EditorsNov 22, 2024
Out & About: Inside the CD Peacock MansionStep inside the nearly 21,000-square-foot suburban Chicago jewelry store with Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff.
SourcingSep 19, 2018
De Beers Sales Flatline, Alrosa’s Climb
The strongest demand is at the top end of the market, with De Beers allowing sightholders to hold off on buying lower-value rough for now.
De Beers’ rough diamond sales totaled $505 million in its most recent round of sightholder and auction sales, while rival Alrosa reported August sales of $294.9 million, a figure that includes rough and polished diamonds.
New York—The strongest demand for diamonds is coming from the top end of the market currently, with De Beers allowing sightholders to defer on lower-end goods.
The diamond miner and marketer’s most recent sightholder and auction sales totaled $505 million, slightly below the $507 million sold in the same period last year. (The $505 million, it should be noted, is a provisional figure that likely will be revised upward.)
De Beers CEO Bruce Cleaver said at this most recent sight, the company gave sightholders the chance to “re-phase the allocation” of lower-value rough diamonds, meaning it let buyers put off on buying smaller stones for now.
He described rough diamond demand as “stable” ahead of the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair, which was held last week but cut one day short after Typhoon Mangkhut slammed into Hong Kong in the midst of the show.
The figure for sightholder and auction sales for the sixth sales cycle, released last month, was revised upward from $530 million to $533 million.
Alrosa, meanwhile, reported year-over-year increases in diamond sales for both the month of August and year-to-date.
The Moscow-based diamond miner sold $294.9 million in diamonds last month—$283.2 million in rough and $11.7 million in polished—a 14 percent year-over-year increase.
In January through August, Alrosa’s sales grew 9 percent year-over-year to $3.32 billion, $3.26 billion in rough and the remaining $67 million in polished.
Deputy CEO for Sales Yury Okoemov said demand for diamonds continues to be positive and is stable across Alrosa’s entire range of diamonds, with higher-priced rough diamonds performing best.
RELATED CONTENT: Alrosa Holds First Sale of Natural Color Diamonds in HKHe said the company maintains a “moderately positive” outlook for the remainder of 2018. Longer term, the growing demand for diamond jewelry in the world’s three main markets, the United States, China and India, will continue to support the industry, he said.
Here is a chart showing the year-over-year comparison for De Beers’ rough diamond sales so far this year. The diamond miner and marketer’s 2018 sales are pacing about 2 percent behind last year’s at $3.93 billion to date.
2017 2018 First sales cycle $729 million $672 million Second $553 million $563 million Third
$586 million
$524 million
Fourth
$522 million
$554 million
Fifth
$541 million
$581 million
Sixth
$576 million
$533 million
Seventh
$507 million
$505 million (provisional)
Eighth
$376 million
Ninth
$466 million
Tenth
$455 million
More on Sourcing
The Latest
CollectionsNov 22, 2024
Piece of the Week: Xander Jane’s ‘Spiked’ Pearl StudsThese punk-inspired earrings from the new Canadian brand’s debut collection reveal the alter ego of the classic pearl.
Supplier BulletinNov 21, 2024
Tasha R Releases 2025 Labbelle Lab Diamond Jewelry CatalogSponsored by Tasha R
Brought to you by
Navigating Cybersecurity: Essential Guidance for JewelersFrom protecting customer data to safeguarding inventory records, it's crucial to learn how to tackle cybersecurity challenges.
AuctionsNov 21, 2024
Gold Watch Gifted to Titanic Rescue Ship Captain Sells for $2MThree Titanic survivors presented him with the personalized Tiffany & Co. timepiece about a year after the tragedy.
Weekly QuizNov 21, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsNov 21, 2024
Harris Jewelry Ordered to Reopen Claims Portal for Refund RequestsA federal court found that the jewelry store chain violated terms of the settlement reached after it was accused of defrauding customers.
CollectionsNov 21, 2024
Channel Elphaba in Muse’s ‘Have a Heart x Cynthia Erivo’ CollectionCynthia Erivo chose Dreams of Hope, an organization dedicated to empowering LGBTQA+ youth, as the charity for this year’s collection.
