(IDEX Online) - Members of the Civil Society Coalition in the Kimberley Process met in Antwerp last week "to reflect on its role in the Kimberley Process and on broader diamond governance". Representatives from nine member organizations from Africa and Europe participated in the meeting, according to a statement sent by Zuzia Danielski, the Communications Director of IMPACT, formerly Partn...Read More
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – West Africa-focused Stellar Diamonds has completed its tribute mining and revenue sharing agreements with Octea Mining in respect of the Tongo-Tonguma project in Sierria Leone.The completion follows the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions precedent to the agreements.Advertisement“The closure of the agreements with Octea mark a major milestone for...Read More
(IDEX Online) - New York-based luxury bridal brand A.Jaffe and its subsidiary, FFJ, said it is "aware of the recent and unfortunate allegations of financial improprieties overseas" regarding alleged fraud by jeweler Nirav Modi of at least $1.8 billion. "However, A.Jaffe and its core team here in the United States want to assure partners and customers that A.Jaffe is not in any way involved...Read More
RAPAPORT... Rapaporthas signed an agreement to be the official media partner for the Carat+ tradeshow taking place in Antwerp this May. As part of the deal, Rapaport Magazineand its online news site, Diamonds.net, will offer coverage of the show, whilealso promoting the event through print and digital advertising. Carat+, which will run from May 6 to 8 atAntwerp Expo, is being billed as the world...Read More
(IDEX Online) - India's polished exports in January soared by almost 29 percent to $2.08 billion. Polished exports for the April to January period showed a rise of 4.2 percent to $19.3 billion, according to the figures released by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC). The GJEPC said that imports of rough surged by 13.6 percent in January to almost $1.44 billi...Read More
RAPAPORT...Three companies in Nirav Modi's jewelry empire - A.Jaffe, FirestarDiamond, and Fantasy - have filed for bankruptcy in the US, with two of themhoping to find buyers soon.Indian investigators are probing allegations that Modidefrauded Punjab National Bank of $1.8 billion by obtaining unauthorized loans.The total amount could be about $200 million more than that, the lender said inan updat...Read More
RAPAPORT... De Beers' diamond-grading unit will launch two of itseducational courses in Chinese, aiming to tap the important and fast-growingmarket. The International Institute of Diamond Grading &Research (IIDGR) will offer its online Diamond Foundation Course - covering theentire pipeline - in Simplified Chinese from March 1. It will translate itsPolished Diamond Grading Course later this ye...Read More
(IDEX Online) - The International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research (IIDGR), part of De Beers Group, will launch two of its diamond education courses in Simplified Chinese, helping students in one of the largest and fastest growing markets for diamond jewelry to enhance their knowledge of the industry. The online Diamond Foundation Course, which was launched last year and is the i...Read More
RAPAPORT...Indian companies Dharmanandan Diamonds and Hari Krishna Exportshave adopted blockchain technology to improve traceability of stones throughthe supply chain.Dharmanandan, a Mumbai-based manufacturer, has partneredwith technology company Everledger to place its diamond-tracking data onto ablockchain platform. The collaboration marries two existing projects:Everledger's diamond blockchain,...Read More
RAPAPORT... Polished-diamond shipments out of India increased in January,according to data from the nation's Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council(GJEPC). Polished exports climbed 29% year on year to $2.08 billionand, by volume, rose 20% to 2.7 million carats. The average price grew 7% to$766 per carat. Polished imports dropped 21% to $136 million, while netpolished exports - the excess of...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Sarine Technologies Ltd recorded revenues of $12.9 million in Q4 2017 ended 31 December, an improvement of 15% over Q3 2017. The increase was mainly attributed to higher sales of diamond manufacturing related capital equipment as business sentiment in the diamond manufacturing sector improved somewhat towards the very end of 2017. With higher revenues and lower opera...Read More
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) - New South African Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has received a resounding welcome from the Chamber of Mines of South Africa, Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) and mining luminaries.In its welcoming release, the chamber described Mantashe, 62, as a man of integrity and dignity.Advertisement"He is a person with whom our industry has long held...Read More
RAPAPORT... Thailand's gem and jewelry exports climbed2% to almost $13 billion in 2017, excluding gold, Commerce Minister SontiratSontijirawong said in his opening address at the Bangkok Gems & JewelryFair last week.An improving economic outlook in keymarkets for Thai-manufactured jewelry, such as the US, provides optimism forcontinuing growth in the country's gem exports, according to governm...Read More
(IDEX Online) - IGI India is to issue reports for uncut, unpolished diamonds, which are typically seen in traditional Indian bridal jewelry styles such as Jadau. The lab said its IGI India's latest offering fills an important gap in jewelry certification services. "By evaluating this particular type of diamond, IGI India can attest to the stone's authenticity and provide confidence...Read More
RAPAPORT... Belgium's polished-diamond exports increased in January,according to data from the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC). Polished exports jumped 29% year on year to $813.4 millionand, by volume, rose 21% to 352.1 million carats. The average price grew 6% to$2,310 per carat.Polished exports to the US surged 48% to $275.4 million, while shipments to Hong Kong soared 95% to $144 million. T...Read More
RAPAPORT... US polished-diamond trading slowed last year, according to government data. Polished imports dropped 6% to $21.62 billion and, by volume, slid 9% to9.8 million carats. The average price increased 4% to$2,205 per carat. Polished exports fell 4% to $18.02 billion, while netpolished imports - the excess of imports over exports -slipped 14% to $3.61 billion. Rough imports for the year were...Read More
RAPAPORT... Revenue from the retail division of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway slipped0.2% to $15.06 billion last year, the company reported Saturday.The decline in the segment, which includes jewelry chains Borsheims, Helzberg Diamonds and Ben Bridge Jeweler, stemmed primarily from the automotive sector. Excluding the car business, retail sales - including at those jewelers - increased 1.7%....Read More
RAPAPORT... Polished-diamond shipments out of India increased in January,according to data from the nation's Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council(GJEPC). Polished exports climbed 29% year on year to $2.08 billionand, by volume, rose 20% to 2.7 million carats. The average price grew 7% to$766 per carat. Polished imports dropped 21% to $136 million, while netpolished exports - the excess of...Read More
RAPAPORT... Thailand's gem and jewelry exports climbed2% to almost $13 billion in 2017, excluding gold, Commerce Minister SontiratSontijirawong said in his opening address at the Bangkok Gems & JewelryFair last week.An improving economic outlook in keymarkets for Thai-manufactured jewelry, such as the US, provides optimism forcontinuing growth in the country's gem exports, according to governm...Read More
HARARE – Zimbabwe expects to earn $1.78-billion from mineral sales in 2018, up from $1.5-billion last year, Masimba Chandavengerwa, chief executive of the government marketing agency, told a mining conference on Tuesday.Political changes that saw former president Robert Mugabe step down last year after almost four decades in power have improved the investor mood in Zimbabwe, which has some o...Read More