(IDEX Online) - The International Jewelry & Diamond Conference (Guangzhou) 2018 organized by Guangzhou Diamond Exchange and Guangdong Gems & Jade Exchange and co-organized by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) was held last week. More than 600 delegates from Brazil, Thailand, India, the U.S., Ukraine, Senegal, Belgium, Britain, the Netherlands, Lebanon, Canada, Singapore, Bots...Read More
(IDEX Online) - A survey released by the Diamond Producers Association (DPA) and KRC Research found that over 53 million Americans (21%) plan to purchase a diamond between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day, with men and millennials most likely to purchase them. Of those who plan to buy a diamond, more than 20 million plan to buy a diamond engagement ring. The survey confirmed that the...Read More
RAPAPORT... Hong Kong's largest jewelry retailers expect sales growth to slow during the important holiday season in light of recent US-China trade tensions and the depreciation of the yuan currency.Same-store sales at Luk Fook dropped by a single-digitpercentage in Hong Kong and Macau in October and the first three weeks of November, and by double digits in mainland China, the company reported la...Read More
RAPAPORT... Diamcor's sales fell in the second fiscal quarter as lowerproduction at its mine in South Africa resulted in reduced availability ofgoods. Revenue dropped 45% to $726,588 in the three months endingSeptember 30 compared to $1.33 million in the same period a year ago, the minerreported Thursday. Rough-diamond recovery from the Krone-Endora at Venetiaasset fell, the company said. However...Read More
RAPAPORT... Graff Diamonds will present a selection of flawless polishedstones from the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona at its new Hong Kong boutique. Graff purchased the D-color diamond - the second-largest rough in history- from Lucara Diamond Corp. for $53 million in September 2017. Theluxury jeweler has since cut about 30 polished diamonds from the originalstone, and will display them in Asia...Read More
RAPAPORT... More than 53 million US consumers intend to buy a diamondduring the extended festive period from Thanksgiving to Valentine's Day,according to a survey by the Diamond Producers Association (DPA). The November poll, which the DPA conducted together with KRCResearch, collated responses from 1,000 men and women in the US aged 18 to 55.Millennials were more likely than others to buy a...Read More
(IDEX Online News) - The IDEX polished diamond price index was up slightly in November during the month. ...Read More
(IDEX Online News) - There were slightly more declines than risers in round and fancy shape diamonds in November. Round goods saw a downward trend in goods of less than 1 carat, while stones of 1.5 carats and above saw rises. There were decreases in 0.18-0.22 carat stones in H-I, SI1-SI2, of 4-5%; in 0.30-0.39 carat diamonds D, VVS2-SI2, of 2-3%; in 0.40-0.44 carat diamonds J-K, IF-VVS1, of 2%; as...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Significant achievements in the harmonization of wording on laboratory reports and the reporting of new treatments were reached during the 29th meeting of the Laboratory Manual Harmonisation Committee (LMHC), which was recently hosted by the G? 1/4 belin Gem Lab in Lucerne, Switzerland. The LMHC is currently comprised of representatives from the Central Gem Laboratory (CGL),...Read More
Anglo American Plc, the company that grew to be South Africa's biggest during apartheid, says it's ready to invest in the country again.After years of legislative uncertainty, relations had soured to the point where Anglo's chief executive officer wasn't on speaking terms with the former mining minister after he made a critical speech. In October, Anglo pledged to spend $6 billion on its assets in...Read More
World's top diamond producer by output Alrosa (MCX:ALRS) made $90 million in six auctions held in Israel this year.The auctions were for large rough diamonds, with the latest one focusing on special size gems larger than 10.8 carats - and it fetched $17 million. 100 companies from Israel, Belgium, Hong Kong, India, UAE, the US, and Russia were invited to participate, and 44 took home the coveted s...Read More
Sentiment improves after positive start to holiday season. Morepeople shopped than expected on Thanksgiving weekend, but average spend fell 7%to $313 per consumer, reports NRF. Online sales +20% in November, with record$7.9B generated on Cyber Monday, according to Adobe Analytics. Polished marketstable, with continued caution about small stones. Luxury jewelers concerned asChinese tourists spend l...Read More
Dealer market back to normal after Diwali break,and manufacturers expected to start raising production. Foreign buyers inMumbai looking for polished, but difficult to find the right goods. Localdealers gaining confidence as rupee-dollar exchange rate has stabilized ataround $1/INR 70.6. I1 clarities moving well across most color categories.Jewelry market stable during wedding season.Round-1 point:Read More
RAPAPORT... Signet Jewelers will have to answer allegations of security fraud after a US district-court judge rejected the company's appeal against a pending lawsuit.The owner of Kay Jewelers and Zales had asked the court to dismiss a claim by the Public Employees Retirement System of Mississippi (PERS) that it misled investors regarding allegations of sexual-discrimination against Sign...Read More
RAPAPORT... Lightbox, De Beers' lab-grown-diamond brand, has opened apop-up store in New York for "Cyber Week," an extension of Cyber Monday. The 20-square-foot shop at the Oculus, the World TradeCenter's transportation hub, plaza and shopping mall, gives consumers an opportunity to experience the jewelry personally, thecompany said Tuesday. It has previously only been available online. The p...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Lightbox, the De Beers Group laboratory-grown diamond jewelry company, kicked off Cyber Week with the opening of its first pop-up store at The Oculus, Westfield World Trade Center on Monday. Lightbox General Manager Steve Coe and Head of Marketing Sally Morrison were joined by models from the brand's advertising campaign for a lighting ceremony. For Cyber Week,...Read More
(IDEX Online) - MVI Marketing LLC (MVI)'s team recently completed a consumer research study asking wealthy, millennial age, Asian-American and Hispanic/Latino-American consumers about their shopping preferences and behaviors. The results, MVI says, are noteworthy for brand marketers. Certain brands consistently denote status, quality, prestige and affluence among Forward Facing Immigrant (...Read More
Metals Creek Resources (TSXV: MEK) today announced that the company has begun diamond drilling on 10 patented mining claims on the Garrison project northeast of Kirkland Lake, Ontario.The Garrison Project is contiguous with Osisko Mining to the west, south and east and contiguous with Kirkland Lake Gold to the north.The diamond drill program will consist of 5 holes targeting several induced polari...Read More
RAPAPORT... Tiffany & Co.'s shares dropped 9% in early trading Wednesdayafter diminished spending by Chinese tourists led to weaker-than-expectedsales. Comparable-store sales - at branches open for at least ayear - grew 3% in the third fiscal quarter ending October 31, but analysts hadpredicted a rise of 5.3%, according to Reuters. While total revenue climbed 5%to $1 billion, profit fell...Read More
RAPAPORT... Cards Against Humanity, famed for its politically incorrect party games,sold a lab-grown-diamond engagement ring for 99% off on Black Friday - butinsisted it wasn't about to make a splash in the synthetics sector. The 1.5-carat stone from Brilliant Earth went for $32.15 on aspecial satirical e-commerce platform Cards Against Humanity set up for thenational shopping day. It offered just...Read More