RAPAPORT... Alrosa has sold its 50% stake in the Sunland Mineralsexploration project in Botswana, according to its former joint-venture partner. Botswana Diamonds bought the Russian miner out for a"nominal sum" and now owns the asset outright, it said in a statement Thursday.Another large diamond producer with "new ideas" that is "keen to find newkimberlites" in the African country is close to acq...Read More
RAPAPORT... Sotheby's garnered $59.9 million at its Geneva auction lastweek as a 21.19-carat pink diamond smashed its estimate with a final price of $7.4million. The cushion-shaped, fancy-light-pink, VVS2-clarity, type IIadiamond fetched $347,601 per carat, Sotheby's reported following the Thursdaysale. It had a presale valuation of $4.5 million to $6.5 million. The Magnificent Jewels & Noble...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Botswana Diamonds has acquired the 50% share previously held by Alrosa in their Sunland joint venture and now holds 100% of the equity in Sunland Minerals. The company's 100% ownership allows for a new investor to enter as a new joint venture partner, the miner said, adding that advanced negotiations are underway with potential partner. Work could begin in the f...Read More
RAPAPORT... Bonhams will offer an 18.04-carat diamond at its FineJewelry sale in New York next month, estimating the piece at $400,000 to$600,000. The emerald-cut, G-color, VS2-clarity diamond flanked bytrillion-cut diamonds will head up the auction on December 3 at the company'sMadison Avenue location, Bonhams said Thursday. "This is a beautiful example of a large, white diamondexhibiting sensat...Read More
RAPAPORT... Alrosa has sold its 50% stake in the Sunland Mineralsexploration project in Botswana, according to its former joint-venture partner. Botswana Diamonds bought the Russian miner out for a"nominal sum" and now owns the asset outright, it said in a statement Thursday.Another large diamond producer with "new ideas" that is "keen to find newkimberlites" in the African country is close to acq...Read More
RAPAPORT... Bonhams will offer an 18.04-carat diamond at its FineJewelry sale in New York next month, estimating the piece at $400,000 to$600,000. The emerald-cut, G-color, VS2-clarity diamond flanked bytrillion-cut diamonds will head up the auction on December 3 at the company'sMadison Avenue location, Bonhams said Thursday. "This is a beautiful example of a large, white diamondexhibiting sensat...Read More
RAPAPORT... Polished-diamond imports to Hong Kong increased 11% in thethird quarter, according to data from the Diamond Federation of Hong Kong,China. The average price of imports jumped 15%, offsetting the lower volumes -a trend that reflects a shift toward higher-value goods among traders.Polished imports grew 6% for the year to date, while exports to mainland Chinaclimbed 12% to $2.58 billionHo...Read More
Mining companies’ social and labour plans (SLPs) should incorporate initiatives or programmes aimed at reskilling workers and uplifting community members through the development of portable skills, says socioeconomic development facilitator Economic Development Solutions (EDS) MD Janine Espin.EDS projects executive director Waldo Adams notes that, while mining is a corner- stone for the Sout...Read More
Botswana Diamonds (LON:BOD) has bought Russian diamond miner Alrosa's 50% stake in their Sunland Minerals joint venture (JV) and the company said it is close to bringing a new partner into the project.In a statement, the company described the unnamed new investor as "a large diamond producer with new ideas and keen to find new kimberlites in Botswana," adding that the potential new partner will ac...Read More
Polished trading stable in 1 ct. and larger, withdealers optimistic for Black Friday and holiday season. Record Alibaba Singles'Day (11/11) sales of $30.8B boost outlook for e-commerce, despite concernsUS-China trade war will impact consumer spending. Rough market cautious. DeBeers cuts prices of small, low-quality goods by 5% to 15% amid slump in demand for and prices of polished melee. Christie'...Read More
Trading quiet as dealers slowly return from Diwali break. Activity expectedto pick up from next week. Surat factories to remain closed or operate at lowcapacity. Rumored bankruptcies, weak rupee and tight liquidity dampened dealerand retail sentiment during festival. Data as of November 1: RoundRead More
RAPAPORT... Lisa Bridge will succeed her father Ed Bridge as CEO of BenBridge Jeweler, a subsidiary of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. Lisa Bridge became the retailer's first female president andchief operating officer last year. Since then, she has overhauled the jeweler'simage to help it appeal to a newer generation of consumers, the company saidTuesday. She will take over on January...Read More
RAPAPORT... Mumbai's Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB) is considering allowingsynthetic-diamond trading on the exchange premises, its president told RapaportNews this week. Some members have asked management to reconsider its 2015ban on selling lab-grown diamonds anywhere in the BDB's vast office complex,Anoop Mehta said. The bourse will consult with members after the Diwalivacation season, and cou...Read More
RAPAPORT... A natural pearl and diamond pendant belonging to MarieAntoinette smashed its price estimate and capped off a record-breaking sale atSotheby's Geneva auction. The jewel went for $36.2 million, beating its presale valuationof $1 million to $2 million, and setting a new auction record for a naturalpearl, Sotheby's said Wednesday. All jewels on offer at the auction found abuyer, inclu...Read More
The World Diamond Council (WDC) and the Civil Society Coalition (CSC) this week voiced their strong support for an expanded definition of conflict diamonds at the launch of the 2018 Plenary Session of the Kimberley Process (KP), in Brussels, Belgium.The proposal, put forward by the government of Canada, looks to strengthen the scope by expanding the KP’s official definition of what constitut...Read More
(IDEX Online) - The World Diamond Council (WDC) and the Civil Society Coalition (CSC) voiced their strong support for an expanded definition of conflict diamonds at the Plenary Session of the Kimberley Process (KP) in Brussels. The proposal, put forward by the government of Canada, looks to strengthen the scope by expanding the KP's official definition of what constitutes conflict diamonds...Read More
RAPAPORT... Stornoway Diamond Corporation has appointed a new CEO after reporting its third successive quarterly loss. Patrick Godin, Stornoway's chief operating officer, willsucceed Matt Manson on January 1, the company said Wednesday. Stornoway recorded a net loss of CAD 37.6 million ($28.5million) for the third quarter after writing CAD 22.4 million ($16.9 million)off the value of i...Read More
Aim-listed Botswana Diamonds (BOD) has completed the acquisition of Russian diamond miner Alrosa’s 50% interest in the Sunland Minerals joint venture (JV), giving BOD full ownership of the project.BOD on Thursday also announced that negotiations were under way with a potential new JV partner – a large diamond producer that is interested in acquiring 50% of the project and which has a s...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Registration has opened for the Third Jewelry Industry Summit taking place at the Tucson Convention Center before the AGTA GemFair, the organizers announced. "The goal of this year's Summit is to enable attendees to use practical tools and resources to sustain responsible sourcing. The speakers and interactive programs will focus on what can be done immediately and by every...Read More
(IDEX Online) - In response to the needs of the Atlanta Jewelry Show (AJS) community, Executive Director Libby Brown announced the launch of two new feature areas for the 2019 spring event in Atlanta. "As the buying habits of today's consumers evolve, independent retailers are adapting e-commerce strategies to enhance - not replace - their sales opportunities and grow their business," she...Read More