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
Kimberley Process and Human Rights Protection: Not a Matter of Definitions
31 march 2014
Once again, pressure is mounting on the Kimberley Process to amend the definition of conflict diamonds. This time it was Belgium that presented a resolution to the European Commission asking to expand the Kimberley Process’ mandate to those diamonds extracted in conditions of “serious violations of human rights”. Similar calls have been made cyclically by NGOs over the past years, following the break out of the Marange diamonds case back in 2008.
The same diamond bait
24 march 2014
During his visit to Yakutia in mid-March this year, Yury Trutnev, Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District, formulated a number of initiatives, which may produce a highly drastic impact on the domestic rough and polished diamond business.
Indian diamond industry needs to take a detour... or not?
17 march 2014
‘Diamonds are a girl’s best friend’- this familiar phrase will soon be a thing of the past or so it seems. And, going sentimental and ‘romancing the stone’ is not anymore as lucrative as it looked some years ago as well. Instead, today it’s more about ‘profit margins’ from offering diamond as a ‘hardcore commodity’; and therefore as ‘investors’ best friend’. This is more in line with the astute diamond businessmen of today.
Not a New “Blood Diamond” Case: Reassessing the Impact of the FATF Report
11 march 2014
When in late January the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an inter-governmental group created to fight financial frauds, released a report on money laundering and terrorism financing through diamond trade, the industry reacted with ill-concealed disdain followed by immediate reaction from some of the most relevant diamond players.
Angola’s financial sector benefits from diamond, oil boom
03 march 2014
Angola’s banking sector is said to have posted a rapid growth in the past decade. The evolution of the number of banks operating in Angola over the last few years is largely tied to the diamond and oil business and the positive economic development of the country.
Roundup of holiday sales in the U.S. in November and December 2013
24 february 2014
The main trends of the past holiday season featured huge, just indecent discounts, the chase after which started with sales in the run-up to Thanksgiving. A regular discount reached 50 percent and more. Aggressive marketing and almost round the clock opening hours were the main tools used by retailers in their fight for consumers. Jewelry goods were bestsellers, which, however, did not prevent some jewelry retailers and some retail chains from closing their stores.
Online jewellery business in India
17 february 2014
Being a late entrant, the Online Jewellery (diamond/gold) business in India is still in its nascent stage. But interestingly, the Indian jewellery e-tailers space is co-habited by not only companies catering to the entry-level and mid-range of the market but also high-end jewellery. Though traffic may vary in terms of buyers of all categories, it would be right to say that online business in jewellery has caught on in India, and is only getting bigger by the day.
January market report
10 february 2014
Imagine that you met an old school pal, whom you have not seen for 20 years. Often, it all goes along one and the same scenario: after having talked just half an hour you realize that these 20 years brought no change whatsoever in his life and character. And he is unlikely to change in the future. Familiar feeling? The diamond market gives about the same feeling to a person who is back to view it after six month absence.
KP effectiveness or lack of it
03 february 2014
The internecine wars, which took place in the 1990s in Africa, were largely bankrolled and fuelled by trade in conflict minerals, particularly diamonds. The situation compelled the diamond industry and governments, urged by the civil society, to create the Kimberley Process (KP), the diamond watchdog, which helped reduce the flow of conflict diamonds in Africa. Lately, KP faced another challenge as human rights activists started to demand a broader interpretation of “conflict diamonds” to include diamonds that are stolen, smuggled, used for money laundering, tax evasion and the like.
Are diamonds a luxury anymore?
27 january 2014
Are diamonds a luxury, anymore? Such question is not pretentious. Yes, diamonds are still expensive, precious and rare minerals, but this might not be enough to consider them a luxury. Price is what matters to define a luxury product, and price levels have been the bone of contention in the diamond industry.
