Financial Data
Stocks
Tiffany & Co. $131.46 0.00%

Signet Jewelers $37.30 +6.03%

Chow Tai Fook HKD 7.63 +1.19%

Chow Sang Sang HKD 9.00 -2.39%

Titan INR 1548.60 +0.41%

Richemont CHF 83.00 +0.34%

LVMH €525.30 +1.94%

Swatch Group CHF 241.40 -0.04%

Anglo American GBX 2572.00 +6.08%

Petra Diamonds GBX 1.67 -2.90%

Lucara Diamonds CAD 0.65 +12.07%

Gem Diamonds GBX 41.00 -1.20%

Metals
Gold 1,862.16 +0.96%

Silver 25.53 +2.39%

Platinum 1,066.20 +2.80%

Palladium 2,386.45 +0.42%

Currencies
Euro $1.22 -0.07%

Pound $1.36 +0.52%

Yuan($) 6.46 -0.33%

Rupee($) 73.25 -0.33%

Rapaport Weekly Market Comment
Jan 14, 2021 11:30 AM
Polished sentiment positive despite limitations on travel due to Covid-19. Shortages supporting prices. Suppliers anticipate strong 1Q inventory replacement after relatively good US holiday season. Signet Jewelers Nov.-Dec. revenue flat at $1.8B, same-store sales +5.6%, with strong +61% increase in e-commerce. Rising expectations for Feb. 12 Lunar New Year as retailers see robust China recovery. Chow Tai Fook 3Q sales +18%. De Beers and Alrosa expected to release large volumes of rough at Jan. sales. Strong pre-sight demand on dealer market. Alrosa Dec. sales +43% to $522M. LVMH closes $15.8B Tiffany & Co. acquisition; Anthony Ledru to replace Alessandro Bogliolo as the brand’s CEO.

Fancies: Rising demand for select fancy shapes as consumers seek alternative designs at more affordable prices than rounds. Dealers hoping for increased sales of fancy-shape engagement rings. Ovals, Pears and Emeralds strong in 1.50 to 10 ct. sizes. Cushion, Princess and Marquise improving. Excellent cuts and nice shapes in demand and selling at premiums. Steady orders in China helping the market. High availability of fancies below 1 ct. Off-make, poorly cut fancies illiquid and difficult to sell.

United States: Confidence rising as independent retailers report positive holiday sales. Shortage of goods, particularly in 1 ct., D, IF and top-quality 5 ct.-and-larger diamonds. Steady melee demand, with scarcities supporting prices for SI-I2 clarities. Jewelers assessing inventory requirements and continuing to focus on memo supply. Keen interest in engagement rings as Valentine’s Day promotions begin.

Belgium: Steady activity despite continued Covid-19 lockdown. Good demand for 0.30 to 0.70 ct., G-I, VVS-VS and 1 ct., D-G, VVS-VS categories. Buyers emphasizing 3X again. Rough market busy ahead of next week’s De Beers sight, with expectations that large quantities will be available. Premiums rising on the secondary market.

Israel: Bourse very quiet as the country is in middle of nationwide lockdown. Suppliers to US satisfied with the season but expect lower inventory replacement than usual due to rise of online retail. Some concern that influx of new polished will create oversupply and put pressure on prices. Fancy shapes improving. Manufacturers anticipate robust rough market during next week’s Alrosa and De Beers sales.

India: Polished trading stable as dealers fill demand from US and China. More goods expected in coming months to fill supply gaps. Diamantaires anticipate upturn in coming weeks as US dealers return for post-holiday trading. Manufacturers raising production levels and expecting large rough supply at Jan. De Beers and Alrosa sales. GJEPC hosts IIJS Virtual show.

