June 2025 News Roundup
- Avi Krawitz
- Jul 4
- 6 min read
Marketing Moves
Ministers from five diamond-producing countries signed the Luanda Accord, agreeing to jointly fund global marketing campaigns for natural diamonds. Under the agreement, government and industry will contribute 1% of the value of rough diamond sales. The funds will be channeled to the Natural Diamond Council (NDC), which is tasked with the development of the industry’s promotional efforts. Key industry stakeholders including De Beers, the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), and India’s Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) have also signed on to support the initiative.
De Beers has officially launched ‘Origin,’ it’s polished diamond brand, following a successful one-year pilot. Powered by the Tracr platform, the program enables retailers to share the complete journey of each diamond with their customers. In addition, the company unveiled ‘Ombré Desert Diamonds,’ a new beacon jewelry concept inspired by the warm hues of the desert – yellows, champagnes, and ambers. De Beers hopes to emulate previous beacons, such as the three-stone and eternity rings, and spark industry-wide interest and consumer demand for these desert diamonds.
Shows & Meetings
Check out my video reports from the Las Vegas shows and the WFDB President’s meeting:
Lab Grown Clarity
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) will replace traditional color and clarity grading for lab-grown diamonds with new “premium” and “standard” quality descriptions. This shift reflects the narrow range of quality among most lab-grown diamonds and aims to better distinguish them from natural stones. Current services remain in place until the revised system is finalized, with updated pricing and guidelines expected by late in the third quarter. (View my analysis here: GIA Drops 4Cs for Synthetic Diamonds: Who's Next?)
HRD Antwerp, a subsidiary of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), announced it will end certification of synthetic diamonds starting in 2026, positioning itself as the first major laboratory to focus exclusively on natural diamonds. The decision aims to help consumers more easily distinguish between natural and lab-grown stones. However, HRD will continue to issue certificates for jewelry that includes synthetic diamonds.
Acquisitions & Alliances
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has acquired an equity stake in Tracr, the De Beers-developed blockchain-based traceability platform developed, De Beers CEO Al Cook announced at the JCK Las Vegas show. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the year, with additional investors also anticipated to join the platform.
Okavango Diamond Company (ODC), Botswana’s state-owned rough diamond sales entity, has begun registering its rough supply on Tracr, the blockchain-based traceability platform developed by De Beers. Since the start of the year, ODC has been uploading diamonds in the 3- to 6-grainer and 2- to 10-carat size range to the platform, ODC announced. The company independently markets 30% of Debswana’s production.
Angola’s Ministry of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) to collaborate on gemology training, diamond grading, and services related to the provenance and traceability of Angolan diamonds. During a visit to New York this week, the minister also met with Tiffany & Co. management to explore opportunities for supplying the brand with Angolan diamonds.
Innovation
Belgium’s iTraceiT has introduced a new app to help artisanal diamond miners join the digital traceability process. Part of Antwerp’s Diamond Innovation Opportunity Programme, the tool uses icons and visuals to overcome barriers like illiteracy, limited digital access, and language differences. With development underway, iTraceiT is inviting industry partners to support the initiative.
Rough Market
Debswana Diamond Company has paused production at its Jwaneng and Orapa mines due to weak diamond demand. The De Beers–Botswana joint venture lowered its 2025 production target to 15 million carats, down significantly from previous years. Debswana is restructuring operations, offering voluntary separations to staff in a bid to reduce costs and address long-term overcapacity.
Russia's state precious metals repository Gokhran may allocate half of its 2025-2027 budget — up to RUB 154.5 billion ($1.97 billion) — to diamond purchases, Deputy Finance Minister Alexei Moiseyev told Interfax. He said the final assortment is still being negotiated, and there's no urgency as market conditions are better than expected.
Petra Diamonds reported a 3% increase in like-for-like rough diamond prices at its April–June tenders compared to its February sale, with most categories showing improvement. However, prices remain 16% lower year-over-year, primarily due to weak demand for smaller stones. The company generated $53 million in sales from 613,747 carats, achieving an average price of $86 per carat at its latest tender.
Trans Atlantic Gem Sales (TAGS) earned $15.5 million at its latest Luanda tender, selling 15 of 17 special Angolan rough diamonds (865.19 of 922.49 carats) over 10.8 carats. Held with state-owned Sodiam, the sale reflects strong ongoing demand for large, high-value natural diamonds, TAGS said.
