Participants in past have been successful in formalising tie-ups, partnerships and joint ventures since it offers an opportunity for face to face interaction with the key clients and buyers and understand their requirements.
Concerns that the diamond jewellery market was showing signs of frailty appeared to dissipate toward the end of the first half of 2004. At the end of June, the Conference Board reported that its Consumer Confidence Index, which had increased in May, improved further in June, rising to a three-year high.
The Uptrend Continued in 2005:
Members of the diamond industry had gone to Las Vegas concerned that the trade in the United States would be reluctant to accept recent increases in the price of polished goods, which themselves followed sharp increases in the price of rough. Consequently, many were relieved to discover that buyers in Las Vegas appeared to have accepted the new pricing structure. This was fortunate, because on the heels of the Las Vegas Show the DTC increased its rough price by an average of 3 per cent.
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Polished diamond exports from Belgium at the end of the first six months of 2005 equaled $4.44 billion, up 10.9 per cent from the $4.01 billion reported at the end of the first of half of 2004. The rise in polished prices was reflected in the fact that the volume of sales slipped by 4.25 per cent, with 4.87 million carats of polished exported during the first half of 2005, compared to 5.09 million carats during the same period a year earlier.
| Yearly Average | | 2004 | 2005 |
| 1 ct. | 1/2 ct. | | 1 ct. | 1/2 ct. | 1 ct. | 1/2 ct. |
| 1994 | 252.0 | 266.5 | Jan | 288.9 | 253.6 | 319.3 | 263.3 |
| 1995 | 254.2 | 266.3 | Feb | 292.9 | 256.3 | 324.4 | 263.5 |
| 1996 | 266.6 | 270.9 | Mar | 294.1 | 256.9 | 326.0 | 263.5 |
| 1997 | 275.9 | 273.6 | Apr | 297.3 | 259.5 | 326.1 | 263.5 |
| 1998 | 277.8 | 273.7 | May | 302.4 | 259.9 | 329.9 | 263.3 |
| 1999 | 278.7 | 273.6 | Jun | 308.8 | 259.9 | 332.5 | 263.3 |
| 2000 | 283.0 | 273.9 | Jul | 313.1 | 260.1 | | |
| 2001 | 284.2 | 268.0 | Aug | 313.1 | 260.1 | | |
| 2002 | 284.1 | 256.5 | Sep | 316.8 | 260.1 | | |
| 2003 | 284.0 | 253.8 | Oct | 316.8 | 260.1 | | |
| 2004 | 306.6 | 258.9 | Nov | 317.5 | 260.1 | | |
| 2005 | 326.4 | 263.4 | Dec | 317.8 | 260.1 | | |
ANTWERP INDEX FOR SMALL GEM DIAMONDS
| Yearly Average | | 2004 | 2005 |
| A | B | C | | A | B | C | A | B | C |
| 1994 | 142.3 | 135.5 | 110.9 | Jan | 113.5 | 190.4 | 100.4 | 116.0 | 117.8 | 103.0 |
| 1995 | 141.4 | 135.5 | 111.7 | Feb | 113.5 | 109.8 | 100.7 | 116.4 | 120.4 | 104.0 |
| 1996 | 142.2 | 135.9 | 112.4 | Mar | 114.0 | 111.5 | 101.4 | 116.4 | 120.5 | 104.3 |
| 1997 | 135.5 | 129.5 | 111.4 | Apr | 115.1 | 113.9 | 102.2 | 117.8 | 123.8 | 104.2 |
| 1998 | 126.9 | 123.6 | 108.5 | May | 116.7 | 115.5 | 102.4 | 117.9 | 123.8 | 104.4 |
| 1999 | 125.0 | 121.8 | 109.2 | Jun | 117.6 | 115.9 | 102.8 | 120.1 | 126.4 | 105.6 |
| 2000 | 124.6 | 120.5 | 109.5 | Jul | 118.3 | 117.6 | 103.3 | | | |
| 2001 | 121.3 | 115.4 | 107.8 | Aug | 118.3 | 117.6 | 103.3 | | | |
| 2002 | 116.8 | 109.8 | 103.1 | Sep | 117.5 | 118.1 | 103.1 | | | |
| 2003 | 113.5 | 108.2 | 100.5 | Oct | 117.5 | 118.1 | 103.1 | | | |
| 2004 | 116.3 | 115.2 | 102.5 | Nov | 116.6 | 117.2 | 103.4 | | | |
| 2005 | 117.4 | 122.1 | 104.2 | Dec | 117.3 | 117.6 | 103.4 | | | |
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