Sarine’s David Block: Diamond Industry at Standstill Until Chinese Demand Returns

David Block is CEO of Israel’s Sarine Technologies and has served in the position since 2012. In this exclusive interview for Rough and Polished, Block gives his opinion on the leading issues affecting today’s diamond trade.

11 september 2024

Dr M'zée Fula Ngenge: Demand for considerable-sized diamonds stronger than ever

The African Diamond Council (ADC) chairperson Dr M'zée Fula Ngenge told Rough & Polished’s Mathew Nyaungwa in an exclusive interview that although overall global diamond prices have been somewhat soft, the demand for considerable-sized diamonds...

02 september 2024

Amplats sees prospects as a standalone company

Anglo has revealed its plans to demerge Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), which has operations in South Africa and Zimbabwe, to optimise shareholder value. Rough&Polished contacted Amplats to comment on this and other issues but was referred...

19 august 2024

WFDB President Yoram Dvash Remains Confident Despite Global Diamond Challenges

Yoram Dvash is President of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) having been elected in 2020. He found time in his busy schedule to speak to Rough&Polished about the state of the diamond industry around the world and some of the major...

12 august 2024

Lyudmila Vysotskaya: Amber is a mystical stone, a living substance

Lyudmila Vysotskaya is a Kaliningrad-based amber artist and designer, expert, chairwoman of the Amber Academy and member of the Creative Union of Artists in Decorative and Applied Arts. This summer, visitors could admire the art works by Lyudmila Vysotskaya...

30 july 2024

Beauty Festival in St. Petersburg

22 may 2024

For the first time, XXIII JUNWEX New Russian style 2024 International Exhibition of Jewelry and Watch Brands took place in St. Petersburg instead of Moscow. It was held on May 13-16 at Expoforum center.

The largest exhibition site of the cultural (and in some ways, jewelry) “capital” of Russia brought together more than 350 famous domestic jewelry brands, presenting their best products: jewelry, watches, silverware, souvenirs, artistic weaponry, church utensils (yes, Orthodox jewelry can also be modern and stylish).

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Artisans from Turkey, Armenia and Kazakhstan showed off their jewelry collections; In the China Pavilion, more than 20 companies from China introduced guests and participants to a wide range of their products (accessories, watches, silverware, jewelry).

Well-known brands and companies Maxim Demidov, Russian Jeweler, RINGO, GEVORKYAN (including new products from Estet brand), Kabarovsky, Talant, Vesna, Grant, Kierge and others took part in the exhibition.

It was virtually impossible to pass by the Treasures stand from RINGO with luxurious collections of exquisite and exclusive lock rings.

Jewelry with natural stones from the Jewelry Traditions brand, as well as new items from the companies Shining of Siberia, Ural Gold and Demantoids, and Matveev & Co. piqued great interest of the public featuring noble color combinations of eye-catching stones and unusual designs. Other notable items included geometric jewelry with diamonds from Vesna, a premium line of products from Krasnoe, stylish modern silver items from Baltsilver, FIT and Gem Silver.

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Italian design jewelry, always recognizable, was also presented at the stands of Leo Totti, Style Me, Medea and TD Grazia.

Traditionally, within the framework of the exhibition, the All-Russian competition of jewelers “Days of Leaders of the Russian Jewelry Market” was held, demonstrating the most modern achievements of jewelry technology and design.

The events that took place at the exhibition also aroused a lot of interest and included an exchange of business contacts (meetings of business leaders), four speeches by business speakers, 96 reports and speeches; master classes, seminars and fashion shows of 2024 jewelry collections and designer clothes from St. Petersburg fashion designers.

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As part of the exhibition, a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Russian Jewelry Trade Club and the Russian Jewelers Guild Association was held at Expoforum.

Lastly, numerous Expoforum guests, judging by the reviews, acquired precious gifts and an elevated spring mood.

Galina Semyonova for Rough&Polished, from St. Petersburg