News: US retail steady as holiday season reaches peak. US wholesalers focusing on selling rather than buying. India overseas sales slow. Strong premiums for round, 2.50 to 2.99 ct. diamonds. Fancies 3 ct. and larger hard to find. Rough market in crisis, with uncertainty about supply, demand and future prices. Tender prices under pressure. De Beers’ 2025 supply expected to decline 20%-30%, with reports of about 10 sightholders losing allocations, mostly in producer countries. De Beers tells sightholders to split purchases evenly between 1H and 2H. US total Nov. retail sales +3.8% YOY to $724.6B. US sanctions 28 people and companies involved in gold smuggling. Happy holidays to everyone.
Fancies: Fancy-shape prices stabilizing. Prices firm for 2 ct. and larger. 3 ct. and larger fancies hard to find. Good US orders and price increases for elongated Ovals in D-I, VS-SI diamonds with good shape and quality. Elongated Emeralds, Radiants and Pears in demand, with stable prices. 2.50 to 2.99 ct. trading at significant premiums in those shapes. Supply shortages supporting prices for Marquises. Square Cushions slow. Very well-cut fancy shapes difficult to find and commanding premiums. Off-make, poorly cut fancies illiquid.
United States:
Steady sales. Jewelers focusing on final week of holiday season as last-minute shoppers search for gifts. National Retail Federation predicts 157 million shoppers on Super Saturday (December 21). Retailers taking goods on memo. Shortages of select 3 ct. and larger fancy shapes, with less-desirable items building up in inventories.
Belgium:
Trading slow for this time of year. Dealers waiting for outcome of memo deals. Drop in wholesale prices benefiting jewelers’ profit margins. Market for 5 ct. and larger sluggish.
Israel:
Market slow but steady. US demand has declined, as retailers have enough holiday goods. Some orders for specific items, but on demand only. Low appetite for new inventory.
India:
Business quiet amid drop in overseas demand. US and Europe slowing ahead of Christmas. Manufacturers working below capacity. Some interest in star and melee. Little movement in 0.50 to 0.70 ct., E-G, VS-SI2 and 1 to 1.99 ct., F-H, SI1-SI2 rounds.
Hong Kong:
Activity low. Festive season quieter than normal. Jewelry manufacturers filling final holiday orders ahead of Christmas and Chinese New Year (January 29), with focus on low-budget items containing gold, pearls and colored gemstones. Melee doing better than solitaires. HK diamond dealers sending some staff back to India as local market struggles. Retailers reducing store counts, shifting investment to e-commerce.
Market Comment
News: US retail steady as holiday season reaches peak. US wholesalers focusing on selling rather than buying. India overseas sales slow. Strong premiums for round, 2.50 to 2.99 ct. diamonds. Fancies 3 ct. and larger hard to find. Rough market in crisis, with uncertainty about supply, demand and future prices. Tender prices under pressure. De Beers’ 2025 supply expected to decline 20%-30%, with reports of about 10 sightholders losing allocations, mostly in producer countries. De Beers tells sightholders to split purchases evenly between 1H and 2H. US total Nov. retail sales +3.8% YOY to $724.6B. US sanctions 28 people and companies involved in gold smuggling. Happy holidays to everyone.
Fancies: Fancy-shape prices stabilizing. Prices firm for 2 ct. and larger. 3 ct. and larger fancies hard to find. Good US orders and price increases for elongated Ovals in D-I, VS-SI diamonds with good shape and quality. Elongated Emeralds, Radiants and Pears in demand, with stable prices. 2.50 to 2.99 ct. trading at significant premiums in those shapes. Supply shortages supporting prices for Marquises. Square Cushions slow. Very well-cut fancy shapes difficult to find and commanding premiums. Off-make, poorly cut fancies illiquid.
Steady sales. Jewelers focusing on final week of holiday season as last-minute shoppers search for gifts. National Retail Federation predicts 157 million shoppers on Super Saturday (December 21). Retailers taking goods on memo. Shortages of select 3 ct. and larger fancy shapes, with less-desirable items building up in inventories.
Trading slow for this time of year. Dealers waiting for outcome of memo deals. Drop in wholesale prices benefiting jewelers’ profit margins. Market for 5 ct. and larger sluggish.
Market slow but steady. US demand has declined, as retailers have enough holiday goods. Some orders for specific items, but on demand only. Low appetite for new inventory.
Business quiet amid drop in overseas demand. US and Europe slowing ahead of Christmas. Manufacturers working below capacity. Some interest in star and melee. Little movement in 0.50 to 0.70 ct., E-G, VS-SI2 and 1 to 1.99 ct., F-H, SI1-SI2 rounds.
Activity low. Festive season quieter than normal. Jewelry manufacturers filling final holiday orders ahead of Christmas and Chinese New Year (January 29), with focus on low-budget items containing gold, pearls and colored gemstones. Melee doing better than solitaires. HK diamond dealers sending some staff back to India as local market struggles. Retailers reducing store counts, shifting investment to e-commerce.
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