The R&M “Lettre”

In many ways, the entire diamond pipeline, from mining to retailing, has hardly changed in decades, with the exception of online sales and a long list of technological innovations that mostly have to do with other aspects of the diamond industry. In fact, where small developments did take place, most want to reverse the changes, […]

Arguably, the Canadian diamond industry’s best years have passed. While its flagship Diavik and Ekati mines are aging, the mines being developed are not of the same scale or value. But they are among the more attractive new diamond projects out there and Canada remains a relatively unexplored diamond frontier compared with other countries.

There is so much for us to be thankful for, and so much more that we can and should improve, change or create before we could be thankful for more.  First and foremost, we should be thankful for the diamond jewelry buying public. Without them, there is no business. Yes, they are finicky, and at […]

For news junkies in the diamond industry, this past week was a relatively exciting one. And for once it wasn’t De Beers making the headlines. This time, BHP Billiton completed its diamond exit by agreeing to sell the Ekati mine in Canada to Harry Winston for $500 million, while further west, ALROSA signed a two-year […]

What can the market expect from Harry Winston Diamonds’ purchase of BHP Billiton’s diamond business? Prima facie, an established and experienced Canadian miner, with a high-end and successful diamond-jewelry retail operation, widened its mining operation, strengthening its position according to its “Bookends” philosophy. A closer look, however, reveals a far more complex picture and raises […]

De Beers sold an estimated $480 million worth of rough diamonds at its November sight that ended this past week. Sightholders continue to note difficult market conditions and low profit margins as De Beers has curbed supply and kept its prices steady. “It was a smaller sight than October but it went well,” said Nigel […]

Ongoing smuggling, money laundering benefits Zimbabwe political elite. Partnership Africa Canada (PAC) alerted the global diamond industry to ongoing smuggling in Zimbabwe, adding that money laundering and a lack of transparency directly benefits certain members of the country’s ruling party.

Traditional jewelry retailers, and diamond dealers for that matter, continue to express concern about the impact that online jewelers have had on the market. With complete price transparency and extensive information available on the web, brick and mortar stores today face a far more knowledgeable consumer than before, armed with strong price comparisons.

On Tuesday, we reported that polished prices had declined year-over-year, for the fourth month in a row. This trend started more than a year ago, when prices began to show a continuously diminishing growth rate that slid straight into the red as diamond prices sank from their July 2012 peak. Month-over-month, polished diamond prices have […]

The World Diamond Mark (WDM), recently unveiled by the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB), will hopefully succeed where previous programs have failed.

Two diamond and jewelry industry initiatives made headlines a couple of weeks ago. One was the introduction of the Diamond Source Protocol; the other was a call for generic marketing. These two issues are intertwined.  I’m not steadfastly against initiatives suggested by U.S. retail organizations, RJC or anyone else seeking to improve the ethical standards […]

There is a long-standing perception among diamond traders and jewelers — the more price ‎information becomes available to consumers, the more difficult the emotional pitch ‎becomes. Walking the halls of the recent Hong Kong show, or any of the international ‎diamond bourses for that matter, one gets a sense that the trade is more adept […]