(IDEX Online) - Private equity firm Huron Capital has made a significant equity investment in WD Lab Grown Diamonds which is based in the Washington D.C. area and produces large, high-quality laboratory grown diamonds for the jewelry, scientific and industrial markets. "The Huron Capital investment is expected to help us significantly expand our capacity in the fast-growing, high-quality se...Read More
RAPAPORT... De Beers has approved plans to allow sightholders to referto its goods as "DTC diamonds," a company spokesperson confirmed with RapaportNews on Tuesday. The miner consulted with clients during the December sightin Botswana, proposing to relax its ban on buyers identifying diamonds as DeBeers goods further down the supply chain. Until now, sightholders could onlydisclose their supp...Read More
TSX-, Nasdaq- and Botswana Stock Exchange-listed Lucara Diamond Corporation finalised its inaugural diamond sale through its digital sales platform, Clara Diamond Solutions, in December.Seven manufacturers participated in the sale, five of whom matched and received their orders through the platform.AdvertisementCEO Eira Thomas said in a statement on Tuesday that the trial sale marked a momentous m...Read More
(IDEX Online) - After more than 12 years of operations in Antwerp, India's ICICI Bank is withdrawing from diamond trade financing. Clients were requested at the end of December to close their accounts before the end of February as ICICI Bank UK PLC will be shutting down on March 29. The Antwerp branch of the bank, which opened in Antwerp in May 2006, is a unit of India's ICICI Bank...Read More
Israel-focused precious stones junior Shefa Yamim (LON, TLV:SEFA) announced Monday a scientific discovery that may make its gemstones more valuable than they've ever been, as researches have confirmed the presence of a new mineral inside them.According to an article published in the journal Minerals last month, the new mineral - named Carmeltazite, after Mount Carmel in northern Israel - contai...Read More
RAPAPORT... Tiffany & Co., Forevermark and Le Vian were among thebrands celebrities wore at Sunday's Golden Globes awards, with Lady Gaga's opulent display of diamonds stealing the show.Lady Gaga stepped onto the red carpet sporting a Tiffany necklacefeaturing more than 300 diamonds, including a pear radiant-cut, 20-carat centerstone. She also wore Tiffany diamond-cluster earrings, and three T...Read More
RAPAPORT... Israel's polished-diamond exports showed signs ofstabilizing in 2018 after three years of heavier declines, according togovernment data.Shipments slipped 2.5% to $4.48 billion for the year, thenation's Ministry of Economy and Industry reported Sunday. That compares withdrops of 20%, 6% and 4% in 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively, Rapaport recordsshow. "Following a few years of...crisis...Read More
RAPAPORT... The All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC)has elected Anantha Padmanaban as chairman for a two-year term. The organization, which represents India's domesticjewelry industry, chose Shaankar Sen to be its vice chairman. The electronicelection took place last week. The GJC changed its name from the All India Gem andJewellery Trade Federation (GJF) last year. The move reflecte...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Diamond broker and consultant Bonas will hold a tender of exceptional polished colored gemstones from February 18 to 22 in Bangkok to coincide with next month's Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair (BGJF). The event is being organized with the support of the Asia Gem Center and will take place at the Jewelry Trade Center in Bangkok. The tender will feature approximat...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Hong Kong based jewelry giant Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited has signed an agreement with Tencent in which WeChat Pay Hong Kong can be used for all purchases at its stores in Mainland China. The deal aims to encourage Hong Kong buyers to use digital payments in Hong Kong dollars. The use of WeChat Pay HK in both Mainland China and Hong Kong "provides the utmos...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Harry Winston Inc. has filed suit regarding the building it leases in Chicago which the famous jewelry retailer alleges was damaged by a nearby construction project and cost it more than $2 million in lost profits. The complaint was filed in Cook County Circuit Court against 65 Oak Street Owner LLC, LG Development Group LLC, and others, citing the Chicago Excavation Ordinanc...Read More
RAPAPORT... Dalumi Group has shut down Zoara, its jewelry retail platform,the Israel-based diamond company said.The e-commerce page stopped accepting purchases on January 1,and will complete and ship remaining orders in the next few days, accordingto a message on the site. "It was our honor to provide you with outstanding diamondsand fine jewelry to celebrate the important moments of life," the me...Read More
RAPAPORT... Same-store jewelry sales at Titan Company grew during the thirdfiscal quarter, signaling strong demand for branded jewelry during the Diwali and Dussehra festivalperiod, the Indian retailer said. "Customer demand was buoyant in the festive season ofDiwali-Dussehra," the company noted in a trading update Friday. "Expansion ofthe store network continued as planned, to benefit from the ri...Read More
RAPAPORT... Retail sales of jewelry and other luxury items in Hong Kongdeclined for the first time in 17 months as global economic uncertainties impacted consumer sentiment.Revenues from jewelry, watches, clocks and other valuablegifts dropped 3.9% to HKD 5.88 billion ($750.8 million) in November, themunicipality's Census and Statistics Department reported Thursday. Sales in allretail categories i...Read More
RAPAPORT... The Diamond Producers Association (DPA) has appointed former VanCleef & Arpels marketing executive Kristina Buckley Kayel as managingdirector for North America. Buckley Kayel will be in charge of developing andimplementing the DPA's consumer-marketing and communications strategy,beginning February 4, the organization said Thursday. Reporting to CEOJean-Marc Lieberherr, she will foc...Read More
RAPAPORT... Dalumi Group has shut down Zoara, its jewelry retail platform,the Israel-based diamond company said.The e-commerce page stopped accepting purchases on January 1,and will complete and ship remaining orders in the next few days, accordingto a message on the site. "It was our honor to provide you with outstanding diamondsand fine jewelry to celebrate the important moments of life," the me...Read More
RAPAPORT... Same-store jewelry sales at Titan Company grew during the thirdfiscal quarter, signaling strong demand for branded jewelry during the Diwali and Dussehra festivalperiod, the Indian retailer said. "Customer demand was buoyant in the festive season ofDiwali-Dussehra," the company noted in a trading update Friday. "Expansion ofthe store network continued as planned, to benefit from the ri...Read More
RAPAPORT... Retail sales of jewelry and other luxury items in Hong Kongdeclined for the first time in 17 months as global economic uncertainties impacted consumer sentiment.Revenues from jewelry, watches, clocks and other valuablegifts dropped 3.9% to HKD 5.88 billion ($750.8 million) in November, themunicipality's Census and Statistics Department reported Thursday. Sales in allretail categories i...Read More
RAPAPORT... Retail sales of jewelry and other luxury items in Hong Kongdeclined for the first time in 17 months as global economic uncertainties impacted consumer sentiment.Revenues from jewelry, watches, clocks and other valuablegifts dropped 3.9% to HKD 5.88 billion ($750.8 million) in November, themunicipality's Census and Statistics Department reported Thursday. Sales in allretail categories i...Read More
RAPAPORT... The Diamond Producers Association (DPA) has appointed former VanCleef & Arpels marketing executive Kristina Buckley Kayel as managingdirector for North America. Buckley Kayel will be in charge of developing andimplementing the DPA's consumer-marketing and communications strategy,beginning February 4, the organization said Thursday. Reporting to CEOJean-Marc Lieberherr, she will foc...Read More