News
Tharisa meets FY2026 guidance, Karo Platinum fully funded as net debt swings to $51m
Tharisa has reported full-year production in line with guidance for both platinum group metals (PGMs) and chrome concentrates, while confirming its Karo Platinum project in Zimbabwe is now fully funded following a $300 million bond issue.
Today
Israel’s diamond sector poised for revival following tax reforms and De Beers comeback
De Beers, one of the world's major diamond market players, has announced the resumption of its operations in Israel after a nine-year absence, which became the latest sign of revival of the diamond industry in the country.
Today
Kefi Gold and Copper restarts Tulu Kapi development after safety review
Kefi Gold and Copper has resumed development at its Tulu Kapi gold project in Ethiopia following a suspension that began on September 7 after a serious safety incident three days earlier.
Today
Nornickel implements smart melt monitoring system
Norilsk Nickel has installed a smart melt monitoring system at its metallurgical plant in Norilsk in collaboration with Reksoft. The system uses computer vision to assist the converter operator in identifying phases during the tapping process.
Today
ALROSA to help amplify Arctic agenda at UN
In preparation for the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31), ALROSA experts and other stakeholders from Russia discussed a unified approach to strengthening the country’s position and the Arctic agenda at UN climate conferences.
Today
A mined diamond can bring an extra depth to the significance of a jewellery piece
13 march 2017
Award-winning designer Sarah Ho, was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Macau before moving to London to enrich her skills in design and gemmology. Sarah’s inspirational designs are a sentimental reflection of the different chapters in her life and her family heritage. Each collection has a story told through her love of colour, flowing elegant lines and lacework in precious metals that harmonise seamlessly with precious stones. The company’s birth became a reality in 2006, thrusting the young designer into the world where the beauty of high jewellery first caught her eye. Sarah Ho has kindly agreed to answer the questions from Rough&Polished.
‘I will run my chair in a very transparent, open fashion’ – KP Chairperson
06 march 2017
Australia’s Robert Owen-Jones took over as this year’s Kimberley Process Chairperson amid tension between the civil society and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which chaired the diamond watchdog last year. The civil society coalition boycotted UAE’s leadership accusing it of encouraging the penetration of conflict diamonds into the market. The coalition also described UAE as the "elephant in the room" and its chairmanship was declared a "red line" while the country’s ethical standards were questioned. However, the new KP Chair told Rough & Polished’s Mathew Nyaungwa on the sidelines of the African Mining Indaba in Cape Town early February, that his wish was to see the civil society participating again in this year’s meetings. Declaring that he would run his chair in an “open fashion”, Jones said that issues outside of KP should not affect the business of the diamond watchdog. He said KP was a consensus-based organisation and no individual’s view was allowed to dominate that of others. The new KP Chairperson also spoke about the need for a KP permanent secretariat, funding of struggling countries to attend KP meetings ahead of the civil society. He also expressed his views on price transfer, expanded definition of conflict diamonds and synthetic diamonds among other things.
Giving beauty to people as a gift
27 february 2017
The ‘Kierge’ jewellery house is a large firm manufacturing and selling jewellery and is a famous Yakutian brand. Over its 23 years of experience, the company was repeatedly the winner of national and international contests like ‘The Recognition by St. Petersburg’, ‘Leader in the Regional Economy’ and ‘Altyn Bars’. This spring, they were a sensation at the ‘Estet Fashion Week’ in Moscow, and last autumn – at the ‘Arctic Circle Congress’ International Assembly in Reykjavik. The firm’s products feature high quality and wide use of the Yakutian national motif in their design. The advertising campaigns held by ‘Kierge’ often cause a great public stir in the world, just think of one of the latest campaigns – the manufacture of the silver Oscar for Leonardo DiCaprio. Alexander Pavlov, the founder and Director General of ‘Kierge’, who was awarded the titles of ‘Honorary Sponsor of Yakutsk’ and ’The Best Entrepreneur of the Year’ last year, told Rough&Polished about the company’s activities.
IDE's Yoram Dvash: 2017 shaping up to be more positive
27 february 2017
After a tough 2015, last year provided the diamond industry with more stability and 2017 could be even better, says Yoram Dvash, President of the Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE) and Vice-President of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB). In this interview, conducted following the International Diamond Week in Israel in mid-February, Dvash speaks on a range of issues affecting the Israeli and global diamond sectors.
