Analysis of wholesale pricing data, conducted by the Fancy Color Research Foundation (FCRF), reveals that fancy coloured diamond prices continued to climb moderately in Q3 2016, at a rate similar to Q2. For over a year, transactional data testifies to two opposite pricing trends in fancy coloured diamonds: consistent demand-driven price increases for pink and more notably blue diamonds, partially offset continued price declines in lower-cost, commercial yellow diamonds.
Prices of blue and pink diamonds increased 1.2 percent and 0.5 percent respectively, in the third quarter. Prices of yellow diamonds declined 0.1 percent, more than in the second quarter of the year. Overall, prices in the fancy coloured diamond category climbed by 0.4 percent for the period.
The strongest price performers during Q3 2016 were the fancy vivid blue and fancy pink categories across all carat sizes, appreciating by 6.7 percent and 3.1 percent respectively. On the other side, price declines of between 1-3 percent were reported for all yellow categories, including fancy, intense and vivid. However traders revealed that certain intense and vivid yellow diamond shapes such as round, pear and emerald, did not experience price declines.
For the 12 months ending October 2016, the Fancy Color Diamond Index™ (FCDI) appreciated by 0.9 percent, driven by price increases for blue and pink diamonds of 3.2 percent and 1.7 percent respectively, and offset a 1.6-percent decline in prices of yellow diamonds.
“High quality, rare fancy coloured diamonds, especially vivid blues and vivid pinks, have continuously demonstrated their price resilience, as their supply is very limited, effectively neutralising the effect of economic conditions on consumer demand,” said FCRF advisory board member Ephraim Zion. “On a positive note, it seems that prices for yellows are beginning to stabilise as inventories in the United States are running low, after a long period of sluggish demand."
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