SourcingApr 01, 2021
3 Rough Auctions Total Nearly $24M for AlrosaSourcingApr 13, 2021
Rough Diamond Sales Slow Down for De Beers, Alrosa
Leaders at both companies said the latest sales results are in line with expectations.
Rough diamonds in the hands of a De Beers employee at one of the company’s operations in South Africa. Both De Beers and Alrosa experienced a slowdown in rough diamonds sales in March and early April. (©De Beers Group, Photo credit: Ben Perry/Armoury Films)
New York—After starting the year out strong, rough diamond sales slowed in March and early April for the industry’s two largest mining companies, De Beers Group and Alrosa.
De Beers reported $440 million in rough diamond sales between March 22 and April 6, its third cycle of sightholder and auction sales of the year.
That is a 24 percent decline when compared with $581 million in cycle three of 2019. It is also down from the first ($663 million) and second ($550 million) sales cycles of 2021.
(Cycle three of 2020 is not a comparable period due to the industrywide shutdown brought about by COVID-19. De Beers’ sales in that period totaled $0.)
CEO Bruce Cleaver described rough diamond demand as “solid” and said results were in line with company expectations for the third sales cycle as the diamond industry heads into a historically quieter time of the year.
He struck a cautiously optimistic tone for the months ahead.
“Both market sentiment and overall industry conditions remain positive,” Cleaver said. “However, with pandemic developments in Europe and Mumbai’s recent lockdown resulting in the Bharat Diamond Bourse being closed, it is clear that we will continue to see challenges relating to COVID-19.”
Related stories will be right here …
De Beers reported $440 million in rough diamond sales between March 22 and April 6, its third cycle of sightholder and auction sales of the year.
That is a 24 percent decline when compared with $581 million in cycle three of 2019. It is also down from the first ($663 million) and second ($550 million) sales cycles of 2021.
(Cycle three of 2020 is not a comparable period due to the industrywide shutdown brought about by COVID-19. De Beers’ sales in that period totaled $0.)
CEO Bruce Cleaver described rough diamond demand as “solid” and said results were in line with company expectations for the third sales cycle as the diamond industry heads into a historically quieter time of the year.
He struck a cautiously optimistic tone for the months ahead.
“Both market sentiment and overall industry conditions remain positive,” Cleaver said. “However, with pandemic developments in Europe and Mumbai’s recent lockdown resulting in the Bharat Diamond Bourse being closed, it is clear that we will continue to see challenges relating to COVID-19.”
For Alrosa, diamond sales in March 2021 totaled $357 million, with the company moving $345 million in rough diamonds and $12 million in polished.
As with De Beers, March 2021 vs. March 2020 is not a viable comparison due to the onset of the pandemic and the resulting “steep decline” in demand.
Alrosa’s March 2021 sales are down 5 percent when compared with March 2019, when sales totaled $377.1 million.
Diamond sales also have declined slightly each month this year, reaching $430 million in January, $372 million in February and $357 million in March for a total of $1.16 billion year-to-date.
Alrosa’s year-to-date total is up 23 percent when compared with the first three months of 2020 and 12 percent from 2019.
Deputy CEO Evgeny Agureev said jewelry sales in key markets, including the United States, continue to be strong while polished diamond stocks are at an appropriate level.
“Alrosa retains its commitment to a prudent sales strategy, aimed at keeping the industry balance through supplying real demand,” he said.
“March sales were in line with our expectations. As we see the market today, polished diamond stocks in the global pipeline are at a comfortable level while rough diamond stocks are approaching low levels.”
More on Sourcing
The Latest
CollectionsJun 29, 2026
Briony Raymond’s New Collection Is a ‘Carousel’ of Hard StonesThe new jewelry collection uses a colorful palette of onyx, malachite, tiger’s eye, mother-of-pearl, lapis, turquoise, and coral.
IndependentsJun 29, 2026
Look Inside Lee Michaels’ Revamped Mississippi FlagshipLee Michaels Fine Jewelry is celebrating 30 years in the Ridgeland, Mississippi community.
GradingJun 29, 2026
National Rarities Announces New Gemology ManagerSean Milliner has joined the company.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
GradingJun 29, 2026
GIA to Open New London CampusClasses will begin in August at GIA’s new Canary Wharf location.
