In 2013 Antwerp exported to Malaysia 1,058 carats of polished diamonds

In 2013 Antwerp exported to Malaysia 1,058 carats of polished diamonds, with a total value of $1.9 million. In the first ten months of this year, Antwerp exported the same amount of polished diamonds to Malaysia, but the value of the goods increased to approximately $3.7 million, AWDC reported.
It is not only the demand for luxury and diamond jewelry that has propelled the diamond market in Malaysia.  "Malaysians are known for investing heavily in gold. For the first time now, they appear to have discovered that diamonds can be just as interesting an investment,” says Ari Epstein on the occasion of the visit in Malaysia of the Belgian trade mission headed by Princess Astrid of Belgium.
Currently, only 25% of all jewelry sold in Malaysia is set with diamonds. Gold jewelry is particularly favored and accounts for almost half of all jewelry sold. Platinum takes second place and accounts for about 35% of the jewelry market.
Experts believe that the Malaysian jewelry market will expand by some 1.6% in volume and 0.9% in value in 2015. On average, the Malaysian jewelry market is expected to grow by 1% every year until 2018. This increase will be mainly due to the augmented demand for fashion jewelry, but will also be a result of the rising number of jewelers entering the market, resulting in a positive price effect for consumers. Finally, as online purchasing is becoming increasingly popular, online sales are expected to have a positive impact on the Malaysian jewelry market as well.

Alex Shishlo, Editor in Chief of the European Bureau, Rough&Polished