Diamonds account for a huge percentage of transactions at Gold & Silver Pawn in Las Vegas, and because of price drops in the natural-diamond market, the bustling business has had to adjust how much it pays per carat.
“In the past couple of years, we have reduced by 15% to 20% the percentage that we are willing to pay,” explains Judy Sandoval, the shop’s pawn-counter manager. Jewelry accounts for 80% of business, she says, with diamonds representing 50% of that category.
On the secondhand market, natural diamonds have taken a beating from the influx of synthetics, but they still have value. For pawn shops and estate dealers, determining that value is a delicate balance of market demand, diamond size and quality, the cost of new diamonds, the store’s inventory needs, and how much cash it has on hand…