Manufacturers

Anglo American to offload De Beers

Mining company Anglo American has set out plans to sell De Beers its diamond business, as part of its wider turnaround plan. The group stated that the plan would “unlock significant value from its portfolio and accelerate the delivery of consistently stronger shareholder returns”. As part of this plan the…

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De Beers reports third cycle diamond sales of $445m

The De Beers Group has reported that its rough diamond sales for its third sales cycle amounted to $445m (£361.5m) as at 16 April 2024. The figures mark an increase on the $431m (£350.2m) sold in the second sales cycle of 2024, even though it is down from $542m (£440.4m)…

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De Beers presents AUEA with Leopard jewel-tool boxes to help young talent

Aston University Engineering Academy (AUEA) has been presented with the first set of Leopard jewel-tool boxes, sponsored by De Beers, to encourage young talent into the jewellery industry. The Leopards initiative was founded in 2016 to preserve the skills and craftsmanship of the British jewellery industry and mentor young people…

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UK hallmarking falls 4.1% in February

The number of pieces hallmarked in the UK fell 4.1% in February compared to the same period last year, according to data from the Birmingham Assay Office. The total number of pieces hallmarked was 549,539, down from 572,890 last year and comes after hallmarking was flat in January. The total…

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Gemfields reports second highest ever revenues despite 23% decline

Gemfields has reported a 23% decline in revenues to $262m (£207m) for the year ending 31 December 2023. The company attributed this to fewer carats sold in the year and in part to the cancellation of a higher-quality emerald auction that was scheduled for November 2023. Despite this, the group…

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Vaughtons enters memorial jewellery market

Birmingham-based manufacturer, Vaughtons, has entered the memorial jewellery market with the launch of Phoenix by Vaughtons, which sells memorial jewellery with ashes encapsulated within vitreous enamel.  This venture is the first direct-to-consumer business for the company, whose artisans will be creating a range of handmade memorial jewellery at its Well…

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De Beers Group Ignite launches new diamond verification tool

De Beers Group Ignite has launched its latest diamond verification instrument, AMS Micro, to offer “rapid”, “automated” and “autonomous” screening of high volumes of the smallest melee diamonds. The first AMS Micro instrument will be delivered to the Swiss office of leading diamond manufacturer De Beers Group Sightholder, KGK, at…

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UK hallmarking unchanged in January

The number of pieces hallmarked by the four UK Assay Offices was flat with 0.0% growth in January 2024. The number of silver pieces hallmarked dropped 5.9% from 375,891 in January 2023 down to 353,900 this year, a decline of 21,991. Silver 958 dropped the most in the category, falling…

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Cockpit names new CEO

Cockpit, London’s leading centre for contemporary craft, has announced the appointment of Jonathan Burton as its new CEO. He replaces Annie Warburton, who stepped down in December 2023, and will assume his role at Cockpit in late April 2024. His experience and engagement in the arts and culture sector is…

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De Beers production declines 3% in Q4 but guidance remains unchanged

De Beers’ rough diamond production has decreased by 3% to 7.9 million carats in Q4 2023, primarily due to the planned reduction in South Africa as Venetia transitions to underground operations, partly offset by higher production from Botswana. Despite this, the group stated that production guidance for 2024 is unchanged…

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