Brought to you by
Enhance Your Expertise with IGI’s In-Person Courses in NYCThis fall, sharpen your skills in jewelry grading, quality control and diamond assessment.
MajorsNov 21, 2024
Rocksbox Opens Pop-Up Store in San FranciscoThe new space was designed to evoke a warm, inviting vibe.
IndependentsNov 21, 2024
Mary Moses Kinney Is Now Part of The Edge’s Team Kinney, who spent nearly 30 years at IJO, has been hired to head Abbott Jewelry Systems’ new virtual marketplace.
CrimeNov 20, 2024
Sotheby’s to Pay $6.25M Settlement to NY State for Alleged Tax FraudThe auction house was accused of helping clients avoid paying taxes on millions of dollars’ worth of art purchased from 2010 to 2020.
Events & AwardsNov 20, 2024
Kering Debuts New Jewelry Award With Sustainability FocusThe four finalists will present their pieces at the 2025 JCK Las Vegas show.
CollectionsNov 20, 2024
Pamela Love Channels Surrealist Artists in New CollectionThe “Camera Oscura” collection showcases earring designs celebrating female Surrealist artists Claude Cahun and Leonor Fini.
Policies & IssuesNov 20, 2024
Columbia Gem House Raises $10K for Reforestation EffortsThe money will fund the planting of 10,000 trees in critical areas across Oregon, Arizona, Montana, and other regions.
Events & AwardsNov 20, 2024
The Jewelry Symposium Opens Registration, Scholarship ApplicationsThe event centered on advancing jewelry manufacturing technology will return to Detroit in May 2025.
CrimeNov 19, 2024
Woman Killed in Armed Robbery of Sacramento Jewelry StoreLocal reports identified the woman as the wife of the jewelry store owner.
AuctionsNov 19, 2024
‘A Tsar’s Treasure’ Fetches $2.9M at Sotheby’s Jewelry SaleA collection of pieces owned by Ferdinand I, the first king of modern Bulgaria, and his family, blew away estimates in Geneva last week.
MajorsNov 19, 2024
Trove Opens First US Flagship in NYCThe Australian jewelry box brand’s new West Village store will showcase new jewelers each month through its Designer in Residence program.
CollectionsNov 19, 2024
Snoop Dogg’s New Jewelry Collection Is All About Love“Lovechild” was created in partnership with Carolyn Rafaelian’s Metal Alchemist brand.
EditorsNov 18, 2024
Q&A: Helzberg CEO Brad Hampton on the Jeweler’s RebrandHampton discussed how Helzberg is improving the customer experience and why it was inspired by the company formerly known as Dunkin’ Donuts.
Policies & IssuesNov 18, 2024
Reciprocity Jewels Returns to NYC Jewelry WeekThe group will host several curated events and an exhibition of designer jewelry made with Peruvian gold traceable to the miners’ names.
CollectionsNov 18, 2024
Dolly Parton Shines in Collaboration with Kendra ScottThe collection honors the 50th anniversary of Dolly Parton’s “Love is Like a Butterfly” song, which shares a birth year with Kendra Scott.
Events & AwardsNov 18, 2024
IGI Jewelry Design Competition ReturnsThis year’s theme asks designers to take inspiration from classic fairy tales.
EditorsNov 15, 2024
Why Fine Jewelry Belongs at New York Comic ConSenior Editor Lenore Fedow makes the case for why more jewelers should be appealing to nerds at the annual event.
CollectionsNov 15, 2024
Marie Lichtenberg Battles Counterfeits with New ‘Raiz’in Scapular’ DesignsThe latest “Raiz’in” drop showcases a newly designed “Scapular” necklace and donates a portion of the proceeds to Make-A-Wish France.
WatchesNov 15, 2024
Piece of the Week: Citizen’s Commemorative Pocket WatchNo. 1 out of 100, the timepiece was created to mark Citizen’s 100th anniversary and will be auctioned off at Sotheby’s next month.
Recorded WebinarsNov 15, 2024
Watch: 10 Tips to Keep Your Jewelry Store Secure On the latest episode of “My Next Question,” two experts share best practices for store security during the holidays and year-round.
