(IDEX Online) – Jewelry sales by U.S. retailers rose by a dramatic 12 percent during June compared to June 2010. This was the third consecutive month of double-digit gains for American jewelry retailers.

 

The following graphs summarize detailed data for jewelry and watch sales during June 2011 in the U.S. market.

 

Total jewelry and watch sales through all retail outlets rose by 12.3 percent in June. While this pace was slower than April and May’s rousing gains, it is still one of the largest monthly sales gains in several years. June’s jewelry and watch sales were an estimated $4.9 billion this year, up from last year’s estimated $4.4 billion in the same month.

 

Total jewelry (only) sales rose by 12.0 percent in June, as the graph below illustrates. Watch sales increased by 13.8 percent, as reported by the Department of Commerce. On a year-to-date basis, total jewelry and watch sales are up by 11.2 percent, while jewelry sales are up 11.0 percent and watch sales are up 12.6 percent year-to-date.

 

Source: Dept of Commerce

 

Watch sales in June among jewelers in the LGI Network (an NPD Group company) were up 15 percent on a same-store sales basis. This was slightly above watch sales as reported by the Department of Commerce, as the graph below illustrates.

 

Source: Dept of Commerce

 

Specialty jewelers’ June sales rose by a robust 14.5 percent, while jewelry and watch sales at “other” retailers – largely discounters – were up 10.7 percent. Historically, “other” merchants have been taking market share from specialty jewelers. Earlier this Spring, this trend reversed: specialty jewelers have taken market share for the past three months from other merchants who sell jewelry.

 

The graph below summarizes sales gains at both specialty jewelers and “other” merchants who sell jewelry.

 

Source: Dept of Commerce

 

Specialty jewelers’ sales were an estimated $2.13 billion in June 2011, up from last year’s estimated $1.86 billion, a solid 14.5 percent sales gain.

 

For the first six months year-to-date, specialty jewelers’ sales gains rose by 12.4 percent, according to data from the government’s Department of Commerce. For the second calendar quarter, specialty jewelers’ sales were up 16.8 percent, driven mostly by a very strong April selling period.

 

The graph below summarizes monthly sales trends for specialty jewelers.

 

Source: Dept of Commerce

 

Jewelry and watch sales gains continue to outpace sales gains for other retail categories. For the month of June, total U.S. retail sales were up 8.7 percent while retail sales, ex-automobiles, rose by a more robust 9.1 percent. Despite nagging high unemployment and a host of other negative factors weighing on American consumers, they are still spending money on retail goods. One of the beneficiaries of this spendthrift mentality is the U.S. jewelry industry, which posted sales gains about a third larger than total retail sales gains, as the graph below illustrates.

 

 

Source: Dept of Commerce

 

Year-to-date total retail sales are up 8.1 percent through June, slightly below June’s monthly total retail sales gain of 8.7 percent. Year-to-date retail sales, ex-automobiles, are up 7.6 percent, somewhat below June’s 9.1 percent retail sales gain (ex-auto).