Saudi markets imported pearls and precious stones worth more than SR19 billion in 2013 compared to SR11 billion in 2012, or an increase of 73 percent, local media said.
Based on 2012 data, Switzerland and the UAE topped the list of countries mostly exporting pearls and precious stones to the Kingdom in 2012 in terms of value where Switzerland captured 62 percent of all Saudi imports at SR 6.8 billion, followed by the UAE at 18 percent (SR1.9 billion), an analytical study conducted by Al-Eqtisadiah daily said.
In terms of quantity, the Saudi markets imported 5,000 tons of pearls and precious stones in 2012, of which 3,700 tons or 80 percent, were imitated ornaments and jewelry. China alone exported 2,500 tons of imitated ornaments and jewelry, or 67 percent, to the Kingdom, the report said.
Despite the big amount of pearls and precious stones coming from China, their value stood at only SR 231 million because 78 percent of the Chinese exports to the Kingdom, or 2,500 tons, are imitated items, the report said.
Going into details, the pearls and precious stones sector contained a variety of types, notably gold bullion, of which the Saudi markets imported some 42 tons at the value of SR8.5 billion, or 78 percent of total values, the report said.
Other types of pearls and precious stones sector imported by Saudis were as follows: Gold at the value of SR 1.6 billion (14 percent), platinum valued at SR443 million (4 percent), imitated ornaments valued at SR163 million (1 percent); silver valued at SR65 million (1 percent), ordinary metal plated with precious metal valued at SR61 million (1 percent), metal works of ordinary or precious metals valued SR44 million, silver valued at SR 26 million, gold works valued at SR24 million and silver alloy at SR11 million, the report added.
KSA imports of pearls, precious stones hit SR19bn
