This blog has lagged while working on other aspects of our site and consolidating things. Diamond Blog will be back soon!

For those who haven't heard about it or seen the new DeBeers Store, here is a picture:

Diamonds in the news: Visiting New York and in the market for a 50 carat diamond? April 12th is your day to bid on this one at Christies. Have fun!

Wired magazine has a nice article today about how High Tech Solves Hope Diamond Mystery.

Reuters reports that there might be a planet with a layer of Diamonds!

Diamonds in the news: Yakutia boosts cut diamond output 150% in 9 mths.

Excerpt:

Yakutia boosted cut and polished diamond output 150% year-on-year to $145 million in January-September, the republic's Industry Ministry told Interfax.
The ministry said output grew because cutting factories had built up adequate stocks to produce the required quantity and quality of cut diamonds and diamond-products.
Yakutia's authorities have also played their part by creating special conditions for export-oriented industries to prosper, the ministry said.
Government officials and cutting factory bosses have been sitting down to work out annual production plans every year since 1998.
In addition, all legislative and administrative questions pertaining to the diamond cutting industry are addressed by a Diamond Council set up by the republic's president.

Diamonds in the news: MinFin close to declassifying diamond data.

Excerpt:

The Russian Finance Ministry is rounding off preparations to declassify data about diamond mining, exports and imports dating back to January 1, 2003, the ministry said in a statement on Friday.
The data refers to diamonds that fall under the ministry's own jurisdiction, the statement reads.
It is thought data about diamond mining in carats and in terms of value in Russia as a whole will be published in the press, initially for half-year periods, then on a quarterly basis.
Data on rough diamond exports and imports will be published on a quarterly basis and on an annual basis.

Diamonds in the news: Diamond workers to get rating cards.

Excerpt:

THE Surat Diamond Association (SDA) has floated a proposal to issue Rating Cards, similar to the RTO Smartcard to dealers, manufacturers, workers and all those connected with the diamond industry.
For this the SDA has been circulating a draft model and information booklet in the industry for feedback on the proposal. In this regard, a meeting of diamond merchants, dealers and unit owners was held at Mahidharpura and Mini Bazaar areas on Wednesday and Thursday.

Diamonds in the news: Shinyanga turns into haven of illegal diamond trafficking.

Excerpt:

Illegal diamond trafficking and the sale of fake diamonds has become a lucrative business in the notorious Mwadui and Maganzo markets. The fake diamonds are said to be competing favourably with genuine diamonds.

Victoria's Secret in the news: Victoria's Secret Offers Fantasy Bra

Yes, it's that time of year again. Victoria's Secret has come out with the Fantasy Bra for 2004. $10 million dollars this time out.

Diamonds in the news: Tiffany to take on De Beers.

This could get interesting:

Excerpt:

Tiffany, the high-end US jeweller, has gone head-to-head with De Beers, announcing last week that it had struck a deal with junior miner Tahera to buy or market all the diamonds from its Jericho mine in Canada.
The move pits Tiffany directly against De Beers, which dominates the global rough diamond market, and other significant players in the value chain such as Israeli Lev Leviev the world's largest polisher, who supplies more than 10 percent of total rough production. Together they maintain a degree of control over the global diamond mining, marketing, manufacturing and retail sales.
Analysts say although Tiffany's strategic move will not make it an immediate counterweight to De Beers, it does illustrate how De Beers'' long-time grip on the marketing of rough diamonds is slipping.
"In Canada, Tiffany is dealing with a first-world country. It only has to link up with two or three more juniors to become a serious challenge to De Beers, which operates in a more difficult environment in Africa," one source said.

StockLemon.com has an interesting report U.S. Canadian Minerals. It discusses the pink sheet market and the public companies using them.

Excerpt:

Stocklemon Reports on U.S. Canadian Minerals, Inc. (OTCBB:UCAD)

The Harsh Facts
Market capitalization $100 million or $300 million, depending on whose outstanding share count you believe.

Cash- $1,321.00 - that is One Thousand Three Hundred and Twenty One Dollars as of last SEC filing on 8/23/2004.
Revenues- 0

US Canadian has a Going Concern Letter From Auditor

Diamonds in the news: Belgian diamond bourses launches quality label.

