Photo courtesy FCRF
Fancy colour diamonds ended 2017 on a relatively bright note, according to data from the nonprofit Fancy Color Research Foundation (FCRF). The Fancy Color Diamond Index for the fourth quarter of 2017 indicates slight increases in price for fancy yellow, pink, and blue diamonds, with a cumulative increase of 0.1 per cent over 2016 for all sizes and saturations.
Each of these three varieties also performed fairly well individually, with fancy blue diamonds leading the pack. Prices for this colour increased by 2.6 per cent over the third quarter of 2017, led by one- and five-carat fancy intense and vivid blues. Pink diamond prices also improved, albeit less substantially at a rate of 0.4 per cent.
“We are seeing a stagnant supply picture of important pink and blue fancy colour diamonds,” said Eden Rachminov, chair of FCRF’s Advisory Board. “Rare pinks and blues are very hard to come by and continue to command significant premiums.”
Fancy yellow diamonds are beginning to recover from a four per cent decline observed in 2016, improving by 0.6 per cent between the third and fourth quarters of 2017. It is worth noting 0.3-, 0.5-, and one-carat white diamonds also increased in price in the final quarter of the year.
“After more than 18 months, we are starting to see some price stability in commercial yellow fancy colour diamonds, in line with the performance of white diamonds, driven by lower availability,” said Rachminov.
However, only fancy blue diamonds exhibited year-over-year improvement from the fourth quarter of 2016, with an increase of 5.9 per cent. Yellow and pink diamonds both saw price drops, respectively measuring 1.8 and 0.8 per cent.
This data is compiled from fancy colour diamond prices tracked in Hong Kong, New York, and Tel Aviv. To read a full analysis, click here.
