Japan’s polished diamond imports dip by 25%

In January 2010, Japan’s polished diamond imports dipped by 25 percent in value terms to $50.3 million, over the same month last year, reports say. There was a 2.8 drop in volume terms for polished diamonds imported into Japan for the said month, amounting to 189,338 carats, with average diamond prices decreasing 23 percent to $266 per carat.

Japan recorded both an increase and decrease in imports of polished diamonds from its key sources, reports say. From India polished imports dipped by 28 percent to $22.6 million, from Belgium by 35 percent to $10.9 million, from Israel by 53 percent to $4.4 million. Although polished imports from China increased by 59 percent, from Hong Kong by 6.5 percent, and from the US by 17 percent.

Gold jewellery imports into the country also decreased, falling by 18 percent in January to $39.4 million, silver jewellery imports dipped 26 percent to $11.6 million, but platinum jewellery imports increased by 36 percent to $31.6 million, in the said month, reports add.