(IDEX Online News) – Total sales of fine jewelry and fine watches in the US market rose by 3.3 percent in November 2015 when compared to November 2014, according to preliminary data from the US Department of Commerce. That gain is in line with expectations; forecasts called for a low single-digit sales increase for the November-December 2015 Holiday Selling Season.

 

Further, the government’s jewelry sales data for October was revised downward. This is a continuing trend: preliminary numbers appear to show solid gains, but later revisions show notable weaknesses in consumer demand for jewelry. Preliminary data for October had shown that total US jewelry industry sales were up 2 percent, however, that was revised downward to a smaller 1.8 percent gain. Further, based on preliminary data, specialty jewelers’ October sales dropped by only 0.4 percent, however, this was revised to a 1.2-percent decline.

 

Based on November’s continued trend of a low single-digit sales gain, we remain comfortable with our forecast of a sales increase in the low single-digit range for the all-important just-completed November-December 2015 period.

 

Total Jewelry Sales Up in November

Total sales of fine jewelry and fine watches in the US market in November were an estimated $6.3 billion, according to the latest preliminary data from the Department of Commerce. In contrast to prior months’ sales trends, specialty jewelers posted a solid gain when compared to the overall industry sales increase.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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