Swiss watches see highest growth in six years
Robust demand for steel watches drove Swiss timepiece exports upward in March, closing off the industry’s strongest quarter of growth in six years.
The R&M “Lettre”
Sign-up for La Lettre from R&M to get the essentials of current affairs in the diamond industry and privileged access to the articles published below
We keep your data private and only share it with third parties that make this service possible. Read our Confidentiality Policy for more information.
Blue diamond sets new world record at Sotheby’s
An ultrarare 3.47 ct. fancy intense blue diamond ring sold for $6.7 million at Sotheby’s latest Magnificent Jewels in New York City on April 19.
De Beers’ ASM Diamond initiative critical step for industry
By far the most important announcement this week was that of the De Beers Group that it is preparing to pilot a program called GemFair
Net-a-Porter selling 40 brands on new jewelry site Yoox
Yoox Net-a-Porter, the high-end e-tailer, has opened a new section of its site that is dedicated to fine jewelry and watches. It will feature more than 40 brands, including Piaget, Cartier, Pomellato, Tiffany & Co. and Buccellati.
Lab finds 3ct. synthetic diamond with fake report
A grading laboratory in China has discovered a synthetic diamond masquerading as a natural stone, complete with a forged inscription and a falsified report.
How Compliance became the ‘fifth C’ in diamonds
The diamond industry has for decades, done business with a truly international pipeline — diamonds are mined in some continents
What is a hackathon, and why is Antwerp holding one?
According to Antwerp World Diamond Centre spokeswoman Karen Rentmeesters, the standard hackathon is a “gathering of nerds” who spend three days locked in a room working on computer code, fueled by fast food and energy drinks.
US-China trade war shouldn’t hurt diamonds
The global diamond and jewelry industry may have felt nervous about the US proposal earlier this month to place $50 billion-worth of tariffs on Chinese goods.
LVMH’s watch, jewelry sales rise 20 percent in first quarter
LVMH’s stable of watch and jewelry brands enjoyed an astounding 20 percent organic revenue growth during the first quarter of 2018, the luxury conglomerate announced recently.
The price of lab-created diamonds continue to fall
The discount of gem-quality lab-created diamonds, manufactured for use in jewelry, relative to natural diamonds has doubled from 11-20% a year ago to 28-40% today, according to a survey of prices.
A new “Do Good” story from the Diamond Empowerment Fund
Press release – Botswana’s Okavango Diamond Company latest company to be highlighted to millennial consumers.
Baselworld 2018 and the marginalization of diamonds
Many years ago, a De Beers director quietly admitted to me that even if all the marketing efforts were working well and diamond sales were on the rise, the diamond industry would still not catch up with the luxury market and would continue to lose market share to it.