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Diamonds surpassing gold as investors’ key target |
Over the past couple of years, diamonds have been steadily becoming sought-after ‘investing gems’ around the world, thanks
to the stone’s spectacular performance.
Times of India reports that diamonds have surpassed gold in the country as key objective for investment, particularly among
wealthy individuals who are wary of the volatility in the prices of gold. The newspaper reports that new supplies were unable
to keep up with strong demand, especially from India and China.
Prices for polished diamonds have increased by 25% in the past year, the newspaper reports. The price of top-quality polished
diamonds has almost reached an unprecedented level of $170,000 a carat in January 2012.
Particularly desirable among investors are colored diamonds – yellow, pink and blue. The Business Standard reports that
natural colored diamonds, which make up only 1% of global production, are now in great demand due to their scantiness
compared to white diamonds.
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Diamonds are an investor’s best friend |
Diamonds are to take over from gold as the investors’ bolt-hole as demand from developing economies pushes up the price,
Belgian experts have predicted. The Private Diamond Club of Antwerp claims the price of rough diamonds rose by 29% in 2011
and the price of cut diamonds is currently rising sharply.
 It has
highlighted an explosion of the demand in China and in India, mainly because of the fast development of the middle class
and the growing number of millionaires boosting the markets for luxuries. Countries such as Brazil are expected to follow.
It claims the biggest diamond producer De Beers, is betting on a diamond shortage and might reduce production to extend
the life of their diamond mines. The Private Diamond Club of Antwerp said the impact on the prices would be immediate,
particularly for the upper quality stones that are mostly investment diamonds.
Investment rules
The club said investors need to think long-term. “The diamond is not a commodity for speculation on a short or middle term
basis but a real value which is increasing on a long term basis according to offer and demand volumes.”
It produced figures showing the price of cut diamonds had fluctuated over the past five years with a sudden drop in 2009
but was currently 25% up, with much of that growth in the past year or so. It produced a trend line graph showing average
price rises over the past five years had been 4%.
It said: “A diamond investment does not provide an instant income but can add value to the original investment amount.”
It also pointed out: “The value of diamonds is not bound to that of the currencies: Diamonds are not used to guarantee
currencies like gold does.”
Easily transportable
It flagged up: “Diamond is a discreet and easily transportable investment. The value compared to the weight is very high
since one carat of diamond corresponds to 0.20g. The value of a diamond can represent one or several golden bars.”
And you don’t need a specialist investment adviser charging you fees. “The investment in diamond does not require any
special management. Placed in a safe for security reasons diamonds are durable, unchanging and available at any time,”
it said.
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Source – «AOL Money & Finance, UK»
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