There is a wide range of estimates about the value of the goods De Beers offered this cycle. Be it $350 or $500 million, very little was purchased. A current estimate puts actual purchases by Sightholders at $150-$200 million, underscoring that the diamond industry is not seeking rough. No Need for More Rough, At Least 50% Refusals It does not …
Diamond Research - Page 5 of 7
Economic research into the global diamond industry. A thorough exploration of every aspect of the diamond market, from mining to consumer demand.
What is Diamond Research?
Diamond research is the comprehensive examination of the diamond industry. It may examine a single, very specific activity in the diamond sector. It could also study an inner industry interplay or provide long-term tracking of an industry component accompanied by an analysis that puts it in context.
A research project may include market interviews, use of big-data analytics, expert analysis, and the use of exclusive granular data collected from various diamond industry sections.
Diamond pipeline activities that are researched include, but are not limited to, the following areas of the diamond market value chain:
- Consumer buying habits,
- Household expenditures,
- Retailers’ purchasing and sales trends,
- Manufacturers’ financing and polishing activities,
- Rough diamond purchasing,
- Diamond miners’ sales and capital investments,
- Changes in diamond prices,
- Trends and forces that impact pricing.
Who Needs Diamond Research?
Every company involved in the diamond industry needs a deeper understanding of the market. Some want to better understand the supply chain and how it impacts them. Other companies are looking to discover their blind spots.
Frequently, companies need to ensure they are not missing out on opportunities. This may include hidden shortages, timely warnings of inventory buildup in the market, a need for a new service, or simply changing prices of a particular item.
Financial firms may be after diamond industry analysis to decipher trade figures or discover how a part of it works. These firms repeatedly find that it is challenging to talk with diamond companies and require someone to untangle diamond-speak. Most importantly, they need data placed in a broader context.
Where is Diamond Research Used?
Before deciding on a strategy, in making marketing choices, when pricing goods, before picking a jewelry design for production, before launching a product, when tracking market changes, and much more.
For a deeper look into this topic, please see below.
This Just In: Jewelry Retail Sales Are Improving
The most pressing fundamental issue for the global diamond industry today is the decline in consumer demand. Hopefully, this is changing, as US retail sales of fine jewelry have posted several consecutive rises recently, signaling a turn for the better. In August of this year, fine jewelry sales increased 2.4% year-over-year, the fourth consecutive month of increases. Fine jewelry sales …
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Consumer Expenditure on Jewelry Sinks
A review of US consumer expenditure on fine jewelry in the past year is sobering at best. Americans are spending a lot less on jewelry, and this is a near across the board trend. In every demographic, nearly every segment of the demographic spent less on jewelry, and at times every segment spent less. Overall, the average US household spent …
Sightholders Don’t See Relief in Sight
Pop quiz: Rough diamond prices were reduced at Sight 7 by: 13%, 9% or 5%? If you examine the price list, you’ll see that the price of some goods decreased by as little as 2.5%, whereas others were cut by as much as 20%. One report may have been based on a simple average of the discounts and came close …
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Has De Beers Unveiled Deep Kimberley Process Mistake? Russia & Dubai on the Rise
The return from the summer break has been anything but smooth. While the focus has been on the Sights, there are other issues, such as long-term trends, that are becoming clearer as we dive deeper into the current crisis. The recent Kimberley Process figures are at odds with De Beers’ diamond production report. Which is more accurate? After initially posting …
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How Sightholders Take Care of Business – A Market Report
From retailers in Middle America to jewelry manufacturers in India, from polishers in Israel to rough traders in Antwerp and miners in Africa – the global diamond industry seems tired, pessimistic and gloomy. Everyone in the pipeline is seeing their sales decline and their turnover shrink, with improvement resting on a distant horizon – constantly receding. It seemed that no …
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Yikes! Jewelry Losing Market Share (and Consumer Interest)
Since October 2014, sales by specialty jewelers have been declining, while total retail sales in the US have been expanding, leading to a steady, yet constant loss in fine jewelry market share. Clearly, when given a choice, American consumers prefer spending their money on products other than jewelry. However, even in the recent past, this was not always the case. …
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Buying and Crying, the Longest Diamond Recession
Sometimes, when talking with Sightholders, they have a strong, even passionate opinion about their Sight supplies, prices and the state of the market. This happens at times of instability. At other times, their views are quite moderate, yielding to the market and everything that is happening in it at the moment. However, during a turbulent period, it is very rare …
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Economic Indicators – Just What Are They Indicating?
Economic indicators for the US jewelry market are showing a long term downward trend and price is not the reason for lost consumer demand.
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What is the Price of a Diamond?
Not too long ago, I posted a question on Twitter, asking people what they thought was the average price of a diamond. Specifically, I wondered how much, in informed people’s opinion, was the average wholesale price per carat of polished diamonds. Just for fun, pick a figure before reading on, and keep it in mind. In response to my question, …
