News

South Korea’s diamond Jewelry Market
South Korea’s diamond Jewelry Market
South Korea’s diamond jewelry market is mature but growing modestly. In 2024 the luxury diamond jewelry market was worth on the order of $2.3–2.5 billion. Historical data (2018–2023) suggest mid-single-digit annual growth, with a... Read more...
The Sale Is the Beginning
The Sale Is the Beginning
Building the Post-Purchase System Gen Z Diamond Buyers Actually Expect The shift in one sentence For generations of jewelers, the sale was the destination. Everything — the window display, the... Read more...
The Kimberley Process
The Kimberley Process
The Institution Behind the Numbers What It Is, How It Works, and Why It's Argued About Every time global rough diamond production figures make headlines, the source is the same:... Read more...
Three Years on Top
Three Years on Top
Russia Leads Global Rough Diamond Production Again and Botswana's Numbers Tell the More Interesting Story Russia has retained its position as the world's leading country by rough-diamond production value in... Read more...
Thirteen Months and Triple the Market
Thirteen Months and Triple the Market
Hong Kong's Hard Luxury Recovery Is No Longer a Rebound Story Hong Kong's hard-luxury sector delivered another strong month in May, and the figures are becoming difficult to characterize as... Read more...
London and Dubai Shake Hands
London and Dubai Shake Hands
What the LDB–DDE Memorandum Really Signals About the Future of Diamond Trading The London Diamond Bourse (LDB) and the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU)... Read more...
Volume Up, Value Down Reading Antwerp's 2026
Volume Up, Value Down Reading Antwerp's 2026
The headline, and the trap inside it Antwerp's diamond trade improved in the first half of 2026. Total diamond trading rose 9% year on year to $10.6 billion between January... Read more...
GIA Finally Brings Cut Grades to Fancy Shapes
GIA Finally Brings Cut Grades to Fancy Shapes
Twenty-One Years in the Making and Rewrites the Fluorescence Conversation Two announcements, one theme The Gemological Institute of America has disclosed two changes to its diamond grading reports, and while... Read more...
Three Investigations, One Deadline
Three Investigations, One Deadline
The Colored-Gemstone Trade's Tariff Reckoning The United States Trade Representative (USTR) is running three separate investigations that could produce new tariff regulations by the end of the month — and... Read more...
Nine Months and Counting
Nine Months and Counting
 What June's US Retail Numbers Tell Us — and Why Jewelry Should Be Paying Close Attention US retail sales grew again in June, as the summer shopping season got underway.... Read more...
The Mine That Keeps Breaking Its Own Record
The Mine That Keeps Breaking Its Own Record
 Lucara Recovers a 1,305.4-Carat Diamond at Karowe Lucara Diamond Corp. has recovered a 1,305.4-carat rough diamond at its Karowe mine in Botswana. The company announced the find on Monday, describing... Read more...
When Beauty, Yield, and Price Finally Sit at the Same Table
When Beauty, Yield, and Price Finally Sit at the Same Table
Inside the FCRF–Cutwise Wholesale Pricing Integration The headline, in one breath The Fancy Color Research Foundation (FCRF) has partnered with Cutwise, the diamond visualization and analytics platform, to launch a... Read more...
Jewelry Tops Global Luxury
Jewelry Tops Global Luxury
 Inside Bain & Altagamma's €1.44 Trillion Verdict on a Market Learning New Rhythms Jewelry was the single best-performing category in global luxury spending in 2025. That is the headline finding... Read more...
Dubai $41.7 Billion Record
Dubai $41.7 Billion Record
How the DMCC Became the World's Diamond Crossroads Dubai has posted an all-time high in both value and volume for its diamond trade in 2025 — the first time the... Read more...
Mother Nature Cooks in a Dirty Kitchen
Mother Nature Cooks in a Dirty Kitchen
 Inside GIA's Colored Stone Origin Science "Mother Nature cooks in a dirty kitchen." The phrase — a favourite in gemmological circles — captures the entire scientific basis for geographic origin... Read more...
Swiss Watch Exports Turn Positive
Swiss Watch Exports Turn Positive
Reading the June Rebound, the France Distortion, and the US Engine Executive summary Swiss watch exports rose 11% year on year to CHF 2.39 billion ($2.95bn) in June, according to... Read more...