Hong Kong: Dealers busy filling last-minute orders for the Chinese New Year. Steady demand for 0.30 to 0.80 ct., D-H, VVS-VS as well as 1 to 1.50 ct., D-H, VS-SI, 3X goods. Local retail still weak and dependent on domestic demand as tourists unable to travel. Gold jewelry selling well ahead of the holidays. China retail robust with strong e-commerce activity.

De Beers and Alrosa Raise Rough Prices
Jan 18, 2021 11:31 AM By Joshua Freedman

RAPAPORT... The two largest diamond miners increased prices at this week’s rough sales as demand improved due to post-holiday restocking and strong trading ahead of the Chinese New Year.

De Beers raised prices by an average of 4% to 5% at its first sight of 2021, while Alrosa’s increases were around 6% to 7%, industry insiders told Rapaport News Monday. Both companies implemented steeper hikes in larger categories than for smaller goods, sources said.

“Alrosa makes sure that prices reflect the actual market trends and a confirmed real demand,” a spokesperson for the Russian miner said. De Beers declined to comment.

The miners have steadily been reversing the prices cuts they made in the second half of last year. De Beers’ price rise was its second in a row, with January prices almost back to pre-pandemic levels, sightholders noted.

The rough market showed momentum in January following a better 2020 holiday season than many had feared earlier in the year. Cutting factories in India raised polished production to full capacity as shortages emerged and retailers restocked, prompting manufacturers to buy rough in large quantities.

Demand rose on the secondary market, with De Beers clients able to make profits of 5% to 7% by reselling goods ahead of the sight. Those premiums declined slightly following the price increase.

“[Polished] inventory levels are the lowest for at least the past seven or eight years,” an executive at a sightholder said. “That’s the reason people are going to be more aggressive in their purchasing,” he continued, adding that some traders foresaw a spike in consumer demand due to government stimulus packages.

Prices at smaller miners’ tenders were higher still — in contrast to mid-2020, when manufacturers could get goods up to 25% cheaper on the open market compared with De Beers and Alrosa boxes. Tender prices fluctuate with the market conditions more than contract-sale prices do, as the smaller rough producers have greater liquidity needs.

Some traders expressed concern that the surge in rough purchases could lead to an oversupply, as Chinese retailers have almost finished preparing their inventories for the upcoming lunar festival on February 12.

“It’s time to go back to business, but it’s no time to push your production to the max and buy rough at any price with the excuse that your factory needs it,” another sightholder argued. “The end of year has been OK, including in the States. There are great expectations for a fantastic Chinese New Year, but the reality is that any Chinese retailer has stopped buying as from this week.”

Amid the uncertainty, Alrosa kept its policy of allowing customers to defer 100% of their allocations in January, noting that it wished to uphold the balance between supply and demand.

De Beers also allowed sightholders to refuse a proportion of their allocations for goods up to around 0.75 carats, while maintaining its standard flexibility — including 10% buybacks — in larger categories.

De Beers’ sight began on Monday in Botswana and runs until Friday, with viewings also taking place in Antwerp and Dubai. Alrosa’s sale started last Friday and continues for a week.

Rapaport Weekly Market Comment
Jan 21, 2021 11:30 AM
Optimism fueled by upbeat US demand and rising expectations for Feb. 12 Chinese New Year. Polished scarcities supporting prices. Rough market robust as De Beers raises prices by estimated 5%, Alrosa by 7%. Cutters increasing production after buying high volume of rough. Alrosa 4Q sales volume +107% to 17M cts. De Beers cuts sightholder list for new contract period, prioritizes clients with factories in Africa. Petra Diamonds Jan. prices +8% to pre-pandemic levels. Luk Fook FY3Q China same-store sales +4%, Hong Kong/Macau -35%. Richemont FY3Q jewelry sales +9%. Martin Rapaport webinar presentation “Surfing Waves of Change” to take place on Feb. 4. Register here.

