While the overall number of crimes was down, there were more incidences in which robbers pulled out guns, mace, or rammed cars into stores.
Report: Angola Continues to Cut Ties with Former First Family
State-owned mining company Endiama is selling the diamond licenses once belonging to Isabel Dos Santos to investors, according to Reuters.
Luanda, Angola--The Angolan government is selling diamond exploration rights that once belonged to the former president’s daughter to investors, Reuters reports.
According to a video clip viewed by the news agency, José Manuel Ganga Júnior, president of state-owned diamond company Endiama, told several mining companies in a meeting last month that Isabel dos Santos’ licenses had expired and now are open to new exploration partners.
While Endiama did not respond to a request for confirmation from National Jeweler by press time, it did confirm to Reuters that the video was authentic.
The licenses open to investors were for Camafuca-Camazambo, Mulepe, Sangamina, Chiri and Tchiegi, all located in the country’s northeastern diamond-producing provinces of Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul, Reuters said.
The Camafuca-Camazambo and Chiri licenses were the ones that had belonged to Dos Santos.
Russia’s Alrosa is currently the only major diamond company producing in Angola. It has a stake in the Catoca mine.
Dos Santos is the daughter of former Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos and the richest woman in Africa with a current net worth of $2.7 billion, according to Forbes.
Her father named her as head of Sonangol, Angola’s state oil firm, in June 2016. Her husband, Sindika Dokolo, has a stake in Swiss jewelry brand De Grisogono.
RELATED CONTENT: Gem Explorer Goes on Hunger Strike to Boycott De GrisogonoIn September, Angola elected a new president, João Lourenço, and the government has been distancing the country from the business interests of his predecessor’s family in its effort to break up family monopolies and make the country more attractive to investors.
Lourenço removed Dos Santos as head of Sonangol in November. Sodiam, a subsidiary of Endiama, also divested its stake in De Grisogono after a board meeting Dec. 1, saying it was doing so for “reasons of public interest and legality.”
The Latest

Jack Sutton Fine Jewelry is closing its store inside the downtown shopping center after 40 years in business.

The price of gold has risen, affecting the number of pieces designers make, the materials they use, and how they position themselves.

With the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.

Peter Smith gives tips on leading meetings, developing marketing, and making trade show appointments in the age of short attention spans.


The 11-piece “Medallions” capsule collection features five motifs: a crying eye, a heart on fire, a spiral, a flower, and a swallow.

From Gen Z’s view of luxury to “doom spending,” these are the six consumer trends to note this year.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

The partners have announced the second cycle of the program, which has expanded to include a $25,000 student scholarship.

The owners of Staats Jewelers are heading into retirement.

Jeffrey Gennette, who retired in 2024 after 41 years with Macy’s, is the newest member of the jewelry retailer’s board of directors.

May babies are lucky to have emeralds, a gemstone admired for centuries, as their birthstone, writes Amanda Gizzi.

The new module allows retailers to plan, promote, and measure the success of events from a single dashboard.

NDC said in an open letter that Pandora’s statements about the carbon footprint of lab grown versus natural diamonds are inaccurate.

She wore our Piece of the Week, Glenn Spiro’s “Old Moghul Golconda” earrings, featuring fancy brown-yellow diamonds totaling 51.90 carats.

Two pieces were named “Best in Show,” one from the retail category and one from the supplier category.

The jewelry retailer noted resilience among its higher-end customers while demand softened for its lower-priced offerings.

Led by the 6.59-carat sapphire, the sale garnered $9.7 million, a record total for a Heritage jewelry auction.

In his new role, sales specialist Billy Welshoff will focus on the eastern United States.

José Gaztelu has been promoted to the role, which has been vacant since last year.

It has also opened the application period for the Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship through June 30.

The owner of the Ekati mine, which opened in 1998, has filed for insolvency protection amid the significant decline in diamond prices.

The company announced the change alongside its Q1 results, which showed that the jewelry brand’s year is off to a shaky start.

The retailer will cut 16 percent of its corporate workforce as part of its plan to exit bankruptcy.

Of the many examples used in the filming of “Le Mans,” this one is believed to have spent the most time on Steve McQueen’s wrist.

Megan Piccione dressed Lauren Wasser in layers of diamond jewelry, making her stand out in a crowd that included celebrities like Beyoncé.

Following decades of association leadership, the “semi-retired” colored gemstone expert is turning his focus to gemstone education.























