International News
US Watch and jewelry sales remain steady in March, overall increase of 0.4 percent
US Watch and jewelry sales remained steady in March, with a slight overall increase of 0.4 per cent, according to the latest US Department of Commerce figures. Jewelry sales rose slightly, while
Watch and jewelry sales in the US remained steady in March, with a slight overall increase of 0.4 per cent, according to the latest US Department of Commerce figures. Jewelry sales rose slightly, while watch sales dipped, as consumers opted for higher-priced items, but bought fewer of them.
In February overall sales increased by just 0.2 per cent and in January they fell by 1.0 per cent
The US government’s BEA (Bureau of Economic Analysis) reported a 0.7 per cent increase in consumer spending in March, the biggest increase for two years, but said it was largely driven by a rush to buy cars before US reciprocal tariffs forced prices up.
Watch and jewelry sales have been characterized by very modest increases in recent months, following on from a year of sustained growth – 10 per cent or more in some months – as shown below.
Reciprocal US tariffs – announced in April, then paused until July – will almost certainly hit sales, as producers forced to either absorb the costs or pass them on to consumers.
International News
Candidates From India, China and The UAE Running For President Of The WFDB
The Election Reflects Power Shifts In The Trade As Well As Open Questions About The WFDB’s Character and Future.
Three candidates from India, China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are running for president of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) in an election that reveals contrasting approaches to the organization and the industry. s (WFDB) in an election that reveals contrasting approaches to the organization and the industry.
Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB) vice president Mehul Shah, Shanghai Diamond Exchange (SDE) president Lin Qiang, and Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE) chairman Ahmed Bin Sulayem have put their names forward ahead. Israel’s Yoram Dvash is standing down after completing the maximum two three-year terms.
The key theme is a split between preserving the federation’s traditional, experience-led model and pushing a younger, reform-minded approach.
Candidate positions
Mehul Shah is presented as the continuity candidate: he wants to strengthen the federation, add members, and restore its earlier influence, but he argues that younger leaders should first gain experience in junior roles.
Ahmed Bin Sulayem is linked with a reformist, younger-leaning camp that wants fresh leadership and modernization, with David Troostwyk and Molefi Letsiki on the same informal slate.
Lin Qiang’s role is more institutionally grounded, with recent WFDB and Shanghai ties showing China’s growing involvement in the federation’s outreach and industry strategy.
Industry context
The election is happening against broader concern about the WFDB’s relevance as lab-grown diamonds reshape the market and as influence shifts toward bodies like the World Diamond Council.
WFDB leadership tracker: track the Executive Committee, presidential election rules, and potential future candidates from India, China, and the UAE.
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