DIAMOND GEMS WEEKLY

In this engaging debate, Avi is joined by David Block, CEO of Sarine Technologies, to examine where the diamond industry stands and where it is headed. They unpack the contraction of the natural diamond market, the rise of lab-grown alternatives, and the growing responsibility of retailers to actively stimulate demand.   The discussion moves through manufacturing realities, the shift from volume to value, and the industry’s renewed emphasis on profitability over scale. The co

Did you watch the Golden Globes last night? Well, neither did I. What I did get was a press release from “A Diamond Is Forever” about the natural diamond jewelry highlights on the red carpet.   I know, right. Who or what is A Diamond Is Forever to be sending me press releases? Isn’t that a slogan, the line that capped off some of De Beers’ most nostalgic marketing campaigns?   You may or may not have noticed the subtle introduction of the A Diamond Is Forever   Instagram acco

The year ahead could prove to be consequential for the diamond industry. In this episode of Diamond Debates, Avi Krawitz is joined by Rob Bates, news editor of JCK Online and author, to examine the market scenarios taking shape. They assess how major players such as De Beers and Alrosa may influence direction, the evolving impact of lab-grown diamonds, mounting retail challenges, shifting marketing strategies, while also weighing consumer behavior and investment dynamics. The

In any business, it’s important to recognize milestones, not necessarily as a reason to celebrate one’s accomplishments, but to take stock and reset the benchmarks from which to build.   This week marks one year since I launched The Diamond Press. The objective today is the same as it was then: to build a community around clear, insightful analysis of the diamond industry.   Looking back, the first year comes with mixed feelings. The community has grown steadily. Traffic to T

The diamond market enters 2026 in a state of flux after three punishing years from 2023 to 2025, with sustained pressure across mining, manufacturing, and retail.   It does not take a futurist to see that many of the forces behind the downturn remain firmly in place. The question now is how those dynamics evolve as the industry searches for greater stability.   To open the year, The Diamond Press  sets out 10 developments and themes that are set to define the diamond trade in

Solitaire International: A growing debate over terminology is reshaping how the trade defines and differentiates synthetics from natural diamonds.   Heated exchanges at the CIBJO Congress in Paris, along with France’s reaffirmation of the term “synthetic,” have brought language back to the center of the discussion after years in which the word became largely taboo.   That shift, reinforced by the Gemological Institute of America’s move away from the 4Cs in its color and clari

Holiday Sales ​ US jewelry sales rose 1.6% over the holiday season from November 1 to December 21,  according to   Mastercard . Overall retail sales increased 3.9% during the period, driven by what the company described as savvy shoppers seeking value. E-commerce jumped 7.4% while in-store sales grew 2.9%, with apparel the strongest-performing category.   Online spending during Cyber Week – the 5-day period from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday – rose 7.7% year on year to $44.2 b

2025 was a pivotal year for the diamond industry. Here are five reasons why it was such a game changer.   1.       De Beers   Number one was De Beers. The company dominated headlines and shaped the industry narrative as it tends to do. And its impact was felt immediately as the year began with the long awaited signing of the sales agreement between De Beers and the Government of Botswana, five years overdue, mind you.   That deal sees more of local Debswana production to be s

While scrolling through my Instagram feed, I was ambushed by an annoyingly upbeat song that opens with the line, “I’m curious how miners find diamonds.”   My first instinct was to ask what, in the name of Chanukah and Christmas, I was listening to. Still, the subject matter forced me to sit through it. The monotonous tune, which the account learningwithlyrics seems to use across its educational videos, paired with what looked like an AI-generated visual, cheerfully walked th

Natural Diamond Council: There’s been a surge in the recovery of spectacular large rough diamonds, many of which are achieving record prices despite challenging market conditions. The question is what’s driving these discoveries, and which rough and polished stones have gone on to rewrite the record books. I was proud to contribute to the Natural Diamond Council’s latest Record-Breaking Diamonds report, which examines some of the rarest and most consequential diamonds ever re

