Diamonds news and archive

Jeweller Gemima opens debut store in London

Gemima, a diamond and design house founded by Gemima Macdonald, has opened its first-ever store in the UK as it celebrates a “decade in diamonds”. Located in Wandsworth Town, south west London, the store operates by appointment only and will allow customers to design their dream jewellery, including bespoke engagement rings and jewellery...

People

Leviev Diamonds announces new managing director to drive expansion

Leviev, a global leader in diamonds and high-end jewellery, has appointed industry veteran Giovanni Mattera-Vairo as its new managing director to lead its expansion and growth plans. The strategic appointment was spearheaded by second-generation diamantaires Chagit Leviev, president and chief executive of Leviev Group USA, and Greg Sofiev, chief...

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Business|Interview

All about lab-grown diamonds: Why are they a more sustainable option?

While called many things - lab-grown diamonds, man-made diamonds, and lab-created diamonds, among others - upon seeing manufactured diamonds, there’s no way to differentiate them from their natural counterparts. The fact these these diamonds were not made in nature, also doesn't mean they aren't real. Thanks to the use of new technology, several...

Fashion

One of the world's largest rough diamonds has been unearthed in Botswana

A Canadian mining firm, Lucara Diamond, has unearthed a 2,492-carat rough diamond in Botswana, the second-largest diamond in history, potentially worth over 40 million dollars. The discovery highlights Botswana's significance in the global diamond industry, where it accounts for about 20 percent of world production. In a statement, William Lamb...

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Business

EU imposes sanctions on Alrosa, Russia's largest diamond producer

In its twelfth series of sanctions, the European Union implemented restrictions on Alrosa, Russia's state-controlled diamond giant, and its CEO, as part of a wider ban on the importation of precious stones due to the conflict in Ukraine. The EU's move, initiated in December, aimed to block diamond imports from Russia as an additional measure to...

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Business

EU contemplates sanctioning Russian diamonds

The European Commission is considering extending sanctions on Russia to include diamonds, responding to the country's invasion of Ukraine. Russia, a major global diamond supplier, contributes one-third to the market. Despite previous sanctions on various Russian commodities, diamonds have been exempt, partly due to Belgium's desire to protect...

Fashion

A rare blue diamond sold for over 40 million dollars at auction

A rare 17.61-carat pear-shaped blue diamond named Bleu Royal has set a record by selling for over 40 million dollars (32 million pounds) at a Christie's auction in Geneva. The diamond, part of a private collection for 50 years, achieved a sale price of 43.8 million dollars and is now considered the "largest internally flawless fancy vivid blue...

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People

De Beers Brands appoints new chief executive

De Beers Group, the leading diamond company, has appointed Sandrine Conseiller as chief executive officer of De Beers Brands, replacing Marc Jacheet, who is leaving De Beers. In a statement, De Beers said that Conseiller will oversee the development of De Beers’ Brands and investment in existing and new diamond markets. She will join the group’s...

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Business

The Diamond Lab secures funding to open debut flagship store in London

The Diamond Lab, the self-funded jewellery brand that started from a social experiment, has secured 450,000 pounds of funding to expand onto the British high street and educate customers about lab-grown diamonds. The London-based business, founded by Jamie Amelia Patel, secured its first round of private financing led by investor James Shulman...

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Fashion

CarbonVero tool launched to track energy consumption in the diamond industry

Diamond trading company Andre Messika Diamonds LTD has launched a new carbon emission and energy consumption tracking tool in partnership with diamond technological solutions provider Sarine Technology LTD. The CarbonVero tool can track and calculate the carbon emissions of individual natural diamonds from the mine to fully polished state,...

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Business

Why Russian diamonds remain a conundrum for European sanctions

In a parallel to the fashion industry, the diamond trade faces challenges in tracing the origins of its precious stones, maintaining an opaque nature. Just as a garment produced in Romania may bear a "Made in France" label upon receiving final touches there, such as the addition of a care label or a button, diamonds follow a similar pattern....

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Business

Jewellery brand Vashi acquired by Queensmith

Upmarket jewellery retailer Vashi, which fell into liquidation last month, has been acquired by London jeweller Queensmith’s parent company Hearts of London (Group) Ltd for an undisclosed sum. Vashi, founded by Vashi Dominguez, opened its first store on London's Piccadilly in 2016, and despite achieving sales of 100 million pounds in 2021 and...