I recently found myself watching an old movie in which diamonds play the primary role. It reminds me that Hollywood has long had a fascination with diamonds. Diamonds lend themselves well to cinema - whether it’s a love story, a crime story, or an action-packed thriller, diamonds provide both the romance and intrigue that moviegoers are looking for. I’ve decided to compile a list of some of my favorite diamond-themed movies, and I hope to hear about yours too..
In a departure from other shows over the past year and more, the September show in Hong Kong saw a decent amount of business, and many exhibiting diamond firms reported a rise in transactions compared to previous shows. There is a good reason for the change, and it does not necessarily serve as a positive sign for the diamond industry.
During De Beers’ Sight last week, the company raised prices by 2-4% on average, according to traders. Sightholders that chose to sell rough diamonds from the Sight reportedly sold them for higher premiums. Premiums on 4 grainers (1 carat rough diamonds) and larger are up to a reported 8%-15%. Some goods are selling for list price, or up to 3% above list price. With few exceptions, the rough diamond market is generally strong - some even described it as “hot”. The exceptions are boxes of -7 rough diamonds and the cheap goods, which are hard, if not impossible, to move. Considering that consumer demand for polished diamonds is not rising, we are faced with a mystery: what is fueling demand for rough diamonds?
The world of celebrities is constantly entertaining. For those of us in the diamond business, celebrities are important, since they buy a lot of expensive diamonds. This is very evident in celebrity marriages, where male suitors over the last few decades have bought increasingly valuable diamonds for their soon-to-be wives in an ever-expanding game of one-upmanship. Since many of these marriages are short-lived, the celebrity diamond market continues to provide opportunities for jewellers across the globe to place high value pieces in the hands of these high profile buyers. The list of expensive celebrity engagement rings is vast, and purchase prices are not always disclosed. Here are some of the most expensive celebrity engagement rings ever sold – the ones we know about, at least.