Yellow Prices to Increase in 2019, Says FCRF

RAPAPORT... A reduced supply of vivid-yellow diamonds will drive a priceincrease this year, according to the Fancy Color Research Foundation (FCRF). "In the last three years we witnessed a substantial [quantity]of vivid yellows coming to market, mainly from the Misery Pipe at [DominionDiamond Mines'] Ekati mine in Canada," Jim Pounds, FCRF advisory board member and executive vice president of diamond and Dominion said Monday. "However, as the mine transitions from open-pit mining tounderground, a substantially reduced [number] of stones will be availableduring 2019. Therefore, we anticipate a slight increase in vivid-yellowprices." The organization's Fancy Color Diamond Index for yellowsfell 2.1% year on year in the fourth quarter, while prices of blues climbed4.1%, the FCRF said. Pink fancy-color diamonds inched up 0.1%, with the overallindex rising 0.2%. In 2018, prices for all fancy-intense categories increased by 0.7%, whilefancy-vivid stones rose 1.5%. Prices of fancy-intense-blue diamonds increased 1.9% versusthe previous quarter, while 2-carat pinks rose by 1.1% overall, withfancy-vivid pinks increasing 2.1% and 10-carat fancy pinks falling 0.8%.Fancy-vivid-yellow diamonds weighing 5 carats grew 1.2% during the period. The index tracks prices of yellow, pink and blue fancy-colordiamonds in Hong Kong, New York and Tel Aviv. Image: A 60.59-carat fancy-vivid-yellow diamond from the Gahcho Ku?(C) mine. (Mountain Province)