Diamond dealers are not disappearing from the rough market, but their role has narrowed as the industry has become more efficient, consolidated, and capital-intensive, according to a discussion on an episode of Diamond Debates with Avi Krawitz.   The rough diamond market today bears little resemblance to that of a decade or two ago, Krawitz and Didier Backaert, director of Bonas Group, agreed. Rough now passes through far fewer hands before reaching manufacturing, reducing op

Last week’s inaugural episode of Diamond Debates sparked a lively online discussion about the industry’s relationship with today’s consumer. As much as I tried to steer the conversation away from synthetics, the reality is unavoidable. Gen-Z, along with other consumer cohorts, is attracted to the more affordable alternative at its disposal.   Overshadowing the discussion, was the disclosure by Signet Jewelers in its recent earnings call, that lab-grown diamonds accounted for

At last, someone has advised the Botswana government not to raise its stake in De Beers.   As Anglo American prepares to divest from its 85% share in the diamond company, Botswana has signaled its interest in buying some or all of that stake, adding to the 15% it already owns.   Until now, it seems that most of those with the president’s ear have entertained the notion that increasing the government’s stake in De Beers is a good idea. Yet Botswana is heading for its third str

The discussion between Avi and Matt Gabel of jewelry advisory firm MJ Gabel examined how younger consumers are reshaping the diamond market through their growing embrace of synthetics. The conversation underscored the structural and cultural shifts now redefining both product perception and the retail landscape.   These were the key themes that emerged from the debate:   Affordability   Price, accessibility, and perceived sustainability of synthetics outweigh the legacy appea

By now we’ve accepted that the Kimberley Process plenary will be remembered more for what it failed to achieve than for anything it managed to do, despite the high hopes going into the Dubai meeting.   Chief among those hopes was the expansion of the conflict-diamond definition, which didn’t pass. My understanding is that the debate narrowed to two versions that differed on one key point, whether to include state actors funded by diamond sales for acts of aggression. In the c

When I tell people my job is to explain the diamond industry, they usually move through a predictable arc of curiosity. The first step is asking whether there’s enough subject matter to keep me busy, which sends me into a three-hour discourse about the ins and outs of the market. It’s never been a great party trick or pick-up line, but it does grab their attention for a few minutes before they start scouting the nearest drinks station.   The truth is the diamond and jewelry w

Solitaire International: The US jewelry sector is on track for another year of growth in 2025, with sales up 5 percent in the first ten months of the year. Independent retailers are driving much of the momentum even as large chains still dominate overall market share.   That strength comes despite heavy headwinds. A 50% US tariff on Indian imports is squeezing margins, gold above $4,100 per ounce is keeping price pressure high, and jewelry-related crime and skills shortages a

Holiday Start   The Government of Botswana  and De Beers  teamed up with Saks Fifth Avenue  for the retailer’s New York holiday light show. Saks unveiled its Fifth Avenue window display as natural diamonds lit up the façade, highlighting the partnership during the flagship’s seasonal launch.   The National Retail Federation  expects US holiday-season retail sales to surpass $1 trillion for the first time,  projecting growth  of 3.7% to 4.2% from last year’s $976.1 billion. Th

It’s Thanksgiving week, the first real marker of the holiday season, and the coming weekend still ranks among the busiest shopping periods of the year. It has lost some of its old chaos, mind you. A small part of me misses the midnight scrums, the elbows, the hair-pulling over that final discounted TV. Maybe we have matured into a more civilized society – one hopes so even if I still find myself watching those old Black Friday clips on YouTube.   The frenzy has eased, I think

The diamond industry must brace itself for another shakeup as restrictions on Russian supply may be lifted sooner than anticipated.   Alrosa’s reintroduction to the market should now be considered an imminent possibility, after President Trump presented a 28-point draft proposal in Kyiv to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. The plan, developed with Moscow’s input, maps out phased and selective sanction relief, a path for Russia to rejoin the G8, and broader US-Russia economic coope