Slight Increase in Prices of Blue and Pink Diamonds in Q3 2018: Fancy Color Diamond Index

During the third quarter of 2018 prices of fancy colour blue and pink diamonds rose by 0.7 per cent and 0.4 per cent respectively in all sizes and saturation levels, according to the Fancy Color Diamond Index published by the Fancy Color Research Foundation (FCRF). At the same time overall fancy colour diamond prices showed no significant change and increased by only 0.1 per cent.  Yellow fancy colour diamonds showed a decrease of 1.0 per cent in prices during the same period.  

Fancy vivid blue diamonds continued to outperform, rising 8.5 per cent in the past 12 months and 1.1 per cent in Q3 2018.

A distinctive difference in price trends can be seen in the 1 carat category; pink diamonds remain stable, blue diamonds increased by 4.7 per cent, yellow diamonds decreased by 2.2 per cent, while intense yellow 1 carat diamond prices increased by 1.1 per cent.

On a year-to-year basis, when compared to Q3 2017, the Fancy Color Diamond Index increased by 0.4 per cent, with blue prices up 5.9 per cent and yellow and pink prices down by 1.6 per cent and 0.5 per cent, respectively. 

FCRF Advisory Board member Eden Rachminov said, “In my opinion, the price of fancy yellow is influenced by the general mood of many diamond traders that carry a mixed inventory of colourless and yellows. Due to the slowdown in the colourless business and to compensate in their general turnover, these traders slightly lower the prices of yellows.”

The Fancy Color Diamond Index is published by the non-profit Fancy Color Research Foundation (FCRF), tracking pricing data for yellow, pink, and blue fancy colour diamonds in three key global trading centers – Hong Kong, New York, and Tel Aviv.