De Beers’ Production Slips 7% in Q1
Heavy rainfall in southern Africa, a COVID-19 shutdown in Canada, and planned maintenance all contributed.

The company mined 7.2 million carats of diamonds, down 7 percent from 7.8 million carats in Q1 2020 and 9 percent from 7.9 million carats in Q1 2019.
De Beers recorded its steepest decline in Namibia, where production fell 34 percent to 338,000 carats.
The marine mining vessel, the Mafuta, was undergoing planned maintenance while another vessel remained sidelined, part of the response to lower demand first implemented in Q3 2020.
Production in Canada dropped 16 percent to 710,000 carats, primarily because a COVID-19 outbreak forced De Beers to close Gahcho Kué in February.
Heavy rainfall impacted diamond mining in Botswana, where a 24 percent reduction at the Orapa mine contributed to the overall 12 percent slide in production to 5 million carats.
South Africa was the first quarter bright spot for De Beers.
Production increased 55 percent to 1.2 million carats due to the planned treatment of higher-grade ore from the final cut of the open pit at Venetia, the company’s sole remaining mine in South Africa.
De Beers said demand for rough diamonds recovered to pre-COVID levels in Q1, as the midstream restocked following strong demand for diamond jewelry in the U.S. and China at the end of 2020.
Rough diamond sales totaled 13.5 million carats from three sights, up from 8.9 million carats from two sights in Q1 2020 and 6.9 million carats from two sights in the fourth quarter 2020.
That target is up from both its 2020 total (25.1 million carats) and 2019 total (30.8 million carats).
The Latest

A set of four Patek Philippe “Star Caliber 2000” pocket watches is part of Sotheby’s upcoming auction in Abu Dhabi.

The Brazilian jeweler’s latest book marks her namesake brand’s 25th anniversary and tells the tale of her worldwide collaborations.

The Submariner Ref. 1680 with a Tiffany & Co. dial came from the original owner, who won it as a prize on the game show in the 1970s.

With their unmatched services and low fees, reDollar.com is challenging some big names in the online consignment world.

The new integration allows users to manage shipments directly from the Shopify dashboard.


At Converge 2025, Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff attended sessions on DEI, tariffs, security, and more. Here are her top takeaways.

Six people were shot last week at an Oakland cash-for-gold shop as employees exchanged gunfire with individuals trying to rob the store.

Jewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.

The jeweler has expanded its high jewelry offering, which launched last year, with new pieces featuring its cube motif that debuted in 1999.

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares eight of her favorite jewelry looks from the 77th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, held Sunday night.

It’s predicting a rise in retail sales this holiday season despite economic uncertainty and elevated inflation.

The newly elected directors will officially take office in February 2026 and will be introduced at the organization’s membership meeting.

Associate Editor Lauren McLemore headed out West for a visit to Potentate Mining’s operation hosted by gemstone wholesaler Parlé Gems.

Fordite is a man-made material created from the layers of dried enamel paint that dripped onto the floors of automotive factories.

Gilbertson has worked as a researcher, jeweler, lapidary artist, appraiser, and business owner throughout his decades in the industry.

A decision likely won’t come until January 2026 at the earliest, and the tariffs remain in effect until then.

Located in the revamped jewelry hall at the retailer’s New York City flagship, this opening is Tabayer’s first shop-in-shop.

The new, free app offers accessible educational content, like games and podcasts, for U.S. retailers.

As the gold price rises, the manufacturer is offering a 100 percent payout through Sept. 30 for gold clean scrap.

Jacob & Co. partnered with the German technology company on two pairs of headphones, one set with diamonds and the other with sapphires.

Guillermo del Toro’s 2025 “Frankenstein” will feature 27 jewels and objects from the storied brand, including pieces from its archives.

The Waldorf Astoria New York’s grand reopening this past summer means a homecoming for the industry group’s annual event.

Anglo plans to merge with Teck Resources Ltd. to form Anglo Teck. The deal changes nothing about its plans to offload De Beers.

The 9.51-carat fancy vivid blue diamond, which set two world auction records at Sotheby’s in 2014, is estimated to fetch up to $30 million.

The industry veteran joins the auction house as it looks to solidify its footprint in the jewelry market.

The nonprofit awarded four students pursuing a professional career in jewelry making and design with $2,250 each.

The Texas-based jeweler has also undergone a brand refresh, debuting a new website and logo.