De Beers Reports 25% Rise in Diamond Spending; Swiss Watch Exports Fall 17%

June 3: De Beers Reports 25% Rise in Diamond Spending; Swiss Watch Exports Fall 17%Covering jewelry auction results, diamond market data, Swiss watch exports, Hong Kong luxury retail, and consumer trends.In this episode:Jewelry Auctions- Christie's Hong Kong Important Watches: $36M total, Patek Philippe top lot at $1.8M- Christie's Hong Kong online: multi-gem ring sold for $194,500, five times high estimate- Sotheby's NY: 6-carat sapphire heading to auction, high estimate $550,000- Sotheby's inaugural Artistic Luxury auction: Faberge diamond and aquamarine necklace (1911), estimated up to $600,000- Sotheby's NY High Jewelry sale: $31.4M, 95% sell-through rate- Sotheby's Magnificent Jewels June 9: 73.11-carat Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond ring by Glenn SpiroDiamonds- De Beers: average cost of natural mined diamond reached $4,063 in 2025, up 25% from 2023- Natural diamond spending and average stone sizes both rising- Kao mine going on care and maintenance from July amid rough-price downturnWatches- Swiss watch exports to the US fell 17% YoY in April- Watches of Switzerland FY2026: US sales up 24% YoY (contrast to export decline)- Christie's HK Important Watches: $36M, secondary market active despite export contractionHong Kong Luxury Retail- Revenue from jewelry, watches, clocks, and valuable gifts up 20% YoY in AprilRetail- Signet Jewelers: improved sales, raised full-year guidanceConsumer Trends- Engagement ring insurance shifting from optional to expected, driven by rising stone valuesWeek Ahead- Sotheby's Magnificent Jewels, New York — June 9- Sotheby's inaugural Artistic Luxury auction, New YorkAlso from ALT/FNDATA:- Open Bid — Mon-Fri at 6 AM ET- Closing Price — Mon-Fri at 5 PM ET