A New Way to Talk Diamonds

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 world is so packed with content that there’s never enough time to cover it all. Each topic comes with its own opinions, interests and agendas, so the work easily stretches beyond the hours in a day.

None of this is trivial. These issues have real consequences that reach well beyond trade. Most of the debate happens behind closed doors, which doesn’t help the industry at the micro level, where it actually matters. The practical impact on diamantaires and jewelers often slips through the cracks of the bigger narrative, even though this is where the effects are felt most sharply.

It’s a gap worth fixing. I’m excited to launch a platform where we can dig into these topics in a more open, accessible way. Stay tuned for Diamond Debates with Avi Krawitz, where I’ll go head to head with industry experts and personalities on the issues shaping the trade.

This blog first appeared in the December 1 Pressing Matters Executive Memo. Read the full memo here, Pressing Matters, featuring the following sections:

• In Focus: November News Roundup

• Worth Watching: Saks Fifth Avenue lights up New York with natural diamonds

• Poll Results: How do you expect jewelry price points to trend this holiday season?

• Deep Dive: The State of US Jewellery

• The News That Matters

• Chart Check: Luk Fook Half-Year Performance

• What I'm Looking Forward To

• The Week Ahead

• Pic of the Week: Healthy Relations

Botswana’s Minister of Minerals and Energy, Joy Bogolo Kenewendo, with representatives of 18 Antwerp diamond firms that jointly funded life-saving medicines and medical supplies to ease a national shortage. The contribution will restore access to urgent medical care for more than 35,000 people for a full year, Kenewendo said during her visit to Antwerp. (Image credit: AWDC)