Retail Earnings
Signet Jewelers reported a 2% year-over-year sales increase to $1.5 billion in the first quarter. Same-store sales rose 2.5% — the first quarterly increase in three years — as the company’s Grow Love Brand strategy gains momentum, CEO J.K. Symancyk said. However, net income dropped 36% to $33.5 million due to higher costs and expenses.
Hong Kong-based jeweler Luk Fook reported a 13% drop in group revenue to HKD 13.3 billion ($1.7 billion) in the fiscal year ended March 31, citing weaker gold demand amid high prices. Profit fell 39% to HKD 1.08 billion ($136 million). Wholesale revenue declined 9% due to sluggish diamond demand in mainland China and a reduction in licensed shops, management said.
Tse Sui Luen Jewellery (TSL) expects to report a loss of no more than HKD 200 million ($25.5 million) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, narrowing from the HKD 374.2 million ($47.7 million) loss a year earlier. The improvement is attributed to lower operating expenses following a business transformation, stronger franchise contributions from mainland China, and a sharp reduction in non-cash impairment and inventory provisions.
Auction Action
Christie’s raised $87.7 million at its Magnificent Jewels Sale in New York, with every lot sold. The top lot was The Marie-Thérèse Pink, a rare 10.38-carat kite-shaped fancy purple-pink diamond mounted by JAR, which fetched $14 million — setting a new auction record for a JAR creation.
Sotheby’s achieved $31.4 million at its high jewelry sale in New York, with 95% of lots sold. The top lot came from the Joie de Vivre collection: a 35-carat emerald-cut D-color, VVS2-clarity diamond ring by Graff, which sold for $3.2 million.
Christie’s Joaillerie Paris sale brought in EUR 17.7 million ($19.6 million). The top lot, a Van Cleef & Arpels ring featuring a 6.27-carat oval Burma ruby and two half-moon diamonds (1.60–1.90 carats each), sold for EUR 2.4 million ($2.8 million), far exceeding its EUR 500,000 high estimate.
Trade Data
India’s polished diamond exports fell 35% year-on-year to $950 million in May, according to data from the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC). Rough diamond imports dropped 11% to $1.06 billion, indicating continued weakening in manufacturing activity at the world’s largest diamond cutting center.
Belgium’s polished diamond exports fell 46% year-on-year to $647.5 million, according to the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC). Polished imports declined 19% to $781 million. Rough diamond imports dropped 35% to $313 million, while rough exports were down 31% to $292 million.
Swiss watch exports fell 10% year-on-year to CHF 2.09 billion ($2.56 billion) in May, according to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry. The decline was largely driven by a sharp slowdown in the U.S. market, which saw a 25% drop following a tariff-driven surge in April. Despite the dip, the US remained the top market for Swiss watches.
Movers & Shakers
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has appointed Pritesh Patel as its new president and CEO, succeeding Susan Jacques, who will retire at the end of the year. Patel has served as GIA’s chief operating officer since 2017, after joining the institute in 2015 as chief information officer.
The International Gemmological Institute (IGI) has appointed Anoop Mehta as its new chairman. Mehta is the managing director of Mohit Diamonds, a manufacturing company and De Beers sightholder, and also serves as the long-standing president of the Bharat Diamond Bourse. Separately, Tiffany Stevens has stepped down from her role as IGI’s head of North America.
De Beers London has named former Kering executive Emmanuelle Nodale as its new brand CEO. She will lead the company’s repositioning as a global luxury jewelry house. The high-end retail arm of De Beers Group is set to open a flagship store in Paris later this year, marking the start of a new phase of global expansion.
Bonhams auction house has appointed Celine Assimon as chief commercial officer. She previously served as CEO of De Beers London and De Beers Forevermark, and held senior roles at De Grisogono, Richemont, and Louis Vuitton. Based in London, Assimon will lead Bonhams’ global commercial strategy and client experience as the company continues its international expansion.
Jewelers of America (JA) has promoted Amanda Gizzi to senior vice president of corporate affairs. Formerly director of public relations and events, Gizzi will now oversee JA’s external affairs, including strategic communications, PR, government affairs, advocacy, industry partnerships, events, and education.
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