Education is the most important part of generic diamond promotion effort
20 february 2017
The activity of World Diamond Mark® (WDM) established by the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) to enhance consumers’ desire to buy natural diamonds is currently focused on the downstream segment of the diamond pipeline in the belief that the very first contact customers have with salespersons should be a perfect experience, and to make this happen WDM is reaching out to retailers offering them a new vision and a profound program for turning their would-be buyers into staunch adherents of fashion for diamonds. Alex Popov, Chairman of World Diamond Mark sat down with Rough&Polished to describe what has been achieved by WDM on this way and share his views on diamond marketing and diamond education.
There is more growth to come as global market turns to online purchasing
13 february 2017
After living in UK and US for a considerable part of his life, Ashraf Ahmed returned to UAE where he lived as a child, only to set up shop in a sector he is passionate about... gem stones and jewellery. A graduate in Business & Finance, Ashraf is adequately qualified in the gems and jewellery business with diplomas and certificates from the Gemological Institute of America and the International Gemological Institute. With over 30 years of experience in the sector, Ashraf's companies, Diamond Infinity DMCC and his online venture Dubai Wholesale Diamonds cater to clients directly as well as online. His Hong-Kong-based company Diamond Investments HK Limited handles diamond investments. In an Interview with Rough & Polished, Ashraf Ahmed speaks on the whole gamut of the gems and jewellery businesses he is involved in... right from manufacture, retail, wholesale and investment.
Global diamond jewelry sales are expected to decline slightly in 2016 - Bain & Company
06 february 2017
Bain & Company, a leading global business consulting firm, offering solutions on issues of strategy and operations, works with over 2,700 major multinational corporations across every economic sector, including the diamond mining industry. Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) and Bain & Company recently released a sixth annual report, focusing more in detail on the dynamics of consumer demand across the globe in 2016. Olya Linde, Principal of the company’s Moscow Office, gave this interview to Rough&Polished.
Kristall is worried about the external environment, which is sometimes changing "categorically"
30 january 2017
Kristall Production Corporation is the leader of Russia’s diamond-cutting industry. The company produces almost half of the total amount of diamonds, which are cut and polished in the country. Having over 50 years of diamond manufacturing experience under its belt, the diamond cutting factory located in the City of Smolensk is making top-quality goods sold in international markets. In recent years, the global diamond trade was undergoing great transformations and Kristall is making efforts to maintain the diamond cutting industry in Russia. Maxim Shkadov, CEO of Kristall talks on this and many other issues sitting for an interview with Rough&Polished.
Panama is a gateway to the jewelry market of Latin America
23 january 2017
Armed with a Finance and International Business degree from Ithaca College, a Master’s in Business Administration from Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez in Chile and a Master’s in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Mahesh Khemlani, the President of World Jewelry and Diamond Hub-Panama is a businessman in his own right. His many stints include Vice President of Finance and Business Development at Optynex Telecom; a member of the Technology Investment Banking Group at CIBC World Markets; and a financial analyst at Standard & Poor's Portfolio Management Data Group; and at Grupo VerdeAzul, a private investment firm in Panama, where he is currently Chief Investment Officer. Mahesh Khemlani also has an extensive background in business and government. He spent six years at the Ministry of Economy & Finance of Panama, most recently as Vice Minister of Finance. In an interview with Rough & Polished, Mahesh Khemlani speaks on a range of issues, including the current status of the WJDH, the global diamond industry, LGDs, generic diamond marketing and millennials.
De Beers speaks on demand for diamond jewellery, impact of India’s demonetisation policy on gems trade and synthetics’ threat or lack thereof
16 january 2017
Global diamond giant, De Beers said that last year’s demand for diamond jewellery, across the key consumer markets, was broadly stable on 2015. Group head of media relations Lynette Gould told Rough & Polished’s Mathew Nyaungwa that the United States had again drove performance in 2016, supported by the economy posting solid growth in consumer spending and employment numbers. She said after a really challenging year for the midstream in 2015, 2016 saw improved trading conditions, and a much better inventory situation. Meanwhile, De Beers’ spokesperson said that the extent of global growth in 2017 will be dependent upon a number of macro-economic factors, including the strength of the dollar and economic performance in China and its impact worldwide. She said India’s demonetisation policy had affected trade in smaller, lower value rough diamonds. On synthentics, Gould said De Beers believed that diamonds and the lab grown gems are two different propositions. She said their research had regularly showed that consumers do not see synthetic diamonds as potential substitutes for natural diamonds. Below are the excerpts.
