Exclusive
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...
Yesterday
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 great reset: Paul Zimnisky on supply catharsis, De Beers' bargain and the case for natural diamonds
The natural diamond industry is in the throes of its most profound reset in a generation. Supply is plunging to its lowest level since 1987 and De Beers—once valued at over $9 billion—is reportedly being sold for as little as $1 billion.
Lab-grown...
10 august 2026
The diamond trade cares about origin of diamonds, but do consumers?
11 december 2017
It's a question that comes up not infrequently in discussions at diamond conferences and elsewhere: do consumers care enough to ask about the origin of diamonds when they are in a store considering a purchase? Is the issue of responsible sourcing one that arises? And do consumers want diamonds from certain countries, showing a willingness to pay a premium for diamonds that have no association with conflict diamonds – for example from Canada or Russia?
Russian jewelers set their sights on exporting
04 december 2017
On November 10-12, the Moscow International Trade Center hosted a presentation of the Carl Fabergé International Jewellery Art Competition. The competition was established on the initiative launched by Russia’s leading public associations of the domestic jewellery industry, including the Jewellers Guild of Russia and the Club of Russian Jewellery Trade, and supported by the Moscow International Trade Center, Carl Faberge Museum and World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO). This international Competition named after the celebrated Carl Faberge is held with the aim of "promoting the national school of jewellery mastery, returning to it the leading positions in the world and assigning Russia the status of a most important center for the preservation and development of artistic jewellery". This event should help to identify and encourage talented jewellers - craftsmen and designers, familiarize them with modern technologies of famous jewellery houses, exchange experience in developing the best traditions of jewellery art.
From diamonds to sustainability, CIBJO demonstrates leading role in global jewelry trade
27 november 2017
For observers searching for an industry body covering literally every aspect of the jewelry pipeline, an influencer that is able to shape the debates in the trade, the evidence was on display at CIBJO's annual congress in Bangkok in November. CIBJO, or the World Jewelry Confederation, staged comprehensive discussions on everything from the latest developments in gemology, diamonds, colored gemstones and precious metals to ethics, responsible sourcing, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability – and more.
Zim mutation: Mnangagwa has his work cut out for him
23 november 2017
With Mugabe gone, Zimbabwe's former vice president Mnangagwa is to be sworn in as the country's second president in 37 years, on 24 November ahead of elections next year.
Will UAE's VAT be a hurdle for its growth as a major diamond hub?
20 november 2017
The recent news that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be introducing 5 percent value-added tax (VAT) from January 2018 on both, rough as well as polished diamonds, has stirred and shaken the Indian diamond industry which has close business affiliations with the country. UAE in recent times has emerged as the world's largest diamond trading hub after Antwerp. If the 5 percent VAT is made applicable, the Indian exporters of polished goods and importers of rough from UAE will have to bear a high tax rate of 5.25 percent, due to the Indian government's GST of 0.25 percent. This will eat into the already wafer-thin profits of the manufacturers, who are in dire straits.
Issue of Synthetics High on Agenda at Third Dubai Diamond Conference
13 november 2017
The third edition of the biennial Dubai Diamond Conference had the theme of “Shaping the future of an interconnected marketplace.” The two-day conference, which took place in Dubai's Almas Tower, which houses the Dubai Diamond Exchange, brought together international leaders of the diamond industry ranging from African Ministers to traders, financiers and world-renowned jewelers.
Real and "real"
07 november 2017
Exactly one year ago we wrote a review titled "Information warfare for millennial’s wallet." It made quite a splash visually proving to industry players how aggressive were marketing campaigns waged by producers of synthetic diamonds. We have repeated the experiment and have to admit that something has changed over the past year. Synthetic producers continue their pro-active (and sometimes even aggressive) promotion of their goods, however noticeably changing the emphasis.
China and India, the next fastest growing diamond jewellery markets
30 october 2017
When the Diamond Producers' Association (DPA) upped their budget to $60 mn recently for generic promotion of diamonds and diamond jewellery, confidence seemed to return to the global diamond industry. DPA's choice of US, China & India, the world's leading diamond consumer markets, to begin promotional activities was also well received. A major portion of the funds was earmarked for the US market and rightly so as it is the biggest consumer market. With millennials and women, in general, had to be weaned away from other distractions, major efforts are being made in terms of advertisements. China and India are also in focus and DPA has all plans in place, roping in a top agency to launch the marketing campaign 'Real is Rare' in both the countries to boost the diamond jewelry consumer demand.
Russia is leading in global diamond production in 2016
23 october 2017
The Kimberley process with its 54 member-countries made the statistics on of the rough diamond production and trade open and available for studies by all the countries in the world. A small number of countries involved in the diamond business makes it easier. In 2016, the rough diamonds were produced by 23 countries in the world.
Lesedi La Rona: The big stone that didn’t lighten Lucara’s world?
16 october 2017
The high-end diamond game is played on a very small field by only a few players. Not many diamantaires have the financial muscle or the nerve to cut big diamonds.