50% US Tariffs on Canadian Diamonds and Jewelry
50% US Tariffs on Canadian Diamonds and Jewelry
President Donald Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on nearly $20 billion worth of Canadian goods entering the United States — and the gem and jewelry trade is directly in scope.... Read more...
De Beers Slides Into the Red
De Beers Slides Into the Red
 Anatomy of a 44% Revenue Collapse and What the Numbers Actually Say De Beers is heading for a negative underlying EBITDA in the first half of 2026 — the first... Read more...
CIBJO Retires Laboratory Grown
CIBJO Retires Laboratory Grown
Inside the Global Pivot to Synthetic and What It Means for the Trade The World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) intends to strike the terms "laboratory grown" and "laboratory created" from its... Read more...
US Tariffs Include Diamonds and Gemstones
US Tariffs Include Diamonds and Gemstones
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has closed out one of the broadest trade investigations in recent memory — a Section 301 review covering the forced-labor practices of 60 trading... Read more...
HRD Antwerp
HRD Antwerp
HRD Antwerp Certification for Natural and Lab-Grown Diamonds: The Complete Guide Introduction Every diamond purchase involves a knowledge gap. The seller knows what the stone is; the buyer, looking across... Read more...
The Complete Guide to Pear Shape Diamond Prices (2026)
The Complete Guide to Pear Shape Diamond Prices (2026)
The Complete Guide to Pear Shape Diamond Prices (2026) The definitive buyer's and trade guide to pear-shaped diamond pricing — how value is built, why two identical certificates can carry... Read more...
How is Round Diamond Pricing Works
How is Round Diamond Pricing Works
A buyer's handbook to understanding how diamonds are valued — from the Four Cs and price per carat to wholesale economics, certification, and market cycles. Chapter 1: How Diamond Pricing... Read more...
The Macroeconomics of US Luxury Retail and the Lab-Grown Revolution
The Macroeconomics of US Luxury Retail and the Lab-Grown Revolution
The United States luxury jewelry sector is currently navigating a profound structural transformation, driven by an confluence of changing consumer demographics, the rising prominence of sustainable materials, and the increasing... Read more...
Half-Moon Diamonds
Half-Moon Diamonds
Introduction to the Demilune Diamond Within the highly specialized landscape of the United States gemstone market, the half-moon diamond—also frequently identified in historical and technical literature as the demilune or... Read more...
Diamond Ring for Daily Wear
Diamond Ring for Daily Wear
Introduction: The Intersection of Aesthetics, Material Science, and Practicality The selection of a diamond ring designed for constant, daily wear requires a paradigm shift from purely aesthetic considerations to a... Read more...
Princess Cut Engagement Rings
Princess Cut Engagement Rings
The engagement ring market in the United States represents a multibillion-dollar industry characterized by evolving consumer preferences, highly sophisticated gemological grading technologies, and a deep appreciation for complex architectural jewelry... Read more...
Matching Diamond Pairs
Matching Diamond Pairs
The Gemological Science and Market Dynamics of Sourcing Ideal Matching Diamond Pairs Introduction to the Science of Diamond Matching The procurement of matched diamond pairs—whether destined for classic stud earrings,... Read more...
Princess Cut Diamond
Princess Cut Diamond
Introduction to the Square Modified Brilliant Within the highly specialized realm of gemological science, diamond manufacturing, and fine jewelry retail, the princess cut stands as one of the most structurally... Read more...
Oval cut Diamond
Oval cut Diamond
The oval cut is an elegant fancy-shape diamond – essentially a “stretched” round brilliant – prized for its large face-up appearance and brilliant sparkle. Invented by Lazare Kaplan in 1957, the modern... Read more...
Round Brilliant Diamond
Round Brilliant Diamond
The round brilliant cut is by far the most popular diamond shape, optimized for maximum sparkle. Its modern form (58 facets: 33 on crown, 25 on pavilion) evolved over centuries... Read more...
Cushion Cut Diamonds
Cushion Cut Diamonds
Executive Summary: The cushion cut is a venerable “pillow-shaped” diamond cut that combines rounded corners with facets reminiscent of the antique “old mine” cut. After waning in the mid-20th century, it... Read more...
Radiant Cut Diamonds
Radiant Cut Diamonds
The Radiant cut is a modern diamond shape combining the geometric elegance of an emerald cut with the brilliant-facet pattern of a round cut. Invented by Henry Grossbard in the mid-1970s, the... Read more...
