What happened to all the emerald cut lab diamonds?

[musicloveranthony]

I follow the emerald cut lab grown diamonds on Rarecarat, usually checking every day. For quite a while, there were a plethora of them between 0.5 and 0.9ct, G-J color, and around $500. At any given time there would be hundreds to choose from with some cut very nicely. Now, I can't find anything well cut in that range and only about 40 total (with some really abysmal cuts). Does anyone know why? I'm not sure if they've all been bought up, or if vendors have just pulled their inventory.

 

[mwilliamanderson]

I follow the emerald cut lab grown diamonds on Rarecarat, usually checking every day. For quite a while, there were a plethora of them between 0.5 and 0.9ct, G-J color, and around $500. At any given time there would be hundreds to choose from with some cut very nicely. Now, I can't find anything well cut in that range and only about 40 total. Does anyone know why? I'm not sure if they've all been bought up, or if vendors have just pulled their inventory.

Judging by the popularity of them around here, I bet they've all been purchased. Lab grown has made it relatively affordable to get large, clean, and very white EC's. That difference in inventory numbers is significant however, so who knows.

 

[DejaWiz]

It's been said that there's a noticable shortage with LGD supply due to the global pandemic, so the lack of EC may be due to a majority of rough being cut for more popular shapes such as MRB, Cushion, and Princess by the cutters that are still operating to some degree to keep the demand fed as much as possible right now.

 

[OdetteOdile]

I’ve noticed this exact situation with heart shaped lab diamonds. I was wondering what happened to all of them too.

 

[musicloveranthony]

It’s odd because it seemed like this happened overnight. There were hundreds, then there were 40 or so

 

[sprinklesparkles]

People buying up for EC tennis bracelets, perhaps?

 

[Ada Diamonds CEO]

As others have mentioned, the number of days a lab diamond is on the market has fallen significantly as there is more demand than supply for high quality goods, especially in asymmetric shapes - emeralds, ovals, pears, elongated cushions, etc. (I have over 6 years of data to back up this claim BTW).

FWIW, we're pre-requesting goods while they are in grading at IGI/GIA and immediately buying anything that passes our QC standards as soon as we receive it.

Also, the biggest annual diamond/jewelry conference wrapped up less than 48 hours ago, so it's possible that many of the suppliers pulled their inventory off the eCommerce sites for the tradeshow.

 

[musicloveranthony]

As others have mentioned, the number of days a lab diamond is on the market has fallen significantly as there is more demand than supply for high quality goods, especially in asymmetric shapes - emeralds, ovals, pears, elongated cushions, etc. (I have over 6 years of data to back up this claim BTW).

FWIW, we're pre-requesting goods while they are in grading at IGI/GIA and immediately buying anything that passes our QC standards as soon as we receive it.

Also, the biggest annual diamond/jewelry conference wrapped up less than 48 hours ago, so it's possible that many of the suppliers pulled their inventory off the eCommerce sites for the tradeshow.

Thank you so much. I bet you're right on the dot!

 

[mwilliamanderson]

I’ve noticed this exact situation with heart shaped lab diamonds. I was wondering what happened to all of them too.

Did you see these OdetteOdle? https://www.instagram.com/p/CRTuZ2RhOmq/

 

[OdetteOdile]

Did you see these OdetteOdle? https://www.instagram.com/p/CRTuZ2RhOmq/

Thanks for linking these - they’re beautiful!! I would like to get a colorless heart if possible, and my timeline is very flexible, so I will be okay waiting for some more to come on the market.

 

[monipod]

I noticed over a space of two months late last year that decent lab Asschers were few and far between, so I pulled the trigger on the one that jumped out at me. There's much less now so I'm not surprised that ECs are hard to get. It's the 'it' cut at the moment it seems?

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

I’m excited that people are buying lab diamonds in fancy shapes apparently to supplement their jewelry collection with “wanna have someday” pieces. That bodes well for future markets maintaining a supply of high quality LGD.

 

[musicloveranthony]

I’m excited that people are buying lab diamonds in fancy shapes apparently to supplement their jewelry collection with “wanna have someday” pieces. That bodes well for future markets maintaining a supply of high quality LGD.

Yes

I noticed over a space of two months late last year that decent lab Asschers were few and far between, so I pulled the trigger on the one that jumped out at me. There's much less now so I'm not surprised that ECs are hard to get. It's the 'it' cut at the moment it seems?

I think you're right on with both of these. Probably a trendy cut and that probably means more will be cut that way in the future

 

[Rockdiamond]

Another biggie....not speaking of any particular seller...rather ALL sellers displaying the database lists of thousands... or tens of thousands of diamonds.
They don't have diamonds. They don't have control of the diamonds.
They only reflect lists......
And as @Ada Diamonds CEO pointed out, the actual owners of the goods sent a large percentage out to Las Vegas for a trade show....
But in general, it's not possible to get a real idea of the market looking at sellers using these lists.
There's also plenty of times when the cheapest stone on one of these lists turns out to have just been sold when someone buys it......again, it's a disconnect between the actual diamonds and the consumer. In this second sort of case, the poor consumer feels they missed the bargain of the century, when in fact the seller never could have produced the stone.

 

[musicloveranthony]

Another biggie....not speaking of any particular seller...rather ALL sellers displaying the database lists of thousands... or tens of thousands of diamonds.
They don't have diamonds. They don't have control of the diamonds.
They only reflect lists......
And as @Ada Diamonds CEO pointed out, the actual owners of the goods sent a large percentage out to Las Vegas for a trade show....
But in general, it's not possible to get a real idea of the market looking at sellers using these lists.
There's also plenty of times when the cheapest stone on one of these lists turns out to have just been sold when someone buys it......again, it's a disconnect between the actual diamonds and the consumer. In this second sort of case, the poor consumer feels they missed the bargain of the century, when in fact the seller never could have produced the stone.

Very good info, also! Very different than companies like yours and like the super-ideal diamond vendors who own their products.

 

[Wink]

There's also plenty of times when the cheapest stone on one of these lists turns out to have just been sold when someone buys it

Rock, you and I are in total accord in the above statement.

I once sold a perfectly square princess to a gentleman on a Friday. I had actually bought the diamond for stock about two weeks prior to the sale because it was so incredible looking and the perfect x.yz x x.yz measurement was a rare happening.

On Monday, I got a call from my client saying he had found the diamond for $400 less on another vendor's website. I would have to match the price or cancel the sale.

I explained that I owned the diamond, that it was in my safe and that the website that had it listed could not, in fact, produce it. I then went on to say that, "Besides, if I can't get the diamond, it is $800 cheaper..."

He called the website and called me back to confirm that it had already been sold. and he had been offered a much inferior diamond as an alternative. (a 1 x 1.03 length width ratio on a square diamond.)

I told him that I had called my supplier to ask about the stone being listed. He told me that the lister was someone he had long since quit selling to as he never paid his bills without months of chasing. I only told my client that my supplier did not do business with that vendor and that he never could have delivered the diamond.

My client accepted the diamond at the original price.

Wink

 

[Rockdiamond]

"Besides, if I can't get the diamond, it is $800 cheaper..."

Oh yea!!!
Back in my Road Warrior days, this happened frequently.
I'd take out a stone, and quote $10,000
Jeweler- "Joe Shmoe has the exact same stone for $8k"
Me- " so why didn't you buy it???"
Jeweler- "Well he didn't have any when he was here. But when he does have them, they're $8k
Me "AH I see- well, when we don't have them they're $7k"