IDEX Price Report for 1 April: More Losses for Rounds and Fancies

(IDEX Online) - Prices fell again during March amid slow trading, weak sentiment and anxiety over the introduction of G7 sanctions on Russian goods. There were precious few price rises among either rounds or fancies.

Signet, the world's largest retailer of diamond jewelry, reported a 6.3 per cent fall in net sales for Q4 and cautioned that the recovery would be slow.

De Beers echoed that view as it announced a modest increase in rough sales at its second sight of the year ($430m, down 13 per cent).

"Consumer demand for diamond jewellery is growing in India but remains sluggish in China," said CEO Al Cook.

"Overall, we expect that the ongoing recovery in rough diamond demand will be gradual as we move through the year."

Meanwhile there's been turmoil in Antwerp, where traders now have to provide evidence that the goods they're importing are not from Russia.

They say delays of a week or more are disrupting their businesses, and they have lobbied the Belgian prime minister to intervene.

Rounds

Price drops dominated again, with falls among better colors and clarities - D-I /IF-VS2- among most 1.00-cts to 1.99-cts goods.  There was little activity in goods under 1.00-cts. Price increases were few and far between. Among 5.00-cts to 5.99-cts, virtually all goods D-H / IF-I1 were affected. Most D-F goods in 4.00-cts to 4.99-cts also fell, although there were blanket increases among H-M / IF-VS1.

Fancies

Fancies also suffered widespread losses, with very few gains.

Goods of most sizes above 0.50-cts saw clusters of price drops, primarily among better colors and clarities - D-H and IF-VS2. Minimal activity in goods under 0.40-cts. The only notable increases were among I3 goods in many colors, from 2.00-cts to 4.99-cts.

Rounds

0.18-0.22 ct. G-H / IF-VVS1 -3-3.5%, I / VVS1-2 +4%

0.23-0.29 ct. H-I / SI1 -4-4.5%

0.30-0.39 ct. D / IF-VVS1 -4-5%

0.40-0.44 ct. D-E / IF-VVS1 -2-6%

0.45-0.49 ct. D-E / VVS1 -1.5-2.5%

0.50-0.69 ct. D-H / IF -1-6%

0.70-0.79 ct. E-F / IF-VVS2 -1-3%

0.80-0.89 ct. E-I / IF-VVS1 -1-5%, G-I / VS2 +2-3%

0.90-0.99 ct. D-G / VVS2 -1.5-3.5%

1.00-1.24 ct. D-G / IF-VVS2 -1-5%

1.25-1.49 ct. D-F / IF-SI1 -1-4.5%, H-K / IF-VS1 -1-7%

1.50-1.99 ct. D-F / IF-VVS2 -2-4.5%

2.00-2.99 ct. D-E / IF-SI1 -0.5-4%, H-L / VVS2-VS2 -0.5-4.5%

3.00-3.99 ct. E-F / VVS1-VS1 -1.5-3%, F-I / SI3 +1-2.5%

4.00-4.99 ct. D-F / IF-SI3 1-4%, H-M / IF-VS1 +1-3%

5.00-5.99 ct. D-G / IF-I1 -1-4.5%

Fancy Cuts

0.18-0.22 ct. K / IF -7%

0.23-0.29 ct. No movement

0.30-0.39 ct. J-K / SI1 -6-7%

0.40-0.44 ct. K / SI3-I1 -7-8.5%

0.45-0.49 ct. D-F / VVS1-VS2 -1.5-7%

0.50-0.69 ct. D-H / IF-VS2 -1.5-7%

0.70-0.79 ct. D-E / IF-VS2 -1-4.5%

0.80-0.89 ct. D-G / IF-VVS1 -1-3.5%

0.90-0.99 ct. H-J / IF-VS1 -2-6%

1.00-1.24 ct. D-H / IF-SI1 -2-6%

1.25-1.49 ct. D-G / IF-SI2 -1-5.5%

1.50-1.99 ct. I-J / IF-SI1 -1.5-3.5%

2.00-2.99 ct. D-F / IF-VVS2 -0.5-4%, G-N / I3 +8-18%

3.00-3.99 ct. D-H / IF-SI1 -0.5-4.5%, G-N / I3 +7.5-20%

4.00-4.99 ct. D-G / VVS2-SI1 -1-4.5%, G-N / I3 +7-8.5%