Vegas Wrap Up: Show Hard-Hit by Economy

At the high-end shows, business was brisk, although, style-wise, no clear trends stood out, and polished prices seemed to be on everyone’s minds.

Exhibitors arrived at the shows knowing that the situation for their clients is very tough, and expectations, subdued, reflected this. Foot traffic in the halls was remarkably thin, but this was also the case outside – on the city’s sidewalks, which in past years have been much more crowded.

While buyers tried to keep prices down, the reality of surging polished prices forced them to accept these or to opt for lower quality goods. The few people that did step into the booths were generally characterized as “uninteresting,” although a number of people noted that some came with an attack plan and cash, ready to do business.

Styles and trends were all over the place, especially at the Couture show. Exhibitors displayed a wide array of ideas, perhaps as part of an attempt to stand out and capture some attention. The increasing prevalence of brown diamonds was one clear trend, one that, aside from reflecting clothing and fashion trends is also a cheaper alternative to the high color white stones.

With few buyers, many had time to attend the many seminars and events that took place on the show’s sidelines. NCDIA held a breakfast, Gemesis launched pink lab-grown diamonds and IDEX Online held its first-ever press event and presentation, marking the launch of the Guaranteed Diamond Transactions™ program.