US economic caution is the main factor affecting market sentiment, but changes in the lab-grown diamond market have also influenced the wider trade, noted Rapaport Senior Analyst Avi Krawitz in the latest installment of the Diamond Trends webinar series.

Krawitz examined the supply-and-demand dynamics that are weighing on diamond prices and assessed the impact of economic uncertainty and the developments in the lab-grown market.

Watch the webinar here:

Main image: A man holding a polished diamond. (Shutterstock)

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Fancies: Fancy-shape market slower than before but better than rounds. Elongated Ovals, Emeralds and Radiants are strongest items. Goods with medium and short ratios weak. Demand for cushions declining. 0.30 ct. doing well. Orders low for 0.70 to 1.20 ct. diamonds. VS-SI losing strength, except in 1.20 to 1.49 ct. Well-cut stones seeing supply shortages. Excellent shapes commanding premiums. Retailers offering broader product ranges as consumers seek alternative cuts. Oversizes trading at higher prices than usual. Off-make, poorly cut fancies illiquid and difficult to sell.

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The post Market Comment appeared first on Rapaport.

The post Market Comment appeared first on Rapaport.

The diamond-grading sector is changing, with laboratories carrying out origin verification and other added services to benefit the industry, panelists said on a Rapaport webinar this week.

While the sector used to focus solely on diamonds’ physical characteristics, increased consumer and trade demand for provenance information has led labs to branch out into other disciplines. They are also embracing technology such as QR codes and experimenting with digital reports.

The webinar, sponsored by the International Gemological Institute (IGI) and moderated by Rapaport News Editor Joshua Freedman, addressed these issues and more as the future of diamond documentation came under the spotlight.

“Diamond Reports in a Digital World” featured three panelists offering different perspectives on the industry: Hasu Dholakiya, founder of India-based diamond and jewelry manufacturer H.K. Designs; Leanne Kemp, founder and CEO of Everledger, a provider of technology solutions to increase supply-chain transparency; and Avi Levy, president of IGI North America.

The session was the third of a series titled “Fast-Tracking the Future,” brought to you by IGI. Watch the recording of the latest episode here:

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The post Market Comment appeared first on Rapaport.

Fancies: Fashion driving demand for elongated Ovals, Emeralds and Radiants. Goods with medium and short ratios are weak and declining in value. Slow market for 0.30 to 1.20 ct. diamonds. 1.25 ct. and larger, F-J, VS-SI categories stable. Supply shortages of well-cut fancies supporting prices. Oval is leading shape, followed by Radiant, Emerald, Pear, Cushion and Marquise. Retailers offering broader product ranges as consumers seek alternative cuts. Excellent shapes commanding premiums. Oversizes trading at higher prices than usual. Off-make, poorly cut fancies illiquid and difficult to sell.

The post Market Comment appeared first on Rapaport.

Fancies: Fashion driving demand for elongated Ovals, Emeralds and Radiants. Goods with medium and short ratios are weak and declining in value. Slow market for 0.30 to 1.20 ct. diamonds. 1.25 ct. and larger, F-J, VS-SI categories stable. Supply shortages of well-cut fancies supporting prices. Oval is leading shape, followed by Radiant, Emerald, Pear, Cushion and Marquise. Retailers offering broader product ranges as consumers seek alternative cuts. Excellent shapes commanding premiums. Oversizes trading at higher prices than usual. Off-make, poorly cut fancies illiquid and difficult to sell.

The post Market Comment appeared first on Rapaport.

Fancies: Fashion driving demand for elongated Ovals, Emeralds and Radiants. Goods with medium and short ratios are weak and declining in value. Slow market for 0.30 to 1.20 ct. diamonds. 1.25 ct. and larger, F-J, VS-SI categories stable. Supply shortages of well-cut fancies supporting prices. Oval is leading shape, followed by Radiant, Emerald, Pear, Cushion and Marquise. Retailers offering broader product ranges as consumers seek alternative cuts. Excellent shapes commanding premiums. Oversizes trading at higher prices than usual. Off-make, poorly cut fancies illiquid and difficult to sell.

The post Market Comment appeared first on Rapaport.

Fancies: Fashion driving demand for elongated Ovals, Emeralds and Radiants. Goods with medium and short ratios are weak and declining in value. Slow market for 0.30 to 1.20 ct. diamonds. 1.25 ct. and larger, F-J, VS-SI categories stable. Supply shortages of well-cut fancies supporting prices. Oval is leading shape, followed by Radiant, Emerald, Pear, Cushion and Marquise. Retailers offering broader product ranges as consumers seek alternative cuts. Excellent shapes commanding premiums. Oversizes trading at higher prices than usual. Off-make, poorly cut fancies illiquid and difficult to sell.

The post Market Comment appeared first on Rapaport.