|
|
Japan: Full Year of Consecutive Monthly Declines in Diamond Imports
Sep 2, 2007 6:16 AM
By Avi Krawitz
|
|
|
RAPAPORT... Japan’s polished diamond imports continued a downward spiral in July 2007, the 12th consecutive month they have declined.
Japan imported $73.29 million worth of polished diamonds in July 2007, 20.9 percent lower than one year ago. In the first seven months of 2007, the country’s polished diamond imports fell 17 percent to $533.28 million.
Imports by volume decreased 22.3 percent to 196,819 carats in July, and by 17.3 percent to 1.324 million carats for the year to date.
Among Japan’s trading partners, imports from Hong Kong rose 46.8 percent to $4.52 million, and those from Thailand increased 9.7 percent to $2.34 million, the two countries being the only two major partners to show an increase.
India continued to be Japan’s main source of polished diamonds in July, though imports from that country fell 22.7 percent to $29.97 million. Imports from Belgium declined 12.5 percent to $21.08 million, while those from Israel dropped 30.4 percent to $8.47 million.
Japan’s gold jewelry imports rose 3.1 percent to $67.98 million in July, although they have dropped 4.6 percent to $451.47 million for the year to date. Silver jewelry declined 5.6 percent to $21.86 million in July, while platinum jewelry imports fell 8.4 percent to $32.48 million, and “other precious metals articles” dropped 36 percent to $236,000.
Japanese imports of ruby, sapphire, and emerald stones fell 33.8 percent to $2.65 million for the month, while pearl imports increased 20 percent to $34.59 million. For the category of "other colored stones," imports fell 2.8 percent to $6.5 million.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tags:
Belgium, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Jewelry
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|