When Signet jewelers’ e-commerce subsidiary James Allen began offering man-made diamonds in May, the company added an additional search tab to the site: “Earth-created diamonds” or “Lab-created Diamonds.” Up until this point, websites offering both products typically defaulted to natural diamonds or simply “diamonds” providing a further filter required to search for the man-made variety.
image: First Lady of Botswana – Idexonline Neo Jane Masisi, First Lady of the Republic of Botswana, opened Forevermark’s annual breakfast at JCK Luxury, highlighting the important role that diamonds have played in the history of her life and that of her country, alongside the jeweller Forevermark and its manufacturing partners.
Claims against Omega Diamonds by customs dismissed
image: Sands Las Vegas – JCK Because it rained for five minutes on the opening day of the JCK show in Las Vegas on the typical sunny Strip in Las Vegas, one could not help feeling that it could be a bit different this year. Was the unusual weather a sign that diamond traders could expect similar positive surprises in the trading hall? After all, they had endured difficult market conditions over the past 12 months and could have used a little help.
image Stephen Lussier – De Beers Group Stephen Lussier, senior manager of De Beers, who is now chairman of the new consumer products division (consisting of Forevermark, De Beers Diamond Jewellers and the synthetic range Lightbox) and the Diamond Producers Association (DPA), met JCK after the Forevermarket breakfast at JCK Las Vegas on 30 May. In this interview he discusses how the bridal jewellery market is developing and what the real purpose of Lightbox is, as well as its future.
The Alpha and Omega of the diamond business history and some savvy expertise
Shipments of polished diamonds to the US grew 4% to $5.51 billion in the first quarter, as a stronger March canceled out a negative start to the year. Imports rose 13% to $2.23 billion for the month, compared with a 1% rise in January and a 3% decline in February.
Image: Serena Williams for KP Sanghvi Travellers to the JCK show in Las Vegas were greeted with a somewhat enigmatic image at McCarren Airport: a woman with a finger on her lips saying “Shhhhhh”. She is the tennis superstar Serena Williams.
Swarovski, the Austrian jeweller known for his cut glass crystals, is preparing for the launch of natural diamonds. “We believe in natural diamonds and we want to tell a positive story,” the company said at a session on sustainable development organized by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
image: LVMH LVMH and singer Rihanna launch a new luxury brand, Fenty, in the form of a new home within the luxury conglomerate.