News
Richemont, Signet in talks to join De Beers consortium – report
Luxury group Richemont and US retailer Signet Jewelers are in advanced talks to join the Global Diamond Consortium (GDC) bidding for De Beers, according to five people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reports.
16 october 2026
Rio Tinto begins Q4 of 2026 with strong operational performance
The Anglo-Australian mining group Rio Tinto has reported its third-quarter 2026 results, highlighting strong operational performance.
16 october 2026
Silver market deficit to widen in 2026 - report
In the latest World Silver Survey prepared by the Silver Institute and Metals Focus, the global silver market deficit is forecast to widen for the sixth consecutive year to 46.3 million ounces.
16 october 2026
Tharisa signs PGM offtake deal with Valterra Platinum, expands chrome collaboration
South Africa’s Tharisa has entered a binding arrangement for the sale of PGM concentrate to Rustenburg Platinum Mines, a subsidiary of Valterra Platinum, effective 1 January 2027.
16 october 2026
Norilsk hosts Nornickel’s 3rd Geology and Mine Surveying Forum
The 3rd Geology and Mine Surveying Forum, organized by Nornickel, has kicked off in Norilsk. The event continues to grow in scope, this year bringing together representatives from universities, equipment suppliers, design teams, mining companies, and...
16 october 2026
For This Young Entrepreneur, The Fate Of Engagement Rings Rests In Lab-Grown Diamonds
04 may 2017
(forbes.com) - Vanessa Stofenmacher is accustomed to feeling like an outsider. When she launched her Los Angeles-based startup Vrai & Oro in April 2014, she was a twenty-something soft-spoken blonde with no background in jewelry. The FORBES 30 Under 30 honoree was trying to break into an industry where most business owners have a network of connections and many generations of experience behind them. With merely $8,000 in seed money from her husband, who works in real estate, Stofenmacher and cofounder Chelsea Nicholson turned Vrai & Oro into a $3 million business in 2016. Last month, Stofenmacher launched VOW (Vrai & Oro Weddings), a line of engagement rings, wedding bands and promise rings that are consistent with Vrai & Oro’s minimalist design perspective and Warby Parker-esque business model. The rings are traditional–round, emerald and oval-cut solitaires, some with side stones and others with pavé bands–with one big exception: the diamonds aren’t mined from the earth, but instead are grown in California labs. This innovation makes Stofenmacher a disruptor in a powerful heritage industry.
What I Learned at the 2017 American Gem Society Conclave (Part 2)
04 may 2017
(jckonline.com) - If you’ve ever attended the American Gem Society Conclave, you know the event packs in more education than a semester at college. Last week, I blogged about the things I learned at this year’s Conclave, which took place April 5–8 in Hollywood, Calif. Here are a couple more takeaways. The gem trade is still searching for the best way to describe color. And Christopher Smith, president and owner of American Gemological Laboratories, thinks he’s got the answer.
What I Learned at the 2017 American Gem Society Conclave (Part 1)
04 may 2017
(jckonline.com) - The American Gem Society Conclave took place at the Loews Hollywood Hotel, just five minutes from my home, which made it convenient to do the important things: eat and drink my way around the neighborhood. Not only did I host out-of-towners for cocktails on my deck (a fun group led by my dear friend, publicist Michelle Orman), but I also got a chance to meet up with jewelry friends at several great local restaurants. Besides the fact that I need to show some restraint at the dinner table this week, I learned a slew of things at Conclave, easily the most worthwhile jewelry retail education event of the year.
Estet Fashion Week in Moscow is a symbiosis of fashion and jewellery designs
03 may 2017
Last month a jewellery Estet Fashion Week was held in Moscow. It was run for the 13-th time in a row and became a milestone in the world of jewellery and fashion. In previous years, the designers of jewellery and clothes from the Russian regions and the CIS countries as well as from France, Hungary, Israel, Tunis, and other countries presented their collections. The EFW is arranged under the auspices of the Estet Company, one of the major and renowned Russian jewellery houses that gave its name to this event - bright in every sense.
Bringing Diamonds to a New Generation
03 may 2017
(diamonds.net) - The Diamond Producers Association (DPA) has the mammoth task of changing the diamond narrative, according to Jean-Marc Lieberherr, the organization’s chief executive officer. Initially, at least, that mission extends to how the diamond industry engages with millennials, who have become disillusioned with the idea that they’re simply expected to buy diamonds for an engagement or other occasions. The DPA’s claim is that consumers are looking for real, meaningful experiences and products that are rare in today’s fast-paced lifestyle. “Real is Rare,” its tagline declares, concluding, “Real Is a Diamond.” But Lieberherr is under no illusions. The DPA recognizes that the industry has lost some of its magic vis-à-vis younger consumers. Millennials, those 18- to-32-year-olds who make up the largest generation in the U.S., don’t have the same reference points for diamonds as previous generations did, he explains in a recent interview with Rapaport News. “They haven’t been consistently exposed to a diamond-category message,” Lieberherr says, referencing the impact that the generic marketing of De Beers “A Diamond Is Forever” campaign had on previous generations. “It’s therefore important to craft a message that’s relevant to them.”