Fancies: Rising demand for select fancy shapes as consumers seek alternative designs at more affordable prices than rounds. Dealers hoping for increased sales of fancy-shape engagement rings. Rise in orders for Pears, Emeralds and Radiants above 2 ct. Cushion, Princess and Marquise improving. Excellent cuts and nice shapes in demand and selling at premiums. Steady orders in China helping the market. High availability of fancies below 1 ct. Off-make, poorly cut fancies illiquid and difficult to sell.

United States: Dealers and retailers optimistic for 2021 and looking for goods after successful holiday season. Mid- to high-end jewelers doing well. Small independents with no digital presence struggling. Bridal remains core category. Solid demand for 0.50 to 1.50 ct., G-H, VS-SI stones.

Belgium: Traders upbeat despite ongoing pandemic restrictions. Steady demand from US and China. Good market for 2 ct., D-M, SI diamonds. Larger stones also selling well. European specialist watch retailers saw strong sales of mid-range timepieces this season, which may stimulate appetite for top-quality melee. Rough trading robust during sight week.

Israel: Bourse very quiet as nationwide lockdown continues. Dealers seeing sporadic demand and focusing on maintaining relationships with US clients in online environment. Rising concerns about potential oversupply after large volumes of rough sold. Suppliers hope higher rough prices will help support polished prices in coming months.

India: Positive sentiment amid steady orders and shortages in key categories. Focus shifting back to US as demand from Hong Kong and China tapers off ahead of Chinese New Year. Dossiers moving well. Manufacturers buying large amounts of rough and raising production to fill polished scarcities. Cutters and traders increasingly considering lab-grown diamonds.

Hong Kong: Wholesale market slowing down as retailers complete orders for Chinese New Year. Steady mainland interest in 1.50 to 2 ct., G-J, VS-SI, 3X goods. Closure of China’s borders making it difficult to fulfill transactions. Hong Kong jewelers have low expectations for Chinese holiday season due to lack of tourists. Many local retailers planning to shutter stores after the lunar festival. Retailers on mainland more optimistic.

