Lesotho PM Eyes Future Beyond Diamonds
September 11, 25
The prime minister of Lesotho - which relies on diamonds for at least a fifth of its export revenue - says the country's future lies in rare earth minerals. Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane told a conference in Australia that rare earth elements (REE) would be... Read More...
Indian Diamond Smuggler Jailed in Vietnam
September 11, 25An Indian national has been jailed for seven years in Vietnam after he admitted smuggling diamonds worth $320,000 into the country. Dapale Alkesh Kashinath, 28, said he'd been paid INR 10,000 ($120) by his employer, a Mumbai-based diamond company... Read More...
Overseas Jewelers hit as US Axes "De Minimis"
September 10, 25Postal services in more than 30 countries have suspended small parcel deliveries to the US, after President Donald Trump announced the end of the "de minimis" exception that allowed goods under $800 to enter the country without duty. The move, introduced... Read More...
$2m Necklace Leads Single-Owner Collection
September 10, 25Sotheby's New York is to sell a single-owner collection of rare pieces by Suzanne Belperron, JAR and other leading designers, with a combined estimate of over $8m. The owner is identified only as a "prominent international collector" who spent decades... Read More...
Signet Sales Increase, Driven by Lab Growns
September 10, 25Signet reported increased sales for Q2, as consumers increasingly opted for lab growns over natural diamonds. It said 14 per cent of all the fashion jewelry items it sold during the quarter were lab grown - twice as many as the same period last year, and higher than... Read More...
Memo by John Jeffay
September 10So who will be the next owner of the remarkable 9.51-carat Mellon Blue diamond? It was part of a vast collection of art and jewelry that belonged to the American heiress and philanthropist Rachel Lambert (Bunny) Mellon. In 2014, shortly after her death at the age... Read More...