Excerpt:

The Federation of Belgian Diamond Bourses is offering a quality label for diamond traders to promote a greater level of transparency in the diamond trading sector.
Each trader who is a member of one of the four Antwerp Diamond Bourses, subscribes to the Deontology Code (regulations concerning integrity and the behaviour code among the diamond traders themselves and in their relation to their clients), and complies with its conditions is eligible to hold the title of a diamond trader certified by the Federation of Belgian Diamond Bourses. The certified diamond traders will receive a letter of proof and they can use the logo of the Federation of Belgian Diamond Bourses as a quality label.

Hollywood and Jewelry in the news: The necklace that Joan Rivers wore for the post-Oscar 2004 party is now creating ripples in the city.

Excerpt:

Designed by New York-based Lili Chu for Rosy Blue, the Tamarine, a nomenclature inspired by the tamarind tree, is crafted with natural coloured diamonds. It costs a cool $1 million and is on show at the Orra showroom at Greater Kailash M Block market for three days.
Rosy Blue lent an 18-carat white gold collar necklace encrusted with 1,308 diamonds titled ‘Satine’ to Nicole Kidman for Moulin Rouge in the dramatic scene when the duke is trying to woo the courtesan.

Diamonds in the news: For large players like us the policy is neutral: Classic Diamonds

Excerpt:

Commenting on the Foreign Trade Policy, Nirav Bhansali, Director, Classic Diamonds (India) Ltd, said, "The package announced for the Gems & Jewellery sector will benefit jewellery manufacturers located outside the bonded area (SEEPZ). For large players like us the policy is neutral. The reduction in transactional costs and increase in the validity of licences is definitely welcome".
Bhansali added, "The Gems & Jewellery sector is one the largest foreign exchange earner for the country and with the announcement of this policy the government has reinforced it’s commitment to boosting the Gems & Jewellery exports".

Diamond Stocks in the news: CMKM Diamonds the subject of aborted radio debate

This is an interesting article about Pink Sheet Stock promotion and the diamond stock called CMKM Diamonds...

Excerpt:

CMKM Diamonds Inc., a sub-penny pink sheet promotion headed by Saskatchewan native Urban Casavant, was to be the topic of debate during a Sept. 21 half-hour Christian radio program called Prosperity for God's People. Stock tout Ed Miller of the Green Baron was scheduled to square off against a critic of the CMKM promotion, Hartley Bernstein of Stock Patrol. The ballyhooed debate bombed when Mr. Bernstein bowed out early.
Evidently Mr. Bernstein was unexpectedly travelling when the live radio program went to air and a poor telephone connection prompted his early departure from the debate. News of that development was greeted with a mixture of delight and derision among CMKM's faithful followers, many of whom label Mr. Bernstein a "basher."
The word "basher" is a popular, if nebulous, term bandied about regularly on Internet chat sites. At the frequently used extreme, anyone with the temerity to raise concerns or ask critical questions about a stock runs the risk of being labelled a basher.
Given Mr. Bernstein's very brief participation, Prosperity for God's People was pretty much basher free on Sept. 21. Pastor DeWayne Reeves, host of the program, and his stock tout guest, Mr. Miller, fill

Diamonds in the news: From the Kalahari to Malibu

Excerpt:

With NPR's Alex Chadwick, they take a break from their mission to hike the Santa Monica Mountains -- a mostly arid coastal range with winding trails leading down to idyllic beaches.
Sesana's people have lived for thousands of years in an area that is now dubbed the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. In the last several years, most of the people living there have been moved outside the boundaries of the reserve -- voluntarily, the government says.
Botswana's ambassador to the United States, Lapologang Ceasar Lekoa, tells Chadwick that the estimated 2,000 Bushmen remaining in the enormous region had already given up their traditional nomadic ways and were living in settlements, which are not allowed in the reserve. Also, Lekoa says, the Bushmen hunt with guns now and chase game with trucks and dogs. Modern Bushmen would overwhelm the Kalahari's fragile ecology.
But Bushmen dispute those accusations -- they say their culture has survived so long precisely because they are careful hunters, who live in balance with the Kalahari. The U.S. State Department's report on Botswana's human rights practices, released Feb. 24, 2004, states Botswana's government forcibly resettled the Bushmen from their ancestral lands.
Human rights groups say Botswana is more interested in diamond deposits in the

Diamonds in the news: Kensington Resources Ltd.: Aggressive 2004 Drilling Program Commences at Fort a la Corne

Excerpt:

The Joint Venture partners have revised their project strategy of focusing on individual kimberlite bodies exclusively. The central thrust of the strategy is now to define higher-grade zones in a number of bodies with the objective of delineating a collective 80-100 million carats in-ground. The objective of the 2004 program is to further advance the understanding of the geology and diamond content of several adjacent, large kimberlites within the central Fort a la Corne cluster

Diamonds in the news: ANDRE LOUW APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF DIAMOND CORE.

