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Showing posts from July, 2018

De Beers, Lightbox and the Impact on the Diamond Industry

De Beers has announced the formation of a new company, Lightbox, that will be selling man-made diamonds (MMDs), mounted in earrings, pendants and bracelets - no rings. I will assume everyone has read the details, and heard their rationale for claiming that this move will have little or no impact in the natural diamond industry.  Briefly, they will be selling MMDs in finished jewelry with total weights up to one carat, mounted in silver or gold, and with simple pricing - $800 per carat.  There is no grading of the stones, which are white, yellow, blue or pink; the jewelry is meant for “moments” not “milestones” (like weddings). De Beers has arrived at this moment after a few decades of seeing their business transformed from a monopoly into a commercial venture facing all the pressures of a competitive market.   At the turn of the century, Rio Tinto, with their major mine at Argyle in Western Australia, went their own way, sensing that they would do much better by selling