Best time of the year to buy diamonds (updated inventory)?

[DwightHowardz]

It seemed like back in October/November last year there was much more variety in what I was looking for. Now it seems there''s very limited selection available in the ranges I''m looking at 1.0,G,SI1 at jamesallen (only has like 4) and whiteflash (has about 7 i think), for example. I''m a little concerned too because the certificates on many of these stones are from like 2005, telling me that they''ve perhaps been passed over for better gems in that range.

Any idea when the retailers generally restock their inventory? every quarter? random?

 

[stone-cold11]

random.

 

[DwightHowardz]

well, darn. i was thinking perhaps it''s because we''re past the holiday season that the inventories appear to be low.

 

[HVVS]

I think you''re right. Just watching online inventories, quite a few diamonds either were sold or removed from the online inventories in Nov through Jan. Personally, I have bought diamonds mostly in late Aug through October. It''s an off-peak time and dealers seem to acquire stock about that time, getting ready for Christmas / New Years / Valentines. Or at least that''s how my empirical observations point.

 

[kenny]

The recession may be a factor.
Let's say I was paying to stock an expensive inventory and sales were down.
As diamonds sold I'd be holding back on replacing them.
I'd also probably focus more on diamonds with specs that are more likely to move faster, like 1-carat H SI1s.

Just a guess.

Also Christmas and Valentine's Day just passed.
That may contribute to slim inventories.

 

[Todd Gray]

Random, however the diamond cartels such as the Diamond Trading Company (DTC, formerly DeBeers), Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, Alrosa, etc., release diamonds at specific time periods and in controlled allotments. For instance, the DTC has a sight sale for sight holders (approved cutters) approximately every five weeks.

At the sight sales, specific sizes and qualities of diamond rough are released, this explains why there will be a virtual void of say, 2.00 - 2.50 carat, D - F color, VS-2 and higher quality diamonds at one point during the year and suddenly there will be a myriad of options to choose from.

And yea, anything with a lab report older than two years is likely to have been ''passed over'' time and time again... Or it might be a diamond which has been turned back in on trade, but not sent back through the lab for the grade to be verified... Or it might be a diamond which was sitting in a jewelry store on memo (consignment) which has returned to market after not being sold... It''s not like diamonds go stale, but personally, I prefer diamonds with fresh paper (less than 2 years old) because older lab reports raise doubts in the minds of well educated consumers - which is why we send all diamonds traded back-in to the lab to be re-graded (and sell them as previously owned because anything else would be unethical).

 

[kenny]

Date: 2/20/2010 9:56:52 PM
Author: Todd Gray
... which is why we send all diamonds traded back-in to the lab to be re-graded (and sell them as previously owned because anything else would be unethical).

This is the first time I have noticed a vendor state this.

Are you the only PS vendor who discloses a diamond was previously owned?

How bout James Allen, GOG and WF and the others?

 

[Todd Gray]

Date: 2/20/2010 9:59:09 PM
Author: kenny

Date: 2/20/2010 9:56:52 PM

Author: Todd Gray

... which is why we send all diamonds traded back-in to the lab to be re-graded (and sell them as previously owned because anything else would be unethical).

This is the first time I have noticed a vendor state this.

Are you the only PS vendor who discloses a diamond was previously owned?

How bout James Allen, GOG and WF and the others?

I'm not familiar with the operating procedures of other vendors with regards to whether they disclose that a diamond has been previously owned or not, but it just seems like good business practice to me... People tend to be kind of emotional about their engagement rings and a bride might not like the fact that her diamond was previously worn by somebody who ended up getting divorced - then again, she might not care at all... But I feel that a customer has the right to know and make a decision based on that information.

On the web site, we actually separate the listings for diamonds which are purchased direct from the cutters and those which are being sold on consignment (trade-in's are sold in the same section)... I don't know, it makes sense to me, I try to run things from the perspective of "If I were the customer, how should this be done?"