Escaping the ‘panic phase’: DMCC-commissioned study urges natural diamond industry to emulate Swiss watch revival

The natural diamond industry is currently facing a disruption that closely mirrors the existential threat the Swiss watch industry encountered during the 1970s quartz crisis. According to a new comparative study commissioned by the Dubai Multi Commodities...

26 october 2026

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...

12 october 2026

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

Caspian littoral states agree on joint program to protect sea ecosystem

30 september 2026

Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Iran, and Turkmenistan have agreed on a joint program to protect the Caspian Sea, covering the period from 2026 to 2027.

The program encompasses environmental monitoring, data exchange among the Caspian states, and measures to prevent pollution of this unique body of water.

According to Russia’s Ministry of Natural Resources, the agreement was reached during the seventh session of the Conference of the Parties to the Tehran Convention.

For its part, Russia has already allocated funds to implement a project aimed at reducing plastic pollution in the Caspian Sea.

The Tehran Convention has been in effect for 20 years, uniting five nations in efforts to preserve the Caspian marine environment. Activities under the convention include protecting the water body itself, as well as conserving, restoring, and sustainably using its biological resources.

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