20.7% Growth in U.S. Polished Diamond Imports in November

(IDEX Online News) - Adding to the already clear indications that American consumers increased their diamond jewelry buying during the holiday season, polished diamond imports in November registered a double digit growth in nearly every parameter. Net polished diamond imports stood at $301.6 million, rising 20.7 percent year-over-year.

Gross polished diamond imports of 933,106 carats worth $1.44 billion increased 2.6 percent and 19.4 percent, respectively. The average value of gross imports was $1,537.53 p/c, rising 16.4 percent from last year, based on figures released by the Department of Commerce and International Trade Commission.

Exports in November of 924,159 carats worth $1.13 billion averaged $1,226.06 p/c. The value of exports increased 19.1 percent.

More than 46.5 percent of the gross imports, $666.6 million, were shipped from Israel, and another $309.5 million from India. Belgium was source of $239 million worth of polished.

The U.S. imported $16.3 billion worth of polished in the first eleven months of 2010, up 44.7 percent from 2009 but still 9.6 percent less than imported in the January-November period of 2008.