Antwerp Sights offer Reductions, Increases, and Steadiness

At the BHP Billiton Sight, held this week in Antwerp, clients are receiving much smaller allocations while prices were a little higher. The Rio Tinto Sight is similar to last months while Aber has doubled its supply this week.

BHPB customers received 35% - 40% less goods than last month, with better end 2+ carats especially lacking. The price of the goods seem to be 2% - 3% higher, at least in some categories, but dealers are reporting that the goods are still sellable in a market where a willingness to pay a little more is noted, especially on ‘Israeli’ goods - top end 3 grainers and bigger.

One dealer noted that the sorting of the sawbles has somewhat changed.

Aber, on the other hand, has doubled its allocation this month, and while the reason of the decrease in size at BHPB is explained as a technical one, Aber is enjoying from the increase in extraction as the mine is closer to reach full capacity production.

As a result Aber is selling to more clients and offering more to each one at pretty much the same prices as during the last Sight. It should be noted that due to the increased allocation, sorting this time around is more specific and homogenous.

Rio Tinto’s Sight, also held this week, is unchanged in quantity, mix or price from last month.

The three Sights are usually scheduled to the week before the De Beers Sight, however the Antwerp center was closed last week, with most diamantaires being away on vacation.