Big Survey

2021 Big Survey: This Is the Top Performing Watch Brand in Independent Jewelry Stores

Japanese maker tops poll for fourth straight year; Rolex falls out of top 3.

Published

3 years ago

November 1, 2021

Chris Taylor

2021 Big Survey: This Is the Top Performing Watch Brand in Independent Jewelry Stores

CITIZEN WAS ONCE again named the top watch brand by American independent jewelers in this year’s INSTORE Big Survey, edging New York-based Bulova and its Japanese peer Seiko.

It is the 4th straight year Citizen has finished No. 1 in our poll, which asks jewelers to name their “best performing” watch brands. The question is designed to encourage jewelry-store owners to consider return on effort and investment and not just sales.

Swiss luxury giant Rolex, slipped out of the top three for the first time in four years amid supply issues.

Citizen’s strong performance comes at a time when traditional watch sales are struggling against the onslaught from smart watches, especially the Apple Watch, whose sales in 2019 surpassed the combined sales of all Swiss watch brands. According to another question in the 2021 Big Survey, only a little more than half of independent jewelers now carry watches, down from over three-quarters a decade ago.

The 2021 Big Survey was carried out between August and September, attracting more than 600 anonymous responses from owners of independent jewelry stores across the United States and Canada. The full results will be published in the upcoming November issue of INSTORE.

Related Topics: Big Survey 2021 Featured

Chris Taylor

click to Comment(Comment)

Up Next

The Big Business Takeaway from the Pandemic? “It Was Great in Many Ways.”

Don't Miss

Jewelers Cite ‘Time’ as Asset in Shortest Supply

You Wouldn’t Cut Your Own Hair. Why Run Your Own Retirement Sale?

After being in business for over a quarter of a century, Wayne Reid, owner of Wayne Jewelers in Wayne, Pennsylvania, decided it was time for a little “me time.” He says, “I’ve reached a point in my life where it’s time to slow down, enjoy a lot of things outside of the jewelry industry. It just seemed to be the right time.” He chose Wilkerson to handle his retirement sale because of their reputation and results. With financial goals exceeded, Reid says he made the right choice selecting Wilkerson to handle the sale. “They made every effort to push our jewelry to the forefront of the showcases,” he says, lauding Wilkerson for their finesse and expertise. Would he recommend them to other jewelers who want to make room for new merchandise, expand their business or like him, decide to call it a day? Absolutely he says, equating trying to do this kind of sale with cutting your own hair. “The results are going to happen but not as well as if you have a professional like Wilkerson do the job for you.”