Excerpt:

Andre Louw has accepted the position of independent, non-executive chairman of Diamond Core Resources Limited with effect from the next annual general meeting of shareholders. Louw, who graduated from the University of Stellenbosch in 1973 with an honours degree in geology and started his career as an exploration geologist at the Okiep Copper Company and BP Minerals obtaining an MBA in 1986, worked as a mining analyst at Sanlam from 1987 to 1991.

Diamonds in the news: Govt concessions sought for Argyle diamond mine.

Excerpt:

Business and civic leaders in the East Kimberley are urging the Western Australian Government to give serious consideration to royalty concessions for the Argyle diamond mine - the region's biggest employer.
Mining company Rio Tinto has asked for tax reductions or cheaper water to make its planned underground expansion viable.
The current mine at Argyle will come to an end in 2008.
The mine employs 350 local people and sources goods and services from the area worth about $20 million a year.
Under its expansion, the workforce sourced locally would increase from 40 to 80 per cent.
Local shire president Barbara Johnson says the impact of the mine's closure would be enormous.

Diamonds in the News: Botswana Diamond Workers End Strike; Wage Negotiations to Continue.

Excerpt:

Mine workers in Botswana are on the job Monday having ended a two-week strike.
All but 400 essential employees who were fired showed up for work Monday. The company, Debswana, replaced the fired workers, but the Botswana Mining Union is seeking to have them reinstated.

Diamonds in the news: Pan African Commences Diamond Exploration Program; Establishes Sample Processing Laboratory.

Excerpt:

PAN AFRICAN MINING CORP. (TSX VENTURE:PAF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has now commenced its formal diamond exploration program in the field in Madagascar, under the direction of South African diamond geologist Jessica Schloemann. The primary objective of the program is the discovery of kimberlitic diamond sources. As a secondary objective, the Company will investigate the possibility of locating rich alluvial deposits and commercial deposits of other precious stones.

Through its operating subsidiary, PAM Madagascar Sarl, the Company holds 10-year research permits covering in excess of 3000 square kilometres in areas deemed prospective for diamond exploration in various regions of the country. These areas were identified based upon the geological history of Madagascar and presence of the cratonic core, as well as historic discoveries of alluvial diamonds and other kimberlite indicator minerals. Data from the BRGM, a French governmental research organization, and other historic sources were among tools utilised by the Company's geologists. Most of the Company's diamond claims were established in 2003 prior to the recent diamond exploration activity by other companies in Madagascar.

PRESS RELEASE: Mondera Sets New Jewelry Industry Shipping Standard.

Excerpt:

Mondera Sets New Jewelry Industry Shipping Standard
While it is rare for jewelers in the U.S. or Canada to ship outside of these two countries, Mondera now offers free priority shipping on certain orders to anywhere in the world.
New York, NY (PRWEB via PR Web Direct) September 7, 2004 -- Strange as it sounds, if you wanted to place a diamond order with a U.S.-based jeweler from outside the United States or Canada, you'd have to look around just to find a jeweler willing to ship to other countries. Mondera, whose diamonds have been worn by a long list of celebrities, would be among your options, but now, it has topped even this rare service.

“We pride ourselves on helping anyone feel like royalty, says Mondera's Managing Director, Fred Mouawad. We provide custom diamond jewelry that the nation's biggest stars wear, yet we do so at prices that many people can afford. Part of our royal treatment means providing free, priority shipping with any custom diamond order. Until now, though, that was only available to customers in the U.S.

While any kind of shipping to other countries is rare within the industry, free priority shipping has been unheard of. Mondera now offers that for any custom diamond order.

  by GilbertZ | Leave or Read Comment(s) (0) | Links to this Entry (0)

Diamonds in the news: Shopping Brains has a picture of The Donald's Emerald Cut diamond ring he proposed with.

Diamonds in the news: 19.7 CARAT DIAMOND RECOVERED IN 230 CARAT PARCEL AT STAR.