Financial Data
Stocks
Tiffany & Co. $131.46 0.00%

Signet Jewelers $36.31 +2.60%

Chow Tai Fook HKD 7.63 +1.19%

Chow Sang Sang HKD 9.33 -2.10%

Titan INR 1491.20 -1.72%

Richemont CHF 85.46 +0.02%

LVMH €511.50 +0.77%

Swatch Group CHF 257.20 +0.94%

Anglo American GBX 2675.00 +1.87%

Petra Diamonds GBX 1.69 -2.09%

Lucara Diamonds CAD 0.71 +7.58%

Gem Diamonds GBX 48.10 +5.14%

Metals
Gold 1,856.10 -0.74%

Silver 25.60 -1.38%

Platinum 1,106.07 -2.06%

Palladium 2,367.04 -0.21%

Currencies
Euro $1.21 -0.08%

Pound $1.37 -0.34%

Yuan($) 6.48 +0.29%

Rupee($) 72.96 -0.02%

Nejako 300% navýšenie ceny striebra nevidím ?😲

Financial Data
Stocks
Tiffany & Co. $131.46 0.00%

Signet Jewelers $40.62 +9.78%

Chow Tai Fook HKD 7.63 +1.19%

Chow Sang Sang HKD 9.33 -1.27%

Titan INR 1420.30 -2.06%

Richemont CHF 82.88 -1.50%

LVMH €498.30 -3.62%

Swatch Group CHF 257.00 +2.47%

Anglo American GBX 2414.00 -1.31%

Petra Diamonds GBX 1.69 -2.09%

Lucara Diamonds CAD 0.80 +3.90%

Gem Diamonds GBX 48.10 +5.14%

Metals
Gold 1,850.33 -0.56%

Silver 27.64 -4.90%

Platinum 1,105.36 -2.41%

Palladium 2,280.64 +1.25%

Currencies
Euro $1.20 -0.26%

Pound $1.37 +0.02%

Yuan($) 6.46 -0.19%

Rupee($) 73.02 -0.23%

Rapaport Weekly Market Comment
Feb 4, 2021 11:30 AM
Polished market segmented. Goods below 1 ct. softening, with slowdown in D, IF category after strong 2020 recovery. 1.50 ct. and larger firm. 1 ct. RAPI -0.6% in Jan., 3 ct. +1.7%. Polished inventory expected to rise in coming months after strong Dec.-Jan. rough buying. De Beers Jan. sales +18% to $650M. Letšeng 4Q sales +6% to $55M, average price +11% to $1,907/ct. Hong Kong dealer market slowing ahead of Feb. 12 Chinese New Year. Mainland China retail robust and anticipating strong growth versus pandemic-affected 2020 season. India exempts online rough auctions from 2% e-commerce tax, maintains 7.5% duty on polished imports. India 2020 polished exports -31% to $14.2B.

Fancies: Stable demand for select fancy shapes as consumers seek alternative designs at more affordable prices than rounds. Dealers hoping for increased sales of fancy-shape engagement rings. Rise in orders for Pears, Emeralds and Radiants above 2 ct. Cushion, Princess and Marquise improving. Excellent cuts and nice shapes in demand and selling at premiums. Steady orders in China helping the market. High availability of fancies below 1 ct. Off-make, poorly cut fancies illiquid and difficult to sell.

United States: Trading has slowed in line with expectations for the post-holiday period. Steady demand for ovals and emeralds above 2 ct. as consumers seek unique pieces that express individuality. Secondhand market active, with strong interest in old-mine and European cuts. Hearts improving ahead of Valentine’s Day. Dealers able to profit from recutting diamonds.

Belgium: Polished dealers optimistic despite relatively quiet trading, ongoing lockdown and rise in Covid-19 cases. Stable demand for dossiers. 1 to 3 ct. doing well. Fancy-yellow diamonds improving. Rough market steady, with high volumes of goods available after large January De Beers sight.

Israel: National lockdown and weak overseas demand denting local activity. Government debating whether to relax Covid-19 rules. Slow movement in goods under 1 carat. Concerns about upcoming months as global polished production rises ahead of slower season.

India: Positive sentiment following encouraging US holiday season and amid optimism for Chinese New Year. Buyers struggling to find right goods at right prices as shortages persist. Manufacturers maintaining high production rates following large De Beers and Alrosa rough sales. Dealers waiting for post-Valentine’s Day memo returns to assess true state of the market.

Hong Kong: Wholesale market quiet ahead of Chinese New Year. Steady demand for 1 to 1.50 ct., VS-SI, 3X, GIA-graded goods. More local jewelers planning to move online as tourist slowdown continues to hamper in-store sales. Hong Kong retail revenues from jewelry, watches, clocks and valuable gifts -41% to $399 million in December; FY sales -54% to $3.9B. Mainland consumers supporting the market, with Chinese retailers buying 0.80 to 1 ct., D-H, VS-SI, 3X diamonds.

