Diamond prices

[Daizydi]

where the diamonds are cheaper in israel, india or in usa?

 

[denverappraiser]

It depends on the diamond. It depends on the dealer. It depends on the customer. Overall ... USA.

 

[Diamond_Hawk]

Daizydi,

I think you will find, given that so many diamonds are now marketed world-wide, that you will not find substantial difference in any of the countries you are asking about. I agree with Neil, but do know that many diamonds listed on “American” web-sites are in inventory in India or Israel and vice-versa. There are so many companies doing business world-wide to consumers in India, Israel, the USA, Japan, all over Europe, Australia and the incredible growing markets in China and surrounding countries, that prices are set based upon world-wide supply and demand more than the border of any country. As a matter of fact, hundreds of thousands of diamonds currently on the market are listed by multiple sellers in multiple countries and are ‘called in’ once someone expresses an interest.

You will find pricing variance more evident in difference of grading labs used than geography.

 

[Dancing Fire]

It depends on the diamond. It depends on the dealer. It depends on the customer. Overall ... USA.

Yup, we are giving away diamonds here in the U.S. compared to other countries.

 

[Paul-Antwerp]

While all answers above are in essence correct, it does not fully touch the reasoning.

When you are asking about pricing, I presume that you mean retail-price to the consumer. Here is an important distinction to make with wholesale-pricing.

Like DiamondHawk said, many diamonds are marketed worldwide, and many offered to consumers in the US, through a virtual-inventory-system, are actually physically still in wholesale-trading-centers far away like Mumbai, Tel Aviv or Antwerp. On a wholesale-level, definitely if one can combine shipments of multiple diamonds from country to country, the shipping-cost compared to the value of the diamond is minimal, so a diamond can travel rather quickly from one end of the world to another, and there is no reason for differing prices.

On the retail-level, the story is different. Taking multiple diamonds from a cutter or wholesaler and selling them, mostly one-by-one, to consumers is a relatively costly exercise. Some consumer-markets have a lower diamond-consumption and a jeweler in such market is looking at a different cost-picture than one in a high diamond-consumption-market. With the US still having worlwide the highest diamond-consumption in a market remarkably populated by a high percentage of independent retailers, you are probably looking at the most competitive diamond-consumer-market. For that reason, retail-pricing probably is most interesting in the US. For the same competitive reason, you will also find outstanding customer-service with certain American jewelers.

Live long,

 

[danielxlin]

While all answers above are in essence correct, it does not fully touch the reasoning.

When you are asking about pricing, I presume that you mean retail-price to the consumer. Here is an important distinction to make with wholesale-pricing.

Like DiamondHawk said, many diamonds are marketed worldwide, and many offered to consumers in the US, through a virtual-inventory-system, are actually physically still in wholesale-trading-centers far away like Mumbai, Tel Aviv or Antwerp. On a wholesale-level, definitely if one can combine shipments of multiple diamonds from country to country, the shipping-cost compared to the value of the diamond is minimal, so a diamond can travel rather quickly from one end of the world to another, and there is no reason for differing prices.

On the retail-level, the story is different. Taking multiple diamonds from a cutter or wholesaler and selling them, mostly one-by-one, to consumers is a relatively costly exercise. Some consumer-markets have a lower diamond-consumption and a jeweler in such market is looking at a different cost-picture than one in a high diamond-consumption-market. With the US still having worlwide the highest diamond-consumption in a market remarkably populated by a high percentage of independent retailers, you are probably looking at the most competitive diamond-consumer-market. For that reason, retail-pricing probably is most interesting in the US. For the same competitive reason, you will also find outstanding customer-service with certain American jewelers.

Live long,

So the United States is the best place for the consumer to buy a diamond, especially if the consumer goes to one of those independent retailers. I like that.

 

[denverappraiser]

As Paul points out, consumers buying stones one at a time is a decidedly different transaction than dealers buying a batch. It's hard to make generalizations like this when we're talking about millions of potential sellers but the overall advantages of shopping in the US include:

Easy, reliable, and efficient shipping and insurance options.
Easy, trustworthy and efficient payment systems.
Reasonable and reasonably well understood consumer protection laws.
Many highly competitive dealers.
Comparatively low taxes. Zero import and export duties.

I would add a strong bias if you are a resident of one of these other countries. There's definite value in working with someone who is close to home.

Obviously it is possible for an excellent dealer to set up shop anywhere in the world they want. Address is not the primary issue that makes one jeweler better than another. Generalizations are just that, generalizations.