Diamond market crash is Africa’s opportunity, not its crisis – M'zée Fula Ngenge

Global natural diamond supply is forecast to fall below 95 million carats this year, the lowest since 1987. For Dr. M'zée Fula Ngenge, chairperson of the African Diamond Council (ADC), this is not a death knell but a clarion call. In an exclusive...

Yesterday

Tracr passes 5 million rough diamonds milestone as De Beers expands provenance push

De Beers Group's blockchain-enabled traceability platform Tracr reached a significant milestone in 2025, with more than 5 million rough diamonds individually scanned and registered, up from 2.8 million cumulative registrations reported in 2024. The...

28 september 2026

South African diamonds head to Hong Kong: SDT partners with BRINKS for JGW 2026

South Africa’s State Diamond Trader (SDT) has confirmed the country's participation in Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong (JGW) 2026 through a partnership with BRINKS. SDT marketing and communication manager Tsholofelo Gopolang Tselapedi...

14 september 2026

David Benderly: PermaScribe seeks to put trust mark on diamond table, not just girdle

In this interview with Rough & Polished’s Mathew Nyaungwa, PhotoScribe Technologies president and chief executive David Benderly explains how PermaScribe differs technically from conventional laser inscription, its potential to strengthen security, and...

31 august 2026

The great reset: Paul Zimnisky on supply catharsis, De Beers' bargain and the case for natural diamonds

The natural diamond industry is in the throes of its most profound reset in a generation. Supply is plunging to its lowest level since 1987 and De Beers—once valued at over $9 billion—is reportedly being sold for as little as $1 billion.
Lab-grown...

10 august 2026

Russian scientists confirmed the safety of black plastic

23 october 2024
The panic arose after the American organization Toxic-Free Future stated that 85% of tested black plastic products, such as toys and kitchen utensils, contain toxic substances. However, this study concerned goods sold in the United States, and the situation in Russia is radically different. 

Russian experts conducted a study of kitchen utensils made of black plastic to check the content of dangerous substances, including brominated flame retardants (BAP), and came to an unequivocal conclusion: products sold in Russia are completely safe for health. 

The study reassures housewives: they don't have to worry and get rid of the plastic spoons and spatulas that are so convenient to use. Mikhail Katsevman, Chairman of the Council of the Union of Plastic Processors, stressed that in Russia the use of BAP in consumer goods has been prohibited for many years. He noted that in the United States, only 36 states have imposed restrictions on the use of BAP, whereas in Russia such additives are prohibited at the legislative level. Special requirements apply to products for the food industry that undergo strict certification before entering the market. Experts also point to the limitations of the American study: testing was carried out on a small sample of goods purchased in one city and mainly in small shops where counterfeit products could be sold. 

In contrast, in Russia, plastic products undergo mandatory certification according to GOST standards, which eliminates the possibility of toxic substances, kp.ru reports. 

Alex Shishlo, Editor in Chief of the European Bureau Rough&Polished