Fancy Colored Diamond Prices Increase 1.7% in 2021

The Fancy Color Research Foundation (FCRF) today announced that the average price of fancy color diamonds increased 1.7% in 2021, a market recovery from the decrease seen in 2020. Price changes among all 128 categories tracked by the FCRF Fancy Color Diamonds Price Index ranged from -1.3% to +7.9%, with 89% of the categories trending higher in 2021.

Throughout 2021, Blues (2.2%) and Pinks (2%) led the price increase, while Yellow prices rose 0.9%. Average prices for Fancy Vivids rose 1.6%. Fancy Intense diamonds in all colors and sizes increased by an average of 1.8%, with the only exception being Fancy Intense Yellow 1.5 and 5 carats, which fell 1.3% and 1%, respectively.

The average price of all Fancy Color Diamonds rose 0.5% during Q4 2021. Price changes among all 128 categories tracked by the FCRF varied between -1.1% to +2.9%.

Pink Diamonds

Pink prices increased by an average of 0.6%, a similar rate to the previous quarter. Prices in all size categories increased or stayed the same in Q4, with the 3 carat and 1.5 carat categories leading at 1.2% and 1%, respectively.

Two and 5 carat diamonds in the Fancy category led the price increase, with 1.8% and 1.6%, respectively. Two carat Fancy Intense pinks inched up by 0.3% and Fancy Intense 5 carats did not change in price, while, interestingly, Fancy Vivid 2 carat prices increased by 1.3% and Fancy Vivid 5 carats decreased by 1.1%.

Blue Diamonds

Blue prices rose by an average of 0.5%, similar to the previous quarter. Prices in all size categories increased or held their price in Q4, with the 1.5 carat category showing the highest increase (1.4%).

All Fancy category prices rose, ranging from 0.7% in the 5 carat category to 2.9% in the 8 carat category. Fancy Intense in the smaller weight categories exhibited a stronger increase, with 1.7% for 1 carat and 2.4% for 1.5 carats, while 2 carat Fancy Intense showed the most significant price decrease (-0.6%).

Yellow Diamonds

Yellow prices rose by 0.4% in Q4 on average, a lower rate compared to Q3. The 2 carat category led the price increase with 1.1%, while 1 and 3 carats were the only categories that showed price decreases, with -0.1% and -0.3%, respectively.

Notably, the 5 carat Fancy category showed a strong rise of 2.7%, while Fancy Intense 5 carats inched up by 0.3%, and Fancy Vivid 5 carat prices went down by 0.1%. Similarly, Fancy Yellow 3 carats increased in price by 1.5%, while Fancy Intense 3 carats decreased by 0.9% and Fancy Vivid 3 carats went down by 0.5%.

Source: Fancy Color Diamond Research Foundation, fcresearch.org