Weekly QuizJun 25, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
AuctionsJun 26, 2026
‘Hogback’ Diamond Ring Finds a New Home A ring set with “hogback” diamonds, an early stone cut dating to around the 16th century, sold for more than $20,000 at a U.K. auction.
CollectionsJun 26, 2026
Strength Is Sharpened Into Beauty in Kris Averi’s ‘Prism Thorn’ RingThe rainbow version of the ring, our Piece of the Week, features angel-cut, octahedral lab-grown sapphires designed to be worn as armor.
Brought to you by
Building the Future of Jewelry Retail: DCA Expands Education, Leadership Development, and Workforce SolutionsDCA is preparing the next generation of professionals by supporting workforce development, leadership growth, and career advancement.
MajorsJun 26, 2026
Rembrandt Charms Debuts ‘Charms That Give Back’The new initiative donates a portion of the proceeds from select charms to charitable causes.
TrendsJun 26, 2026
Bernard James Celebrates Knicks’ Win with RingThe Brooklyn-based jeweler created a limited-edition version of its “Aura” eternity band, set with gemstones in the team’s colors.
EditorsJun 25, 2026
Out & About: How Jewelers Mutual, SCAD Are Tackling the Bench Jeweler ShortageSenior Editor Lenore Fedow headed to Savannah to learn more about the 10-year, $10 million partnership between JM and the art school.
CollectionsJun 25, 2026
Mejuri Experiments With SteelIts new capsule jewelry collection features gold-finished stainless steel pieces designed for a maximalist look without a luxury price tag.
Events & AwardsJun 25, 2026
Watches & Wonders Announces 2027 DatesThe week-long event in Geneva is slated for April 2027.
ColumnistsJun 24, 2026
The Revenue Hiding Between Your Counter and Your Online CartJewelers are missing out by not offering this one key add-on at the online point of sale, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
CollectionsJun 24, 2026
Greenwich St. Jewelers, Jewel Boxing’s Latest Drop Is On-TrendThe fourth collaborative collection from the retailer and jewelry content creator focuses on gemstone charms and strands of colorful beads.
Events & AwardsJun 24, 2026
AGTA Accepting Entries for Spectrum 2026This year’s AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards will feature two new categories.
SourcingJun 24, 2026
Columbia Gem House To Offer Alexandrite Melee OnlineThe collection features traceable alexandrite from Brazil in calibrated sizes that is sorted by grade.
MajorsJun 24, 2026
CaratLane Names New Chief Sales OfficerDhaval Raja has been appointed to the role.
CollectionsJun 23, 2026
Francesca Villa Goes ‘On the Road’The capsule collection looks to vintage trunk pins that echo the spirit of speed, freedom, and the mythology of the American road trip.
SourcingJun 23, 2026
New Paraíba Tourmaline Source Reportedly Discovered in EthiopiaSSEF issued a notice about the potential new source of the sought-after gemstone, citing “credible reports” from trade sources.
MajorsJun 23, 2026
Etsy Says ‘Shop Other Jeffs’ This Prime DayAs Amazon Prime Day kicks off, Etsy is encouraging shoppers to support small businesses.
Events & AwardsJun 23, 2026
AGA Announces 2026 Scholarship WinnerCole Winward is the recipient of 2026 AGA Gemological Scholarship.
EditorsJun 22, 2026
15 Pieces of Jewelry That Brought Us Joy in Vegas Whether they evoked nostalgia, wonder, or laughter, these jewels put a smile on our faces.
Events & AwardsJun 22, 2026
Plans Announced for New Trade Show in BaselScheduled for April 2027, Basilia will be the first watch and jewelry trade show held in Basel since the collapse of Baselworld in 2020.
Events & AwardsJun 22, 2026
Gem Awards Opens 2027 Nomination PeriodSubmissions for the milestone 25th annual Gem Awards will be accepted across three categories from now through July 31.
WatchesJun 22, 2026
Snoopy Inspires New ‘Flying Ace’ Ball WatchThe beloved beagle dons his aviator outfit for the new Engineer Master II Snoopy Flying Ace timepiece.
AuctionsJun 18, 2026
Paraíba Tourmalines Sell for $3.4M at Sotheby'sThe recent high jewelry auction, which also featured the sale of a 10-carat blue diamond, was “a celebration of color.”
