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Diamond Sales Benchmark Data Correlates With Holiday Results January 28, 2019 (0 comments)

Omaha, NE—New diamond sales data figures, compiled by The Edge Retail Academy, reflected the strong holiday season most upscale American jewelers enjoyed in 2018. (Left: engagement rings by A. Jaffe)

The Edge’s figures represent aggregated sell-through data for more than $1.5 billion in annual fine jewelry sales at more than 1,000 better retail jewelers across the United States, while a series of surveys of those jewelers conducted by The Centurion Newsletter from Black Friday through New Year’s Day showed that on average, better jewelers’ holiday sales outpaced general retail by more than a 2:1 margin. More than one-third of respondents to the Centurion survey reported holiday sales increases of 10% or more over 2017 figures.

Related: Luxury Jewelers Outpace General Holiday Spending By 2:1

Sales of non-bridal diamond jewelry rose 9% by dollar volume year-on-year through November 2018, and 8% by unit sales for the same period. The category includes diamond fashion rings, earrings, pendants, necklaces, bracelets, and other non-bridal jewelry.

The average ticket per sale of pieces in this category rose 0.9%, from $1,410 to $1,417. Diamond product gross profit was up 11% year-on-year through November and gross margin on the category rose 1% in the same period.

For bridal jewelry, year-on-year sales through November 2018 rose 4.4% by dollar value and 2.9% by unit sales vs. the same period in 2017.

Average ticket for diamond bridal jewelry also rose 0.9% in the period, from $2,659 to $2,697. Gross profit was up 5% and gross margin also rose 1%.