Mother’s Day sales were flat or up for the majority of retailers interviewed by National Jeweler, with jewelers ringing up a significant number of diamond sales alongside silver pieces and Pandora.

Jewelers of America is now seeking participation in its benchmarking survey of retail jewelers, “The Cost of Doing Business.”

More than one-third of consumers are expected to buy jewelry for their mom this Mother’s Day and spend a total of 14 percent more than they did last year, according to a recent survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF).

Affluent consumers are planning to increase overall spending in luxury categories this year, with divisions of the sector--including fine jewelry--expected to see growth greater than 3 percent.

Nearly 40 percent of retailers who took National Jeweler’s year-end survey said they don’t sell watches. Among those who do, it was the more expensive brands that were the strong sellers over the holidays.

A total of 70 percent of retailers who took National Jeweler’s year-end survey did not have a stellar holiday season for gold jewelry.

A total of 62 percent of retailers reported that their platinum sales increased or stayed the same during the holiday season, National Jeweler’s 2012 year-end survey shows.

Providing a seamless shopping experience through in-store, online and mobile channels wins customer loyalty and a competitive advantage that drives sales, according to new research by Accenture.

After silver and custom jewelry, diamonds posted the most positive results in National Jeweler’s year-end survey, with 48 percent of retailers reporting their holiday sales of the stones increased as compared with the previous year.

Silver jewelry posted greater year-over-year holiday sales gains than any other product category included in National Jeweler’s 2012 year-end survey, with 66 percent of respondents reporting that sales in the category climbed.

The numbers don’t lie. Business is continuing to improve for retailers, but that doesn’t mean it’s getting easier. Jewelers say these days, they have to work harder and harder to stay ahead.

It’s a statistic that is not surprising in the least. An increasing number of couples getting married are using mobile devices to help them plan and make purchases for their big day.

A significant number of retailers reported the same or better platinum bridal sales in 2012 as compared with 2011, a recent survey commissioned by the Platinum Guild International (PGI-USA) shows.

Sam’s Club and Amazon remain the top companies for customer experience, according to research recently released by the Temkin Group.

A total of 91 percent of retailers reported that their silver sales increased or stayed the same in 2012 as compared with 2011, the Silver Promotion Service’s (SPS) annual survey shows.

A new survey asking Americans about the recent reductions in their take-home pay due to federal tax law changes showed that respondents are divided between feeling somewhat and not at all impacted by bringing home less of the proverbial bacon.

Retail sales and foot traffic will continue to improve in the first half of the year due to an extended holiday shopping season and an early Easter, ShopperTrak reported recently.

To determine specifics on market performance and help support the category's further growth, the Silver Promotion Service is again with National Jeweler/Nielsen to field an important market measurement study on silver.

The Luxury Consumption Index (LCI) dropped 19 points in January and currently stands at second quarter 2012 levels, Unity Marketing reported recently.

Spending this Valentine’s Day is expected to increase only slightly from last year, with consumers planning to shell out an average of $131, up from $126 in 2012, the National Retail Federation (NRF) reported.

Consumers are increasingly connected and want products and services personalized for them, a new report on the changing behavior of buyers from global consulting company Accenture shows.

It is retailers and not reality stars who garner the greatest following on social media sites, but liking a page or following a brand doesn’t necessarily directly translate to sales across all age groups, a new study finds.

National Jeweler is asking for retailers’ input for its annual year-end survey.

Retailers who spoke to National Jeweler for the final sales report of the year weren’t disappointed. The vast majority said their 2012 holiday sales were up as compared with last year.

A total of $21.35 billion has been spent online for the holiday season to date (Nov. 1-Dec. 2), a 14 percent increase versus the corresponding days last year, comScore reported this month.