Summary
Jewelry and watches is a high end luxury product that is effected the same as luxury cars by market forces. When discretionary income shrinks, then luxury products are put on the back burner. Gold sales may have slipped but Platinum and Silver sales have increased. When platinum goes up, it replaces gold in jewelry. The upper end of the market is not as affected as the middle and lower ends. The one thing everyone overlooks is the tremendous increase of jewelry and watch sales through the Internet.
The low end is increasing at a huge rate and the upper end is remaining strong. This has been the hottest sales platform for jewelry and watches for the past 5 years. The internet is a 24 hour, 7 days a week selling machine that most people in the jewelry and watch industry overlooks, or boycotts.
Analysis
Jules Rabalais is a 36 year veteran of the retail, wholesale manufacturing and internet jewelry industry. He is a former retail jewelry store owner. Currently Mr Rabalais has a jewelry and watch appraisal, and consulting company doing appraisals for stores and consulting to stores on entering the internet business.
