Calling All Industry Experts: Associate Press looking for Stats on Diamond Sales in US

[Cocosgirl]

Hello All,

I work in the PR industry and get these inquiries frequently -- the Associated Press is looking for for statistics on how many diamonds are sold in the U.S. The reporter is trying to get a sense of how diamond sales have fared in the sagging U.S. economy. You can contact the reporter at: Betsy Vereckey, [email protected]

Thought it might be a good opportunity for one of our trusted vendors/experts to discuss.

 

[niceice]

DeBeers Annual Reports available from 2006 back to 2001, I found it via Google using the keywords "DeBeers annual reports". There is a lot of talk about the market slowing down, but it really doesn''t seem to be that different at the moment than the first quarter of any other year. The story that I''d really like to see is how the media''s coverage of "impending doom in the form of a recession" is damaging the U.S. economy in an attempt to instill panic in the American consumer to tilt the Presidential election towards whatever candidate the media favors at the moment. Oops, did I say that out loud? Tisk, Tisk, I must have forgot my journalism training, never express an opinion, always report from a neutral and impartial perspective, provide the facts, just the facts. Let''s see if I can approach this topic from a perspective that will not be "yellow journalism", ah yes, here we go... I think that exploration as to whether the media''s alleged focus on the subject of recession which the United States may be facing United States as a result of the media circus surrounding the upcoming Presidential campaign would be of interest. No, that wasn''t impartial either. Oh well, I guess I''ll just go brush my teeth, my mouth tastes like, well, media.

 

[strmrdr]

rofl Todd!!
You chances of being interviewed just dropped too 0 and you lost a million bucks!
But it was funny!!!! and true!!!!

 

[niceice]

Date: 3/27/2008 2:12:48 PM
Author: strmrdr
You chances of being interviewed just dropped too 0 and you lost a million bucks!

Yea, well I''ve never been good at holding my tongue when the truth is at stake. I think I may have tipped a box of tea or two in a past life

By the way, nothing against Cocosgirl in my rant on the media, she''s in Public Relations and everybody knows that I enjoy a good spin as much as the next person!

 

[oldminer]

The truth is that things are not wonderful in many sectors of the economy, but fundamentally we have a far higher standard of living and stiill have higher expectations than most other people in other countries. It is a all relative. The issues of a declining world ecology, a huge change away from petroleum, globalization of jobs and trade, and our own increasingly large national debt may eventully have their way with us. Civilizations arise, reach their peak and fall. This has happened without much exception historically and nothing in evidence shows us we will not see this in the USA. Many factors in place nearly assure me that history will rule even with the USA.

All of this is not political. With the three current choices for President I see no saviour among them. Sure, I'll vote for one of them and continue to hope for the best for my children and grandchildren, but with little confidence that what is obviously problematic will ever get properly fixed. We'll patch it up and life will go on. We can't continue to print more and more money at the Treasury Department to pay our country's bills. Someday a credit crisis, a crisis in confidence, will descend not on a private banking firm, but on the Feds. The brave thing to do today, or very soon, is to turn off the pipeline of our money to unfriendly nations overseas. The next thing is to bite the bullet and begin to only pay for what we can afford. That will be hugely painful and probably would take years to even begin.

The jewelry business and the diamond business is a small dot on the map of such a situation. We'll survive at a fair level if the government does not tinker with us too much. Oversight by the governent has never proved itself as a long term cure for any problem.

The damage being done to the economy by over-reporting the current state of the economy is real and highly political. I wish there was some better or more newsworthy stuff to put into the mass market for news. Listen for a few nights to the BBC and you'll find the world news is truly about the world and not just about us. In balance, we have it made and we under-appreciate the position we are in.

 

[Cocosgirl]

LOL no offense taken Todd. Yes it''s true, I''m in PR which is akin to, um, being an ambulance chasing lawyer I suppose. Actually I work exclusively in media relations so you just said what I would like to say almost every day! And yea, economy slowing but jeez you would think there was a socio-economic apocolypse on the horizon.

Anywho, I thought it was interesting that AP was looking for commentary on the state of the diamond industry . . .

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 3/27/2008 1:54:45 PM
Author: niceice
DeBeers Annual Reports available from 2006 back to 2001, I found it via Google using the keywords ''DeBeers annual reports''. There is a lot of talk about the market slowing down, but it really doesn''t seem to be that different at the moment than the first quarter of any other year. The story that I''d really like to see is how the media''s coverage of ''impending doom in the form of a recession'' is damaging the U.S. economy in an attempt to instill panic in the American consumer to tilt the Presidential election towards whatever candidate the media favors at the moment. Oops, did I say that out loud? Tisk, Tisk, I must have forgot my journalism training, never express an opinion, always report from a neutral and impartial perspective, provide the facts, just the facts. Let''s see if I can approach this topic from a perspective that will not be ''yellow journalism'', ah yes, here we go... I think that exploration as to whether the media''s alleged focus on the subject of recession which the United States may be facing United States as a result of the media circus surrounding the upcoming Presidential campaign would be of interest. No, that wasn''t impartial either. Oh well, I guess I''ll just go brush my teeth, my mouth tastes like, well, media.

I''m with you here.

In the UK, people who have been very stupid and lived way beyond their means on credit for many years are paying the price, and anyone wanting loans or mortgages who doesn''t have a perfect credit rating is in trouble.

But when you look around, I''m not seeing any signs of anything major. BUT, people are tightening their belts in anticipation. Retailers will pay the price for this - but mainly at the lower end. High end products will continue to sell as the majority of people in the sector of society that buys those kind of goods is unlikely to suffer.

From a selfish point of view I am hoping for a drop in interest rates and a big drop in house prices in the autumn - which is looking likely.

An economist friend of mine is reckoning on a 7 month blip that will start in about 3-4 months time.

I can''t really comment on the US position, but I think the media is responsible for spinning a great deal on both side of the Atlantic. Here it''s because they want Labour out at the next election - hit a political party hard with accusations of fiscal incompetency and they are finished in the eyes of the public...

I''m still sulking about Gordon Brown selling off the UK''s gold reserves at the bottom of the market though....

 

[Modified Brilliant]

The last time I was interviewed by the media (Fox News) they cut and pasted the story
so poorly that it was a mess. Never again.

Jeff Averbook,GG
Graduate Gemologist since 1986
www.metrojewelryappraisers.com