Diamond values of Non-American Countries

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

I decided to start this thread because when I was running searches nothing showed up for me. I thought someone else might come on and search as I did one day, so here it is. It might not take off though. My idea is to post how various countries perceive diamonds and how they value the four C's

In Japan my instincts tell me that Japanese prefer smaller diamonds of better color, clarity, and cut. I have been doing a little research but it is really hard to do from America, once I get to Japan I will do some more by talking to Jewelers I have met in Japan and finding out some better information. For the time being however I have found a few sites.

Click on the following text to link to the page:

I don't really know the reliability of this one, but here it is

"Cohen explained that the Japanese diamond market divides up into two types of goods – top quality stones for bridal and very expensive brand-name jewelry, and small and very low quality goods for other uses. LID supplies top quality goods to the bridal market, in sizes from 5 points to ¾ carat. Cohen said that Japanese brides are looking for a perfect stone. “They’ll prefer a smaller stone that’s perfect to a larger stone of lower quality.”

Japan today says:


"In Japan, it is more about quality and refinement. For example, there are levels of colorlessness in a diamond. A diamond is most beautiful when it is void of any body color. There are three different ranges. You have a colorless category that has three levels. Japanese clientele go for the very high end of the colorless category. People in the West will buy fine quality but they are less likely to compromise on quantity."

 

[JulieN]

It''s not about what other people actually prefer or not. It''s about what those people are told to prefer.

And you can''t advertise two different things (colorless, VVS+; near colorless, VS-eyeclean) to the same market very successfully.

Besides, maybe the Japanese emphasis on purity is why they get the least sex. (Durex global sex survey) *tongue, cheek*

 

[RockDoc]

I''ve been following your posts.

Preferences in various geographic areas definately exist.

In Japan higher quality, in all the characteristics are preferred with size being last.

I think cut, color and clarity in Japan are preferred there and lower color stones and average cut stones are sort of "out".

In other countries, this varies. Larger table size are generally preferred in India, and also sometimes in Antwerp.

Size in the US is an important characteristic. If you intend to live here, maybe a little larger stone may be the preferred one for you. I would think it depends on who/where you''re trying to impress - there or here.

Maybe you need to balance the characteristics for whichever geographic area where you''ll be.

Rockdoc

 

[NYPrincess]

I saw your post and I have to add my two cents to this topic as I married a non-American two years ago. My husband is older (mid-forties) and is from the UK. He had lived in this country six years when we got married and did not understand the reason for spending thousands of dollars on a diamond engagement ring. He said in Europe and the UK, a lot of times family rings are given as engagement rings and sometimes the bride doesn''t receive it until the day of the wedding. Most of the people I met while in the UK during our wedding time, had either small diamonds or a colored gemstone as an engagement ring. My .60 carat emerald cut stone was huge to most of the women I met a couple of years ago.

It took me some time to convince my husband that it is traditional in America to give your intended a diamond ring as an engagement gift. I had already chosen my ring and it is an estate piece so it was less expensive than a new ring but to him it was still a lot of money. His only stipulation was that the diamond was very, very white and of fine quality. Since the stone I chose was an E color, VS1, he did buy it for me. To this day he still comments on the fact that Americans are caught up in worrying about who they are trying to impress and consequently feel the need to buy large, sometimes gawdy stones that may or not be of good quality.

Obviously this proves that different standards exist in different countries.

 

[surfgirl]

Interesting topic! I work in Asia alot and I''ve found that there, any diamond is desirable, however, the general quality is considered "seconds" to what we purchase here in the US. For example, I spent quite a bit of time working in Myanmar a few years back and they have a fantastic gem area in their big market in the capital. I found what looked to my western eyes to be a "higher end" western style diamond stall so I tried on some diamond flower-style earrings (one center stone with about 6-7 stones surrounding it, all of the same size - most women have one pair of earrings this style if they are of a certain social level). Anyway, I asked the vendor the grading of the stones and he smiled and explained that they dont have "graded" stones because the stones they sell are below the level that we have access to in the US. Mind you, they were very nice looking but I didn''t know as much about diamonds then as I do today so I cant say anything about cut, though I believe he said that most of his stones are cut in India as it''s cheaper. In fact, the women in Myanmar and Bangkok that I''ve seen with huge honker ear studs (I''m talking in excess of 3 cts each ear) all say with pride "they are Belgian cut diamonds from Belgium" so if you''re a high level diamond vendor, or someone in very high social standing over there, you''ll have big gorgeous stones that are well cut but might be closer to the J range in color. I have to say, my Bangkok pearl dealer has an insanely huge pair of ear studs - and while they look slightly warm to my eye, they are very well cut stones. Having said that, her diamond jewelery is amazing quality but she''s located in a very hoity toity dept store in Bangkok and has extremely wealthy clientele. I think it depends ultimately on how much expendable income one has access to and whether or not one has access to a vendor who knows good quality stones.

On a Japan-related note, when I was recently deciding on where to get my diamond eternity band for my wband, I was in Tiffany''s recently and an older Japanese man was at the ering counter. The woman helping him looked a little exasperated with him and I realized that the guy was looking for a high quality diamond - had to be from Tiffany''s - for a ring for himself and Tiffany''s doesn''t really have any men''s rings with significant stones in them. He was visibly pissed off. It was sort of funny to watch the interaction because it was a total cultural clash. The Tiffany''s saleslady couldn''t fathom WHY this man wanted a 1ct. diamond ring for himself, and he couldn''t believe that of all places, Tiffany''s couldn''t hook him up. So much for the global marketplace!

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

That''s some pretty good stories...though I would have preferred it if you had said "no asian person wants a diamond over .75 cts" lol, then I could really sleep well tonight!

But yea, I know tiffany''s is a real mark of prestige in Japan, very respectable, but at the same time I can not in good conscience get my ff a .30 ct diamond. Hopefully my 60ct will make her happy and will satisfy everybody she knows with its excellent quality! but dang, I wish I could get her some real quantity as well!