Excerpt:

The third set of diamond recoveries from Canada's Shore Gold Inc.'s Star Kimberlite includes the largest diamond yet discovered in Saskatchewan. A total of 1,459 commercially sized diamonds, collectively weighing 227.6 carats, has been recovered from the treatment of 1,572.6 dry tons of kimberlite. Thirty-three diamonds greater than one carat have been recovered and the largest stones include a white 19.71 carat diamond, a white 7.48 carat diamond and an off-white 5.61 carat diamond. The diamond parcel includes 25 yellow, 10 pink and 7 amber stones.
In addition, 180 non-commercially sized diamonds, weighing a total of 3.1 carats, were recovered. The color of over 80 percent of these diamonds has been classified as white, with a further 13 percent classified as off-white. We are most encouraged that the kimberlite grade and stone size continue to improve and that our recent kimberlite volume calculations have shown that the higher grade Early Joli Fou kimberlite accounts for approximately 80 percent of Star, says
George Read, Senior Vice President Exploration at Shore Gold.

Diamonds in the news: Diamonds are for everyone.

Excerpt:

London's streets are no longer paved with gold, they're paved with diamonds. Fuelled in part by style icons like footballer David Beckham or hip-hopper Missy Elliot, as likely to wear sparklers with sports gear and jeans as they are at awards ceremonies, the increasing popularity of diamonds has turned them from a nice-to-have into a must-have.

Over the last year or two, London’s retail jewellery market has come to reflect this trend — notably with the arrival of new diamond specialists like Wint and Kidd and DeBeers.
Both on and off Old Bond Street — London’s haute couture and fine gem quarter — forwardthinking jewellery shops have eliminated the daunting bank-vault doors and mannered velvet-pillow presentation that has long characterised jewellery shopping.
Even established rocks-on-the-block Asprey and Garrard has repositioned as two distinct “luxury lifestyle� destinations — injecting some much-needed “bling� into the otherwise staid niche it shares with traditional neighbors like Tiffany’s, Bulgari and Cartier.

Diamonds in the news: Blina IPO highlights Aussie diamond revival.

Excerpt:

The search for diamonds in Australia has broken a few hearts over the past three decades, yet the diamond sector here is once again attracting some avid investor interest.
Aside from a couple of exceptions, diamond hopefuls in Australia have generally only discovered the last of the five important “Cs� – not carats, cut, clarity or colour, just the cash that’s been blown.
Many a big and small name has come up empty-handed in Australia over that period such as Stockdale Prospecting, Joseph Gutnick’s stable of juniors and a host of other pretenders. But buoyed by a thriving world rough diamond market, there are distinct signs that another wave of diamond equities and diamond exploration optimism has swept this country.
The latest to strike while the iron’s hot is emerging Western Australian diamond miner – and the only company producing diamonds in Australia at the moment apart from Rio Tinto – Kimberley Diamond Company [ASX:KIM], who listed on the ASX in 1994 (around the time of the last Aussie diamond revival) and had a few lean years itself before acquiring the Ellendale diamond project from Rio for A$23 million three years ago.

Diamonds in the news: Diamond shines bright at auction.

Excerpt:

THE largest diamond yet auctioned in Australia was sold for a similarly large price in Perth yesterday.
The round, brilliant cut solitaire diamond, above, which is the same size and shape as a 10c piece, attracted fierce bidding before it was eventually sold to an anonymous buyer for $97,000.
The huge rock, which weighs in at 9.79 carats and is of extremely high clarity, was flown into Western Australia on Friday under tight security.

DeBeers has a nice little section on Famous Diamonds which any diamond lover would enjoy.

Diamonds in the news: Blue Nile stock trips on analysts' expectations

Excerpt:

If Wall Street were to hand Blue Nile a theme song, it would have to be "Getting to Know You" from "The King and I."
The Seattle online retailer yesterday beat analysts' earnings estimates by 2 cents, reporting a second-quarter profit of $1.9 million, or 11 cents a share, in its first quarterly financial report as a public company.
While sales rose 29 percent to $35 million, that number narrowly missed analysts' consensus estimates of $35.3 million.
Add to that a full-year profit forecast that fell short of expectations, and Blue Nile's shares fell a dizzying $6.04, or 18.1 percent, to close at $27.25.

Diamond Mining in the news: Debeers Doubts Leviev's Proposal.

