The Times: Diamond hues put sparkle in investor’s eye

By Marcus Leroux

Shirley Bassey is hardly renowned as an investment guru, but when it comes to diamonds she might have been on to something. Diamonds are forever is a strategy that would have worked wonders since 2005, at least, according to a new index.

Coloured diamonds, those of a yellow, pink, blue or grey tint caused by impurities in the carbon crystal, have risen in value by 165 per cent since January 2005, according to The Fancy Colour Diamond Index. In that time, London house prices have risen 82 per cent and the FTSE 100 36 per cent.

The index was created by The Fancy Color Diamond Research Foundation, which will be launched on Wednesday. Diamonds remain difficult to benchmark because of their natural variation.