupes With Trade-In ProgramThe jeweler is encouraging customers who own lookalike rings to come into the store and trade them for credit towards an authentic piece.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Zales Wants You to Wear Fine Jewelry Every DayThe new campaign, “You Are The Occasion,” discourages shoppers from saving their fine jewelry for special occasions only.
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingAug 19, 2026
Vasant Mehta, a Dedicated Diamond Industry Leader, Dies at 81Mehta led India’s GJEPC through the 2008 financial crisis and was respected worldwide for his wisdom, integrity, and knowledge.
CrimeAug 18, 2026
2 California Men Arrested in Fatal Vehicle Smash RobberyOne is the driver who allegedly crashed a car into a Sacramento jewelry store in April, striking a 71-year-old employee who later died.
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.
ColumnistsAug 18, 2026
Peter Smith: The IKEA Effect and Bridal Branding In a new column, Peter Smith posits that people actually enjoy putting together IKEA furniture, and the same is true for engagement rings.
CrimeAug 18, 2026
Thieves Snatch $1M in Jewelry From New Jersey Jeweler9lakha Jewelers in Iselin, New Jersey, was the target of a smash-and-grab robbery on Aug. 8.
Lab-GrownAug 18, 2026
Ring Concierge, Kendall Jenner’s Tequila Brand Collab on GiveawayThe jeweler has partnered with 818 Tequila to gift lab-grown diamond studs to a bride-to-be and their bridal party.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
Exhibition on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Studios to Open at The MetThe exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.
CollectionsAug 17, 2026
Marquise Diamonds Dance in Spinelli Kilcollin’s ‘Wren’ CollectionMarquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
There’s a New Jewelry Show Coming to FloridaThe inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.
IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
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.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
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.
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.