Financial Data
Stocks
Tiffany & Co. $131.46 0.00%

Signet Jewelers $43.36 -4.30%

Chow Tai Fook HKD 7.63 +1.19%

Chow Sang Sang HKD 9.37 +0.54%

Titan INR 1509.45 -0.27%

Richemont CHF 85.80 +0.59%

LVMH €528.70 +0.69%

Swatch Group CHF 268.80 +1.55%

Anglo American GBX 2440.50 +0.47%

Petra Diamonds GBX 1.64 -2.15%

Lucara Diamonds CAD 0.80 +3.90%

Gem Diamonds GBX 49.45 +0.71%

Metals
Gold 1,847.12 +0.90%

Silver 27.78 +1.83%

Platinum 1,182.15 +1.61%

Palladium 2,348.12 +0.30%

Currencies
Euro $1.21 +0.45%

Pound $1.38 +0.26%

Yuan($) 6.43 -0.24%

Rupee($) 72.90 -0.08%

Rapaport Weekly Market Comment
Feb 11, 2021 11:30 AM
Slower trading as Far East markets close for Feb. 12 Chinese New Year. High hopes for China retail recovery during the season. Global jewelry sales -15% in 2020 after swift 4Q rebound with US +5% to +10%, China +15% to +20%, according to Bain report. US demand stable. Large volume of goods on short-term memo since travel restrictions are limiting in-person sales. Alrosa confirms strong Jan. rough trading with sales +8% to $421M. Operations suspended at Gahcho Kué mine due to Covid-19 outbreak. Hong Kong 4Q 2020 polished imports +4% to $3.6B, polished exports +12% to $3.3B. The Rapaport Group wishes all our friends a happy, healthy and successful Chinese New Year.

Fancies: Stable demand for select fancy shapes as consumers seek alternative designs at more affordable prices than rounds. Dealers hoping for increased sales of fancy-shape engagement rings. Rise in orders for Pears, Emeralds and Radiants above 2 ct. Cushion, Princess and Marquise improving. Excellent cuts and nice shapes in demand and selling at premiums. Steady orders in China helping the market. High availability of fancies below 1 ct. Off-make, poorly cut fancies illiquid and difficult to sell.

United States: Sentiment positive. Retail sales steady ahead of Valentine’s Day. Government stimulus driving consumer spending. Bridal category moving well, fueling demand for 1.50 to 2 ct., G-H, SI goods. Difficult to source stones above 3 ct. due to high replacement cost. Improving interest in 2 ct., D-F, IF-VVS diamonds.

Belgium: Trading stable but lacking usual first-quarter buzz. US orders sustaining the market as Asia slows during Chinese New Year. Europe weak due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions. Good dealer demand for 1 to 3 ct., G-H, VS-SI diamonds. Rough sector relatively quiet after strong January sales.

Israel: Dealers cautious as local business resumes after month-long lockdown. Most dealers continue to work from home due to ongoing concerns about Covid-19 infection. Some optimism for coming months as inventory levels go down. Diamantaires acclimating to current practice of shipping wider variety of goods to clients rather than holding in-person sales. Diamond exchange holding elections for new executive next week.

India: Polished activity slightly slower than in previous weeks due to Chinese clients closing for lunar new year. Steady orders from US and local jewelers. Improving demand for lower colors. Manufacturers maintaining stable discounts after rough prices rose in January. High polished production expected to create steady flow of new inventory in coming months.

Hong Kong: Market quiet as dealers take vacation for February 12 Chinese New Year. Positive retail momentum in mainland China during the season. E-commerce driving growth; strong emphasis on mobile platforms. Jewelers focused on satisfying rising millennial interest in GIA-graded, 0.80 to 1 ct., D-J, VS-SI, 3X diamonds for engagement rings. Hong Kong retailers more cautious due to lack of tourist traffic.

Financial Data
Stocks
Tiffany & Co. $131.46 0.00%

Signet Jewelers $43.61 -2.98%

Chow Tai Fook HKD 7.63 +1.19%

Chow Sang Sang HKD 9.56 +2.80%

Titan INR 1494.20 -2.00%

Richemont CHF 87.78 -0.39%

LVMH €529.30 -0.41%

Swatch Group CHF 265.00 -0.75%

Anglo American GBX 2663.00 -0.02%

Petra Diamonds GBX 1.80 +9.76%

Lucara Diamonds CAD 0.80 +3.90%

Gem Diamonds GBX 49.45 +0.71%

Metals
Gold 1,824.47 +0.31%

Silver 27.78 +0.68%

Platinum 1,308.15 +0.07%

Palladium 2,394.89 +0.01%

Currencies
Euro $1.22 +0.20%

Pound $1.39 +0.14%

Yuan($) 6.46 -0.01%

Rupee($) 72.71 +0.12%