RAPAPORT... Mountain Province recovered more than 5,000 micro-diamondsfrom Gahcho Ku?(C)'s new Wilson pipe during its initial drilling program. The Canadian miner retrieved 1.7 tonnes of kimberlite fromtwo drill holes at the site, it said Monday. Of the 5,564 stones treated at theSaskatchewan Research Council, 86 were over 0.85 millimeters, weighing a totalof 2.23 carats. "These results, [wh...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Graff Diamonds has acquired the 20.7-carat Firebird diamond directly from Alrosa. While no price has been disclosed, the sale is apparently one of the highest prices per carat for such a stone in recent years. The GIA graded the Asscher-cut diamond as Fancy Vivid Yellow / VS1 with excellent polish and symmetry. "It is extremely rare and very special in the world of diamonds to...Read More
RAPAPORT... It shouldn't be a novel idea, but in the jewelry industry,it's practically revolutionary. Unlike in almost every other fashion andaccessory retail sector, the idea of jewelers targeting female shoppers asdirect consumers only began to emerge fully in the past couple of years.But why has this strong and fast-growing segment beenoverlooked in the trade for so long? In this male-domi...Read More
RAPAPORT... Jewelers of America(JA) will expand its new marketing campaign following a successful test which reached more than 3 million unique consumers and garnered positive response."The industry came together and we were able to execute a campaign by the industry, for the industry," said JA CEO David Bonaparte. "The success of the test campaign gives us great promise for the future of a n...Read More
RAPAPORT... Pandora has elected Peter Ruzicka to succeed Peder Tuborghas chairman of the board, as part of its efforts to reinvigorate interest inits brand.Ruzicka's appointment follows the recruitment earlier this year of Alexander Lacik as CEO, along with other executive changes, as the company seeks to cut costs and improve its profit via its Programme Now strategy. Pandora announced in Ma...Read More
RAPAPORT... Jewelers of America(JA) will expand its new marketing campaign following a successful test which reached more than 3 million unique consumers and garnered positive response."The industry came together and we were able to execute a campaign by the industry, for the industry," said JA CEO David Bonaparte. "The success of the test campaign gives us great promise for the future of a n...Read More
(IDEX Online) - International exhibitors are being invited to participate in the 2020 International Diamond Week in Israel (IDWI). This is the first time the IDWI has been open to exhibitors from all markets.Ezra Boaron, IDWI chairman said the decision to open up the doors of the show came from interest shown by international companies. "The diamond world thrives on trading and I believe that this...Read More
RAPAPORT... The Western Australian government has invited Gibb RiverDiamonds and India Bore Diamond Holdings to mine at the Ellendale deposit. The companies will pay rental fees on the areas in which they set up operations, rather than owning that portion of the site outright, theDepartment of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS), told RapaportNews last week. Although DMIRS has alre...Read More
RAPAPORT... Swiss watch exports fell in November as orders from HongKong continued to slow. Shipments to all countries declined 3.5% to CHF 1.99 billion($2.03 billion) in November, the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industryreported last week. That mainly reflects a 27% drop in exports to Hong Kong,which outweighed a 4.6% increase in orders from the US.Pro-democracy protests have devastated luxury...Read More
RAPAPORT... Mountain Province has forecast a rise in output next year amid a stabilization of demand and operational improvements at its Gahcho Ku?(C) mine. The Canada-based miner will produce between 6.75 million and 6.95million carats, up from the 6.7 million to 6.8 million carats it expects for 2019, it estimated. The projection for next year is higher than its earlier forecast of 6.6...Read More
RAPAPORT... Firestone Diamonds gave a cautious outlook for the coming year, expecting continued sluggish market conditions to impact rough prices. "From a diamond-pricing perspective, [2019] was a tough year, particularly for the smaller, lower-value goods, and these market conditions are expected to persist for the foreseeable future until the end of 2020 when global rough supply is expected...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Firestone Diamonds has said that despite a solid operational performance, 2019 was a disappointing year in which revenues declined because of a weak diamond market and a reduction in carats sold.During the year ended June 30, 2019, the company recovered 829,458 carats (2018: 835,832 carats) and sold 774,830 carats sold (2018: 831,637 carats).The company, which has operations focuse...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. has announced that it will the upper end of its production guidance of 6.7-6.8 million carats for 2019. The company said from an operational point of view, 2019 had been a "strong year." Looking ahead, the miner expects to recover 6.75-6.95 million carats from the Gahcho Ku?? (C) Mine in 2020. The company intends to increase the plant's cap...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Jewelers of America (JA), the national trade association for businesses serving the fine jewelry marketplace, has announced that its "Another Piece of Your Story" marketing campaign reached 3 million unique consumers in just six weeks. The test campaign ran in Los Angeles and was an industry-wide collaboration to increase consumer desire for jewelry by connecting consume...Read More
RAPAPORT... Swiss watch exports fell in November as orders from HongKong continued to slow. Shipments to all countries declined 3.5% to CHF 1.99 billion($2.03 billion) in November, the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industryreported last week. That mainly reflects a 27% drop in exports to Hong Kong,which outweighed a 4.6% increase in orders from the US.Pro-democracy protests have devastated luxury...Read More
RAPAPORT... Firestone Diamonds gave a cautious outlook for the coming year, expecting continued sluggish market conditions to impact rough prices. "From a diamond-pricing perspective, [2019] was a tough year, particularly for the smaller, lower-value goods, and these market conditions are expected to persist for the foreseeable future until the end of 2020 when global rough supply is expected...Read More
Activity downsince US and European buyers completed their orders for the season. Focus nowon China for Jan. 25 Lunar New Year. Caution still surrounds Hong Kong market.Manufacturers raising production but careful not to build up too muchinventory. Shortages supporting prices, as new polished has not yet come tomarket in large quantities. RoundRead More
Positive sentiment in finalweek before Christmas. Retail emphasis on omni-channel and improving in-storeshopping experience. Brands using pop-up stores to boost customer interaction, testinnovations and showcase new products. Strong online sales. Chinese demanddriving polished market ahead of Jan. 25 lunar festival as US and China edgetoward trade deal. Alrosa positions itself in China with WeChat...Read More
RAPAPORT... Martin Siegel, the chairman of Hamilton Jewelers who wasinstrumental in growing the US retailer's brand, died on December 17, thecompany announced. He was 86. Born in New Jersey, Siegel joined his father'sfine-jewelry business on leaving the army in the 1950s. He became president in1968, and served as chairman from 1994 until his death. The company now hasstores in Princeton, New Jerse...Read More
RAPAPORT... Lucara Diamond Corp. achieved higher sales than itexpected at its final tender of the year as market stabilization drove anincrease in rough prices. The owner of the Karowe mine in Botswana brought in $52.9million, 16% above its prediction, capping off a year of revenue growth, itsaid in a statement Wednesday. "Though it is too early to call a trend, prices achievedin our final sale of...Read More