shape
carat
color
clarity

How is Coronavirus impacting the jewellery and diamond trade?

diamondhoarder

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 5, 2012
Messages
995
I'm curious as to whether any PS members have noticed any impact on the jewellery/ diamond business yet as a result of Coronavirus. Not necessarily from the health aspect, but from the economic impact. I have several friends who have been impacted economically already - one lost their job as a result of conference cancellations and another lost all their client contracts for the rest of the year after their biggest clients imposed a spending freeze due to coronavirus.

With jewellery and diamonds being a luxury purchase I was wondering what kind of impact there will be from reduced spending power, or just caution on behalf of would-be customers, particularly as there is already talk of a possible global recession. I know that I am personally quite cautious about bling spending at the moment.

Should we expect to see retail diamond prices fall?

Will engagement purchases happen anyway, regardless? Or will they be postponed, or reduced in value?
 

OcnGypZ

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Dec 18, 2006
Messages
387
It's really difficult to say. My portfolio isn't too healthy right now but it'll come back with time. However, I do work in the travel business....and I can say without a doubt this is worse than SARS< MERS>9/11 combined.
 

distracts

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 11, 2011
Messages
6,131
I definitely thought about it before I went to the antique show yesterday, since the vendors come from all over! And I also thought maybe I should save my money in case prices drop or in case everything goes crazy and I need a lot of money for, idk, medical expenses - but then I REALLY liked the earrings I bought, so.
 

missy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
53,977
I think it has to...anything that impacts travel and anything that impacts the stock market too...has to affect luxury goods like diamonds IMO.

And truthfully I am guessing more people are concerned with staying healthy and getting adequate food and water supplies and their medications vs diamond shopping.
 

Niffler75

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 3, 2020
Messages
1,112
Also haven't the recent Hong Kong gem shows been cancelled/ rescheduled for later in the year? I wonder what technical on effectively be?
 

diamondhoarder

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 5, 2012
Messages
995
I definitely thought about it before I went to the antique show yesterday, since the vendors come from all over! And I also thought maybe I should save my money in case prices drop or in case everything goes crazy and I need a lot of money for, idk, medical expenses - but then I REALLY liked the earrings I bought, so.

:D Hearing how your love of bling overcame your concerns made me smile! I've had some of the same thoughts about needing to save money just in case we are effected financially.

I bought some bargain super-ideal cut diamond earrings on ebay just before it all kicked off, with a plan to break them up and reset the diamonds. The plan involves further expense, and the earrings are still in their return period - I am seriously considering whether I should return them.

If they were instantly wearable I know that I wouldnt want to return them, the diamonds are amazing and the price was really good. But because theres more expense and "work" involved before they will be as I want them, it doesnt feel like a top priority right now.

I'm always cautious when it comes to warning signs in the economy, as I like to have plenty of emergency funds set aside if the worst happens. In truth I have been about the return the earrings every day last week, but at the last minute I look at them again and say to me myself: "argh, but the diamonds are soooo nice", maybe I will think on it some more..... :wall:
 

diamondhoarder

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 5, 2012
Messages
995
I think it has to...anything that impacts travel and anything that impacts the stock market too...has to affect luxury goods like diamonds IMO.

And truthfully I am guessing more people are concerned with staying healthy and getting adequate food and water supplies and their medications vs diamond shopping.

Yes, I agree. I think there is bound to be some impact on these kind of luxury purchases in the face of more fundamental health and economic concerns.
 

AprilBaby

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 17, 2008
Messages
13,234
I assume portfolios are affecting the purchases more than the virus. My stocks have dropped so big purchases are being put off.
 

Daisys and Diamonds

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
Messages
22,496
I think it has to...anything that impacts travel and anything that impacts the stock market too...has to affect luxury goods like diamonds IMO.

And truthfully I am guessing more people are concerned with staying healthy and getting adequate food and water supplies and their medications vs diamond shopping.

Who would have thought toilet paper is more important than diamond rings ???
 

Mlh

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Messages
859
Looks like we are in for another bad day in the market. Futures down 1000 now. I have not seen a decline in diamond prices yet. I did read that due to the virus, prices, not necessarily retail prices, are down this past month.
 

Phoenix

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 5, 2006
Messages
9,975
Looks like we are in for another bad day in the market. Futures down 1000 now. I have not seen a decline in diamond prices yet. I did read that due to the virus, prices, not necessarily retail prices, are down this past month.


Yes, I woke up to seeing futures across all three indices down by almost 5% each!! :eek-2:
 

CSpan

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Mar 7, 2016
Messages
1,293
Has anyone seen if mining has been affected? Seems like Africa is still booming and there were some big mergers in February for gold mines.

