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Nearly 42-Carat Blue Diamond Discovered in South Africa

Petra Diamonds unearthed the 41.82-carat, Type IIb blue diamond at the Cullinan Mine. London—Petra Diamonds Ltd. has recovered a 41.82-carat blue diamond of “seemingly exceptional” color and clarity from South Africa’s famed Cullinan Mine. Petra announced the recovery of the Type IIb diamond on Tuesday but provided few additional details. The mining company, which recently refinanced […]

Diamond Trade on Notice as Russian Sanctions May Ease

The diamond industry must brace itself for another shakeup as restrictions on Russian supply may be lifted sooner than anticipated. Alrosa’s reintroduction to the market should now be considered an imminent possibility, after President Trump presented a 28-point draft proposal in Kyiv to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. The plan, developed with Moscow’s input, maps […]

Namibia Now Says It Wants De Beers Stake

Namibia’s cabinet has voted on a proposal for the country to take a stake in De Beers, according to a report in the Namibian Sun. The newspaper said Namibia was interested in acquiring as much as 10% to 15% of the company, possibly in a consortium with Angola and Botswana, which have both expressed interest in […]

Kimberley Process Fails to Expand Conflict-Diamond Definition

The Kimberley Process (KP) failed to reach a consensus on broadening the definition of conflict diamonds at last week’s plenary in Dubai, according to industry organizations. “While not unexpected, it is obviously a massive disappointment for civil society that, once again, the KP has failed to expand the conflict-diamond definition,” said Jaff Bamenjo, coordinator of […]

China Removes Diamond Sector’s Tax Discount

The Chinese government has stripped the country’s main diamond exchange of its preferential tax treatment. From November 1, importers of polished diamonds through the Shanghai Diamond Exchange (SDE) will no longer enjoy a heavily reduced rate of import value-added tax (VAT), according to documents the country’s State Tax Administration (STA) released last week. Since 2006, […]

India’s Jewelry Trade Calls for Reforms to Boost Sector

India’s Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) presented a host of policy recommendations to support the industry at a meeting with the country’s prime minister, Narendra Modi. GJEPC chairman Kirit Bhansali called for modernization of India’s Customs Act 1962, which grants the government powers to collect import duties. His recommendations include implementing a risk-management […]

The Diamond Trade Has a Stake in De Beers’ Sale

What does the diamond industry want, or expect, from the new owners of De Beers, whoever they turn out to be? Should we expect a notable shift in the company’s character, or another adjustment to its strategy after the substantial changes CEO Al Cook has already introduced over the past two years? New owners usually […]