Since October 2014, sales by specialty jewelers have been declining, while total retail sales in the US have been expanding, leading to a steady, yet constant loss in fine jewelry market share. Clearly, when given a choice, American consumers prefer spending their money on products other than jewelry. However, even in the recent past, this was not always the case. …
Buying and Crying, the Longest Diamond Recession
Sometimes, when talking with Sightholders, they have a strong, even passionate opinion about their Sight supplies, prices and the state of the market. This happens at times of instability. At other times, their views are quite moderate, yielding to the market and everything that is happening in it at the moment. However, during a turbulent period, it is very rare …
The Jewelry Retail Challenge: Think H&M
As we all know, the jewelry retail sector is struggling and facing many challenges: from declining consumer interest to limited marketing, from competing categories to unclear propositions, from confidence-eroding scandals to difficult pricing. Even benchmarking performance and prices is not widely available. And these are just internal issues. The question is no longer if the jewelry retail landscape is challenging, …
10 Things Learned at the Las Vegas Trade Shows
The Las Vegas trade show not only spotlighted where the problems are in the diamond industry, they also showed where positive change activity is taking place, possibly signaling the way for the rest of the industry. The JCK Las Vegas and Couture shows started with a certain degree of promise, and even though they suffered from low foot traffic, they …