Diamond Cuts
Diamond Cuts
Diamond cut – the arrangement of a gem’s facets – is often the most critical of the 4Cs, as it determines how brilliantly a stone returns light. The history of diamond cutting... Read more...
Emerald cut diamonds
Emerald cut diamonds
Emerald-cut diamonds are a classic “step-cut” shape characterized by a rectangular outline with truncated corners and broad, parallel facets. Originating from cutting techniques for emerald gemstones (hence the name) as... Read more...
Bezel Settings The Secure Choice
Bezel Settings The Secure Choice
Bezel vs. Prong Settings & Metal Durability: The Complete Guide Part One: Understanding the Setting The setting is the single most under-appreciated decision in an engagement ring purchase. Buyers spend... Read more...
Kite Cut Diamond
Kite Cut Diamond
A kite cut diamond is exactly what it sounds like: a four-sided diamond (a quadrilateral) shaped like a traditional flying kite. It features two shorter edges at the top that... Read more...
Shield cut diamonds
Shield cut diamonds
Shield cut diamonds have a long lineage that starts in the broader history of diamond fashioning, but their modern identity is best understood through a U.S.-market lens: they evolved from... Read more...
Half Moon Diamond Cut
Half Moon Diamond Cut
The Half Moon Diamond Cut: A Comprehensive US Market Guide Overview & Definition The Half Moon diamond cut (also known as demilune or crescent cut) is a distinctive fancy shape characterized by a straight edge on... Read more...
Trillion Cut Diamond
Trillion Cut Diamond
Introduction In the highly standardized and scientifically rigorous world of gemology, diamond cutting represents the critical intersection of natural geological phenomena and human optical engineering. Among the various diamond shapes... Read more...
Heart Cut Diamond
Heart Cut Diamond
The Heart-Cut Diamond: A Comprehensive Gemological and Market Analysis Introduction to the Heart-Cut Diamond in the American Market Within the sophisticated realm of diamond cutting and gemology, the heart-cut diamond... Read more...
Pear Cut Diamond
Pear Cut Diamond
The Pear Cut Diamond: A Comprehensive Analysis of Anatomy, Optical Performance, and United States Market Dynamics The pear cut diamond represents one of the most sophisticated intersections of optical engineering,... Read more...
Marquise Cut Diamond
Marquise Cut Diamond
Comprehensive Analysis of the Marquise Cut Diamond: Gemological Specifications, Optical Physics, and United States Market Valuation The marquise cut diamond, frequently referred to in historical gemological texts as the "navette"... Read more...
Asscher Cut
Asscher Cut
The Asscher Cut Diamond: An Exhaustive Gemological, Historical, and Market Analysis for the United States Diamond Sector Introduction to the Architectural Step Cut Philosophy Within the highly specialized field of... Read more...
Baguette
Baguette
The Anatomy of a Baguette Diamond The term "baguette" comes from the French word bague, meaning "jewel" (or "little jewel"). Today, it refers to an elongated, rectangular diamond with perfectly... Read more...
Tapered Baguette
Tapered Baguette
When it comes to the world of fine jewelry, certain diamond cuts scream from across the room with blinding flashes of light, while others speak in a sophisticated, mesmerizing whisper.... Read more...
HPHT Diamonds
HPHT Diamonds
HPHT Diamonds: The Complete U.S. Buyer's Guide (2026) Part One — Chapter 1: Introduction to HPHT Diamonds Understanding the Rise of HPHT Diamonds in the United States The American diamond... Read more...
CVD Diamonds
CVD Diamonds
Executive Summary CVD diamonds are laboratory-grown diamonds with essentially the same optical, physical, and chemical properties as mined diamonds. In the United States, they occupy a specific and well-defined regulatory... Read more...
What Are Antique Cut Diamonds
What Are Antique Cut Diamonds
Antique cut diamonds are natural diamonds shaped using the hand-cutting techniques and aesthetic standards of earlier historical eras — typically before modern machine-precision cutting became the norm in the mid-20th... Read more...
How to Choose Perfect Matching Diamond Pairs
How to Choose Perfect Matching Diamond Pairs
Choosing a perfect pair of matching diamonds is far more nuanced than simply picking two stones with the same grade on paper — subtle differences in fluorescence, table size, and... Read more...