Excerpt:

THE Managing Director of the DeBeers Group, Gary Ralfe has refuted claims that Lev Leviev, the owner of Lev Leviev Group is likely to set up a diamond cutting and polishing factory in Botswana.
On Tuesday during the first anniversary celebrations of Diarough ownership of Teemane Manufacturing Company in Serowe, the Minister for Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, Boometswe Mokgothu confirmed that his ministry is in discussions with various companies who are interested in setting up diamond manufacturing operations in Botswana.
"We are continuously engaged in discussions with various people who have interest, means, experience, technology and know-how, with a view to setting up more diamond manufacturing operations in Botswana," he said.
Mokgothu was last week quoted as saying: "The Israeli tycoon is coming with what Botswana has been looking for."
The minister is understood to have said that the government does guarantee approval of Leviev's proposal.
However, the De Beers Group MD denied that the minister's speech on consultations was in reference to Leviev.
"As far as I know, there will be four cutting and polishing factories here by the end of the year. That is; Diarough in Serowe, Schachter and Namdar in Molepolole, Euro star and Star Group in Gaborone.

Diamonds in the news: Largest diamond auctioned in Australia sold for large price.

Excerpt:

A 9.79-carat diamond, the largest diamond ever auctioned in Australia, was sold for 97,000 dollars (about 70,000 US dollars) Sunday.
The diamond, which was assessed as VVS, a measurement of clarity ranked just below flawless, finally went to an anonymous buyer after attracting fierce bidding in Perth, capital of the state of South Australia.
The round, brilliant cut solitaire diamond, which is of extremely high clarity, was flown into Western Australia on Friday under tight security, Australian Associated Press (AAP) reported.

Diamond Mining in the news: They're drilling for diamonds on treasure island.

Excerpt:

South Australia's first commercial diamond discovery may be only two weeks away.

Melbourne-based Tawana Resources begins serious drilling on Flinders Island this week with high hopes it will find a rich source of diamonds within two weeks.
If it does, it will open the way for South Australia's first diamond mine and boost diamond and mining exploration in the state.
Tawana Resources managing director Wolfgang Marx said he was confident of success after spending more than $1 million on exploration on the island. His team has already found seven diamonds on the surface of Flinders Island as well as indicator minerals.

Diamonds in the news: Diamond watchdog bares its teeth at Congo.

Excerpt:

The removal recently of the Republic of Congo from the ranks of legitimate diamond producers shows that the industry has both the will and the ability to combat trade in conflict diamonds.
This is the unequivocal view of Abbey Chikane, immediate past chairman of the Kimberley Process, which was launched by 52 countries in January last year in a bid to eliminate trade in conflict, or blood, diamonds.
The term is derived from diamonds that are mined in a war zone, often by under-age and underpaid labour, and sold clandestinely to finance an insurgent or invading army's military efforts.

Diamond in the news: DIAMOND TOOL MAKER HIT BY BELGIAN GAS PIPELINE BLAST

Excerpt:

One worker from diamond tool maker Diamond Boart has died and a number have been injured in Belgium’s worst industrial incident for decades that left 16 people dead and dozens injured.
Guy Meulemans, Director of Human Resources at Diamant Boart, a subsidiary says that thirteen employees at the company were injured, five of them critically, as the building blew up during an explosion of a natural gas pipeline.

Diamonds in the news: NSDM TO PRODUCE DIAMOND JEWELRY LINE.

Excerpt:

North Star Diamonds, Inc. has reached an agreement with an unspecified major jewelry designer and manufacturer who has been in business for over 65 years to produce an exclusive line of diamond jewelry for the company.
The jewelry line designed exclusively for North Star will be supported by a national marketing campaign to increase customer awareness and to increase sales.

Diamond mining in the news: United Development International Developing Strategy to Initiate Diamond Recovery in Guyana

Excerpt:

United Development International (OTC: UDVE.PK) announced today strategy for the recovery of diamonds on their properties in Guyana. The company will require additional equipment to initiate diamond recovery and is aggressively pursuing capital to facilitate our needs.

Diamonds have a different specific gravity than gold, thus require modified dredging equipment to ensure appropriate recovery is of high standard.
"The regions where our properties are situated in Guyana have some of the most prolific statistics regarding diamond recovery," stated Robert Doherty, company president. "The Mazaruni River and the Cuyuni River in Guyana are No. 1 and 2 respectively in diamond production in the country."
United Development International is quoted on NQB Pink Sheets as "UDVE."