China demand makes diamond too pricey

KOLKATA: India’s expanding middle class may now have to spend more to own a piece of diamond-studded jewellery. Prices of smaller diamonds (10 cents and 6 cents) have gone up due to a surge in Chinese demand.


Vipul Shah, chairman, Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council, told ET: “Prices of polished small diamonds (10 cents and 6 cents) have gone up 5% as demand for these categories has risen in China, Hong Kong and the other Asia Pacific regions. But demand for larger diamonds, known as sawn diamonds, has been sluggish as the US and Europe, the major consumers, are not purchasing them in big volumes.

Prices of polished diamonds may go up further as demand is increasing in the Asia Pacific region and supplies are not enough to sustain this demand.” The annual Global Diamond Industry Report says global consumption will help the worldwide value of diamond sales surge from £10 billion in 2011 to £17 billion a year in the next seven years. This boom will be fuelled by the rising middle class in India and China.

Demand from these nations is expected to soon surpass the US consumption. Vijay Jain, CEO, Orra, said: “Gold has witnessed a dramatic rise in price. But diamond has not seen such a huge appreciation . Though there is volatility in diamond prices, it is not as significant as gold. Therefore , the price hike in diamond is more acceptable to the consumer as it has been a steady rise.”

Bachhraj Bamalwa, past chairman of All India Gem and Jewellery Trade Federation, said: “Jewellers will now try to offload older stocks of diamond-studded jewellery before they introduce jewellery with new prices. By that time, consumers will get to know that prices have gone up and they will get prepared to shell out more.” Vinod Hayagriv, MD of C Krishniah Chetty and Sons, said: “If demand comes down, prices of diamond will fall. But that is not going to happen in near future.”

Companies are now looking at introducing products that are affordable to customers and yet have the look of an original high-quality diamond. The Orra CEO said the company has launched the Aquila range of diamond studded jewellery that have the look and feel of a one-carat diamond (100 cents make a carat). “Such items are being bought by aspiring middle class youngsters.

The industry will have to come up with innovative products at a time when diamond prices are rising. This has happened in gold too. Most jewellers have come up with lightweight gold jewellery with a heavy look.”