Diamonds have been ‘traded’ for hundreds of years. In the early days, transactions were informal and not influenced by anything other than the buyer’s desire for the stone. However, industry stakeholders quickly realized that there was money to be made as the buying and selling of diamonds became more formalized and frequent. This realization resulted in the formation of the global diamond market, as it’s known today. On a broad scale, the global diamond market accounts for the trade of all diamonds, everything from top top quality to industrial quality diamond material used to produce tools and equipment. This article will examine a specific sector of the diamond trade, known as the melee market. The term “melee” refers to diamonds less than 0.20ct in weight, typically seen in jewelry pieces such as engagement rings, wedding bands, tennis bracelets, and fashion jewelry. Any stones used in jewelry aside from the ‘center stone’ are known as ‘melee’. Below is an example of melee set in jewelry:
| WEDDING BANDS | FASHION NECKLACE |
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With the rise of millennials came the rise of alternative and quirky bridal trends, jewelry included. Alternative bridal designs offer a certain uniqueness that is appealing to young consumers. These brides no longer want a 2 carat engagement ring. In fact, some don’t want a diamond at all! Wearing unique settings, diamond bands, or gemstone rings has become an option for those brides that either want to stand out from their peers or those that would rather spend that money elsewhere, like on a honeymoon or a home.
In a time where being socially conscious and politically aware has become trendy, today’s brides have also begun to take a company’s sustainability and social responsibility practices into consideration when choosing a ring. We now see brands like Brilliant Earth, Do Amore, Bario-Neal, Stone & Strand, and so many more creating sustainable jewelry, and thanks to social media it has never been easier for these brands to target millenials.
When it comes to jewelry there are several ways to get that “alt-bridal” look without moving out of the diamond category altogether. A lot of designers are using different cuts like rose cut, old miners, and transitional cuts. Some designers even use rough stones in their production. These more affordable diamond cuts paired with unique castings can make for some pretty fun styles!
Having emerged in Europe in the 1500’s, the rose cut is one of the oldest styles of diamond cutting. While these were popular in the Georgian and Victorian Eras, they all but disappeared when the round brilliant cut arrive in the mid 1700’s. Today this cut is making a resurgence because of its vintage-like appearance. With every bride wanting to be unique, it is the perfect way for them to still have a diamond ring, but one that looks different from more traditional styles. Another factor that is often enticing a
To build a thriving recycled diamond business, it is important to know what price to offer when buying a recycled diamond. Too low and customers will walk. Too high and your profits won’t be optimal. There are many factors to consider, they can be broken down into three broad categories: business model, market prices and gemological considerations.
Determining where and how your diamond will be sold will allow you to work backwards to obtain your buy price.
There are 2 main channels where a diamond can be sold:
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