When the market gets wobbly gold seems to go through the roof, but what of platinum?

On the other hand if raw materials can be shipped and items produced in isolated workshops then it is a safer industry than some. Hopefully those of us obsessed with colored stones can look forward to all that rough from Tucson being cut.

Will be interesting to see for sure.
 

Phoenix

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 5, 2006
Messages
9,975
Oil crashed. Scary.


I've been through several financial crises. This one seems to be the worst (or at least beginning to look like it will be).
 
Last edited:

Mjay

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Mar 15, 2018
Messages
1,006
Gold took a small dip for a few days but is now back up. It’s so high right now I’m putting off a few projects
 

Daisys and Diamonds

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
Messages
22,496
It looks like a reccision is on the way but lets not panic
The market will bounce back - it always dose
my retirement fund is medium high risk for medium high return, but there is plenty of time for my money to start growing again

People panicing amd pulling out their investments need to take a chill pill and calm down

Look on the bright side - oil is down,
go for a road trip
 

Dancing Fire

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 3, 2004
Messages
33,852
Oil crashed. Scary.
And I'm holding a lot of oil stocks...;( both of our IRAs are worthless and so is my other stock accounts. :((
 

Dancing Fire

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 3, 2004
Messages
33,852
Gold took a small dip for a few days but is now back up. It’s so high right now I’m putting off a few projects

I'm gonna sell some gold in two weeks.
 

MarionC

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Dec 9, 2013
Messages
6,246
It looks like a reccision is on the way but lets not panic
The market will bounce back - it always dose
my retirement fund is medium high risk for medium high return, but there is plenty of time for my money to start growing again

People panicing amd pulling out their investments need to take a chill pill and calm down

Look on the bright side - oil is down,
go for a road trip

I was POed at CNN because their headline this morning was that the market is crashing. They seem to have the most extreme take on things and today they are feeding the paranoia and making things worse.
I am definitely not feeling free and easy about spending...the dollar is weakening against the euro which is making everything more expensive while at the same time my portfolio is down. Not fun. I am putting bling buying and major home repairs on hold.
But staying healthy is countless times more important then what happens with the economy during this time.
 

Daisys and Diamonds

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
Messages
22,496
I was POed at CNN because their headline this morning was that the market is crashing. They seem to have the most extreme take on things and today they are feeding the paranoia and making things worse.
I am definitely not feeling free and easy about spending...the dollar is weakening against the euro which is making everything more expensive while at the same time my portfolio is down. Not fun. I am putting bling buying and major home repairs on hold.
But staying healthy is countless times more important then what happens with the economy during this time.
The news media have a lot to answer for
but these days most reporting is the lowest common denominator and its more about ratings and sound bites than current events and the truth

Our dollar is always down aganist tbe greenback and the Euro, it just veries by how much
It makes buying things on the internet from overseas very exspensive

but a low kiwi dollar its good for exporters and our primary producers that drive our economy
mind you it helps if we can get our produce to its destination market - right now its piled up on the warf and in cool stores waiting for China to be open again
 

Phoenix

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 5, 2006
Messages
9,975
It looks like a reccision is on the way but lets not panic
The market will bounce back - it always dose
my retirement fund is medium high risk for medium high return, but there is plenty of time for my money to start growing again

People panicing amd pulling out their investments need to take a chill pill and calm down

Look on the bright side - oil is down,
go for a road trip

Agreed. Markets will bounce back. Q is when/ by how much more will stocks go down.

I'm concerned, aside from the obvious, about the economic impact to businesses and the consequent job losses. Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope things will not get too much worse !!
 

Daisys and Diamonds

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
Messages
22,496
Agreed. Markets will bounce back. Q is when/ by how much more will stocks go down.

I'm concerned, aside from the obvious, about the economic impact to businesses and the consequent job losses. Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope things will not get too much worse !!

Im not a fan of my county's government but they just anounced some reasonable economic stop gaps
It must be a very uncertain time for people working in tourism or hospitality
We have had lay offs in forestry
The CEO of Air NZ just took a very large pay cut which is to be commended
 

diamondhoarder

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 5, 2012
Messages
995
Im not a fan of my county's government but they just anounced some reasonable economic stop gaps
It must be a very uncertain time for people working in tourism or hospitality
We have had lay offs in forestry
The CEO of Air NZ just took a very large pay cut which is to be commended

I'm in the UK and we are waiting for our government's annual budget announcement on wednesday. There have been promises that there could be special measures introduced to help support businesses during the virus disruption, possibly with tax holidays and low cost loans. It is good that they are trying to help, although TBH its pretty clear that there are numerous small businesses who will not survive the downturn in demand resulting from this, even with the government's measures.
 
Be a part of the community Get 3 HCA Results
Top