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Trading in Antwerp

At face value, the recent cooperation agreement between the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) and ALROSA didn’t bring much that’s new to the table.

Ode to Cartier

There are some exhibitions that should not be missed, and this is definitely one of them! From December 4, 2013 to February 16, 2014, Cartier is exhibiting at the Grand Palais. Through “Cartier: Style and History”, you will discover treasures stemming from the workshops of one of the most illustrious French high-end jewelry houses.

A tale of two cities: Moscow and Gaborone

It used to be that having a supply contract with De Beers, having a Sight, was a top honor. It was a stamp of approval that you are a top player in the game, a member of an exclusive and elite club.

Holiday forecast: cautious outlook, 3%-5% growth expected

The year’s gloom may have a happy, or at least a semi-happy end. It’s far from being obvious, so it’s worth examining. A group of diamond jewelry retailers have recently reported their outlook for the coming months, including the holiday season, along with their third quarter results.

Have you asked women?

After working almost two years in the diamond industry and reading articles on the subject almost daily, I find that some of them are of more concern to me than others. And the much-hackneyed theme of generic advertising is one of them.

Corporate diamantaires

The mid-stream diamond industry has been given a wake-up call this year by the corporatization of supply. Suddenly, the majority of rough production is being controlled by public companies following ALROSA’s October share placement and Anglo American’s 2012 buyout of De Beers.

The year of omnishambles

The Oxford Dictionaries UK Word of the Year 2012 was ‘omnishambles.’ The word describes “a situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged, and is characterized by a string of blunders and miscalculations.”

Diamond investors

For investors looking for exposure to the diamond market, 2013 has not lived up to expectations. In fact, while U.S. stocks have rallied this year, pure-play diamond companies have struggled along.

Confusing economic figures add muddle to holiday outlook

In recent months, we have discussed in this column the retail scenarios, including expectations for future sales. Our outlook has been generally cautious, offering data that indicates rising jewelry sales, while pointing out that diamond jewelry sales are losing market share, for example.