De Beers shines light on budding jewellery designers

Diamond giant De Beers will this year conduct its bi-annual Shining Light Awards jewellery design competition. De Beers beneficiation manager Kagiso Fredericks told Rough & Polished's Mathew Nyaungwa in an exclusive interview they set aside 4.5 carats...

22 july 2024

DiaMondaine Diamantaires Club mulls diamond safari tours in southern Africa

DiaMondaine Diamantaires Club (DDC) is set to organise diamond safari tours in southern Africa, home to major diamond-producing countries. DDC founder Agnes Abdulahu told Rough&Polished’s Mathew Nyaungwa that the launch of the first diamond safari...

15 july 2024

Vladislav Zhdanov: Questions of efficiency and investment potential of diamond mining versus diamond growing pique keen interest

Vladislav Zhdanov is Professor at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE). He told Rough&Polished about new researches into the effectiveness of diamond production methods.

02 july 2024

Why it's expensive to cut and polish diamonds in Africa? ADMA president António Oliveira has the answer

The African Diamond Manufacturers Association (ADMA) president António Oliveira told Rough&Polished’s Mathew Nyaungwa in an exclusive interview that the lack of a robust infrastructure in Africa fails to accelerate and encourage manufacturing...

24 june 2024

Edahn Golan: IPO feasible but not Anglo’s preferred way to sell De Beers

Edahn Golan, owner of the eponymous Edahn Golan Diamond Research and Data, told Rough&Polished's Mathew Nyaungwa in an exclusive interview that while an IPO of De Beers is “feasible,"  he does not think this is a route Anglo American...

17 june 2024

A branch of Indian VDA Diamonds to open officially in Armenia in autumn

30 june 2023

The official opening of the diamond cutting plant, owned by the Indian diamond company VDA Diamonds, will take place this autumn in the city of Abovyan, news.am reports.

"The Indian company VDA Diamonds has been registered in Armenia since July 2022, and since the beginning of April this year it has already started the production process in Abovyan. It is a branch of an Indian company in Armenia. The company invested $10 million in a branch in Abovyan," said Arevik Margaryan, Head of the Department of Strategic Sectors of the Ministry of Economy of Armenia.

According to her, 7-8 companies operate in the diamond industry of Armenia, including the diamond processing company ADM Diamonds and CJSC Hay-Almast, which imports rough diamonds from the Russian company ALROSA.

Diamonds are exported from Armenia mainly to the CIS countries, the EAEU and some other countries.

"Tiffany's, Cartier, Patek Philippe, Hermes and other well-known brands buy diamonds cut in Armenia. Arevakn and Shoghakn companies operate in the sector, from which Tiffany and other leading international companies officially purchase diamonds. They provide this quality," Margaryan said.

Alex Shishlo for Rough&Polished