Nosiphiwo Mzamo: South Africa’s State Diamond Trader to buy diamonds from other African countries

South Africa’s State Diamond Trader (SDT) is set to buy diamonds from other African countries starting with Botswana. SDT’s chief executive Nosiphiwo Mzamo told Rough & Polished’s Mathew Nyaungwa at the country’s inaugural diamond show, which...

10 february 2025

Edahn Golan: Halo effect from lab-grown diamonds driving high demand for large, 2-carat natural stones in the U.S.

Edahn Golan, owner of the eponymous Edahn Golan Diamond Research and Data, told Rough & Polished's Mathew Nyaungwa in an exclusive interview that their research found a halo effect from lab-grown diamonds. He said the trend among lab-grown diamond...

27 january 2025

Paul Zimnisky: We will see a modest recovery in natural diamond demand and prices in 2025

According to Paul Zimnisky, an independent diamond and jewellery analyst and consultant based in the New York metro area, the natural diamond industry will see a modest recovery in demand and prices this year. Zimnisky said a moderate recovery would...

13 january 2025

African Diamond Council makes traceability its top priority, wants KP to embrace Authentia.io

The African Diamond Council (ADC) has made traceability its foremost priority and has been contributing to a traceability solution called Authentia.io for the last three and a half years, which is now ready to globally satisfy the traceability...

16 december 2024

Gaetano Cavalieri: CIBJO leading the jewelry industry on critical issues

One of the gem and jewellery industry’s most well-known and respected personalities, Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri, has been the president of the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO), for the past 23 years. CIBJO is the oldest international organisation...

09 december 2024

Indian polished diamond exports outlook is negative in FY2024 - CareEdge

14 march 2024

CareEdge Ratings, an Indian rating and analytical agency, has published a new outlook of the country's diamond export business, stating that the sector may hit a five-year low in FY2024.

According to the agency, polished exports from India may dip 20% - 30% to $15 - $16 billion during 2024 financial year, while a recovery in the next fiscal will be limited.

Analysts at CareEdge say that there are a few major factors for such a bleak outlook. Among them are economic downturn in USA and China, the two main polished diamond consumer countries; growing acceptance of lab-grown diamonds (LGD); impact of G7 sanctions on Russian rough diamonds that may pose compliance and supply-side challenges for Indian manufacturers; and midstream inventory glut.

In the medium term, polished diamond exports from India will be influenced by economic recovery in consumption markets, geopolitical landscape, and customer preference for diamond jewellery in the discretionary spending space. The agency expects companies with small debt and good inventory management to survive tough times for the diamond industry.

“Players operating in smaller carat diamonds (below 0.3 carats) [are expected] to be better placed than entities dealing in certified diamonds, as smaller carat diamonds have witnessed lower price erosion and limited impact of LGD diamonds,” said Yogesh Shah, Senior Director at CareEdge Ratings.

Theodor Lisovoy, Editor in Chief of the European bureau, Rough&Polished