Watch & Jewellery Wholesaling in the UK - Industry Market Research Report

Going for gold: Demand for sustainability fuels sales of ethically sourced gold

Consumer confidence, disposable incomes, exchange rates and world prices of precious metals all heavily influence the performance of watch and jewellery wholesalers. Purchases of watches and jewellery are considered discretionary, with many customers opting to reign in the spending during tough economic climates. However, the luxury end of the market is remarkably robust to market cycles. Purchase costs for wholesalers can shoot up in periods of economic uncertainty as demand for precious metals rises as they're considered safe investments. The COVID-19 outbreak sparked a drop in demand for wholesalers as many downstream retail outlets had to shut up shop in line with government restrictions. The ban on international (and internal travel, albeit to a lesser extent) dented sales to tourists heavily. Luxury watches, like Rolex's, were unaffected by the outbreak; while production slowed, the scarcity initiated higher demand, helping to drive sales. Companies in the industry wholesale watches, clocks, fine jewellery and imitation jewellery. These may be manufactured from a variety of raw materials such as gold, silver, platinum, plastic, glass or wood. This report covers the scope, size, disposition and growth of the industry including the key sensitivities and success factors. Also included are five year industry forecasts, growth rates and an analysis of the industry key players and their market shares.