De Beers’ Rough Diamond Sales Decline Again
CEO Al Cook said macroeconomic challenges are impacting consumer demand, making the industry cautious about the second half of the year.

De Beers said Wednesday that rough diamond sales to sightholders and auction customers totaled $450 million in the fifth sales cycle of the year, covering the period of June 5-20.
That is down 32 percent from $657 million in the fifth sales cycle of 2022, and down 6 percent from $479 million in rough diamond sales in May.
Last month, De Beers said it would be combining the auctions for its fifth and sixth sales cycles this year in response to a slowdown in demand. The company sells about 10 percent of its production via auctions, with the remaining 90 percent going to sightholders.
CEO Al Cook said Wednesday that ongoing global macroeconomic challenges are impacting consumer demand, which in turn is affecting demand for rough diamonds.
“Reflecting this, we saw demand for De Beers rough diamonds during the fifth sales cycle of the year slightly softer than the fourth cycle,” he said.
Year-to-date, the gap between De Beers’ 2023 sales and 2022 sales continues to widen.
Through the fifth sales cycle of 2023, sales total $2.42 billion, down 23 percent when compared with $3.14 billion in sales at the same point last year.
In May, the sales differential stood at 18 percent, $2.03 billion versus $2.48 billion a year ago.
The Latest

Its sessions will focus on inventory strategies, staff performance, retention and acquisition, emerging market trends, and more.

For its 10th anniversary, Miseno designed the “Arco” earrings based on the Arco Felice, an arch conceptualized in A.D. 95 in Miseno, Italy.

The jewelry company is one of several contributing to relief efforts in the region after the recent floods.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

Inspired by fiancé Sid Wilson’s nickname for her, the white and yellow diamond ring features a unique honeycomb design.


The brand is marking its 50th anniversary with a limited-edition bangle, high jewelry suites, new collections, and more.

Goldfarb said changes in the industry, coupled with his age and the updates needed to modernize his business, drove his decision.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

Longtime LVMH executive Michael Burke has stepped into the role.

Central topics of next week’s event include climate action, labor rights, artisan preservation, and value retention in producing countries.

Vickie Rokkos has joined the jewelry company as its new national sales director of North America.

Turbulence will be the new baseline for luxury as it faces its biggest potential setbacks in 15 years, a recent report said.

Sponsored by Rio Grande Jewelry Supply

The “For the Love of Fruits” collection features five fruit pendants, each holding a different meaning.

Diamonds and crimes (some involving diamonds) top the list of National Jeweler’s most popular stories halfway through the year.

The “Les Pétales” collection imagines roses caught mid-bloom as a tribute to nature’s beauty.

Luxury brands charge thousands for their shoes and handbags. Jewelers pricing diamond products should take note, Peter Smith writes.

Rotenberg was an active member of the American Gem Society and an accomplished appraiser who also worked with therapy dogs at a hospital.

It follows New York-based brand Shahla Karimi Jewelry’s all-women team in “Say Yes to the Dress” meets “The Office”-style episodes.

In its inaugural year, the SMO Foundation will focus on supporting two organizations in West Africa and one in South America.

The announcement comes just as the 90-day freeze on the “reciprocal” tariffs nears its end, giving countries more time to negotiate.

Police officers apprehended the suspects as they were allegedly attempting to gain entry into another jewelry store.

The program, a collaboration between Julius Klein Diamonds and the Women’s Jewelry Association, is in its second year.

Sponsored by the Gemological Institute of America

The 2025 Australian Open champion is the jewelry brand’s first athlete ambassador.

The West Village jewelry boutique’s new shop-in-shop is the cornerstone of Nordstrom’s revamped jewelry hall.

This past year, the manufacturer said it recorded below-zero emissions per carat of natural diamond.