Exclusive
Escaping the ‘panic phase’: DMCC-commissioned study urges natural diamond industry to emulate Swiss watch revival
The natural diamond industry is currently facing a disruption that closely mirrors the existential threat the Swiss watch industry encountered during the 1970s quartz crisis. According to a new comparative study commissioned by the Dubai Multi Commodities...
26 october 2026
Diamond market crash is Africa’s opportunity, not its crisis – M'zée Fula Ngenge
Global natural diamond supply is forecast to fall below 95 million carats this year, the lowest since 1987. For Dr. M'zée Fula Ngenge, chairperson of the African Diamond Council (ADC), this is not a death knell but a clarion call. In an exclusive...
12 october 2026
Tracr passes 5 million rough diamonds milestone as De Beers expands provenance push
De Beers Group's blockchain-enabled traceability platform Tracr reached a significant milestone in 2025, with more than 5 million rough diamonds individually scanned and registered, up from 2.8 million cumulative registrations reported in 2024. The...
28 september 2026
South African diamonds head to Hong Kong: SDT partners with BRINKS for JGW 2026
South Africa’s State Diamond Trader (SDT) has confirmed the country's participation in Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong (JGW) 2026 through a partnership with BRINKS. SDT marketing and communication manager Tsholofelo Gopolang Tselapedi...
14 september 2026
David Benderly: PermaScribe seeks to put trust mark on diamond table, not just girdle
In this interview with Rough & Polished’s Mathew Nyaungwa, PhotoScribe Technologies president and chief executive David Benderly explains how PermaScribe differs technically from conventional laser inscription, its potential to strengthen security, and...
31 august 2026
The nickel market hinges on Indonesian quotas and battery competition
03 november 2026
This year, the policies of the Indonesian government and major local nickel producers have hovered, more clearly than ever, around the break-even point - the lower threshold of production costs for domestic operations. When prices fell below 2025 lows, near $16,000 per tonne, stakeholders became active, signaling (at least verbally) that they might limit their production capacity. The robust price recovery to $19,500-$20,000 per tonne seen in April-May 2026 has served as a trigger for restarting large-scale projects like Weda Bay as well as loosening the regulations through allocating new quotas and tax cuts. With demand from key nickel consumers growing more slowly than supply, and the surge in exchange warehouse stocks creating a sense of surplus, the Jakarta factor has become exceptionally significant.
Europe’s Diamond Dilemma: Can Natural Diamonds Regain Momentum?
26 october 2026
As changing consumer preferences, falling prices and competition from synthetics reshape the industry, Europe’s natural diamond trade faces a critical question: can rarity, provenance and emotional value restore its appeal?
Vultures circle De Beers’ carcass, but for Africa, the scavenging is just beginning
20 october 2026
The vultures are circling De Beers’ carcass. After Anglo American fended off multiple takeover proposals from BHP Group in 2024, it decided to restructure.
The UK Diamond and Jewelry Market: Facing a New Diamond Reality
28 september 2026
The United Kingdom remains one of Europe's most important jewelry and diamond markets, but the structure of the business is changing rapidly. Britain combines a sizeable domestic jewelry market with London's position as an international center for luxury, diamond trading and high-value jewelry. At the same time, British consumers are becoming increasingly exposed to laboratory-grown diamonds, while inflation, the cost of living and changing attitudes towards luxury are altering what they buy.
China’s Diamond Market at a Crossroads as Growth Engine and Consumer Landscape Changes
22 september 2026
For much of the past 15 years, China was one of the great growth stories of the international diamond and jewelry industry. A rapidly expanding middle class, rising disposable incomes, increasing urbanization and a growing culture of diamond engagement and wedding jewelry transformed China from a relatively small diamond market into the industry's second-largest consumer market.
Copper supply challenges begin to concentrate
07 september 2026
The availability of copper concentrate (a feedstock for copper smelters) is among the key factors influencing the global copper market, along with expectations related to the U.S. monetary policy and the Gulf War. Available exchange warehouse copper stocks are growing, but a shortage in the copper concentrate market, coupled with tariff uncertainty, has contributed to copper prices reaching record highs by the end of August 2026.
Qatar Diamond Exchange: A New Challenger in the Gulf Diamond Trade
31 august 2026
The launch of the Qatar Diamond Exchange (QDE) marks an interesting new development in the Middle East – and global diamond industry. The Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZ) made the announcement on July 26 and made it clear that the bourse is an attempt to establish Doha as a new international gateway for the trade of rough and polished diamonds and precious stones.
Israel Diamond Exchange President Resigns as Trade Hits Historic Lows
17 august 2026
Just a matter of a few years ago, a visit to the Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE) in Ramat Gan on the edge of Tel Aviv guaranteed visitors a view of a bourse heaving with hectic activity. For visitors, simply entering one of the exchange’s four buildings could be a somewhat lengthy process due to the sheer number of visitors from across the globe aiming to buy goods from one of the bourse’s many hundreds of member companies.
Polished diamond market recovery through the prism of the Veblen effect
04 august 2026
The protracted decline of the diamond market is due to a host of factors. Most of these factors were outlined in press releases by De Beers and other diamond miners, dating back to the second half of 2023 and early 2024, and had been repeated regularly ever since with an addition of current events such as the war in the Middle East. But another fundamental factor that remained unaddressed has also brought the market to its current state.
Rapaport: Small diamond prices accelerate recovery in June as inventory reductions support the market
27 july 2026
The recovery in prices for small diamonds gained momentum in June, with the 0.30- and 0.50-carat categories seeing sharper increases, according to Rapaport. The Rapaport Trade Diamond Index (RAPI) rose 4.2% for 0.30-carat diamonds, up from a 2.1% gain in May.
