The Luxury show opened to strong buyer traffic and robust sales as U.S. retailers stocked finished jewellery aimed at affluent consumers. Exhibitors reported high-quality buyers and significant purchases, despite macroeconomic headwinds including tariffs, geopolitical tensions and elevated gold prices.

Key takeaways:

• Opening-day activity was strong, with appointments and pre-bookings driving early sales.
• Market shows a K-shaped recovery: demand is rising for larger, higher-quality natural diamonds while smaller, lower-grade stones face pressure from lab-grown alternatives.
• Shoppers favoured unique, high-ticket pieces, natural-colour diamonds and yellow-gold settings that enhance diamond appearance.
• Retailers using storytelling, differentiation and tools such as AI search platforms reported better conversion and higher average transaction values.

Exhibitors said resilience among affluent customers is supporting premium jewellery sales, underscoring natural diamonds’ continued appeal versus lab-grown options.