The Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia (DCLA)
Buy and sell diamonds with the help of the experts
Graff Jewellers a leader in the diamond business since 1960 has purchased the 476 carat rough diamond named The Meya Prosperity Diamond.
The Rough diamond was mined in Sierra Leone.
Graff paid $16.5 million for the exceptional rough diamond , another in a long line of extraordinary diamond bought by Graff.
The magnificent rough diamond is the 29th largest diamond ever recovered and is the fifth largest stone from Sierra Leone.
In 1940 when R.V. Cullinan the son of the renowned diamond magnate Sir Thomas Cullinan asked De Beers director Pierre De Villiers to buy him some diamonds on his next visit to Kimberley.
A collection of Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamonds owned by South Africa’s mining elite has sold at a Bonhams auction for well above its expected price.
The collection sold as two separate lots at the for a total of $773,350.
Diamond Miner Gem Diamonds has found a 202 carat rough diamond at its Letšeng mine in Lesotho, Sothern Africa. The rough diamond is the latest of seven recovered over 100 carats this year.
The D colour type IIa diamond was recovered when they mine switched to the higher grade K6 section of the main pipe earlier this year.
The Letšeng mine is one of the highest diamond deposits by value in the world with the an average price of $2,397 per carat for the July tender.
De Beers is planning to add the world’s largest custom built diamond mining vessel to its fleet at a cost of $142 million.
The ship will be the sixth belonging to Debmarine Namibia, a 50/50 joint venture between the miner and the Republic of Namibia, De Beers said Tuesday. Expected to begin operations in 2021, it will enhance the company’s ability to recover diamonds off the southern African country’s Atlantic coast, the rough producer added.
“There is a great amount of potential in Namibia’s marine diamond deposits, and this new vessel will support our strategy to continue to grow our offshore operations,” said De Beers CEO Bruce Cleaver.
Earlier this year, De Beers launched the MV SS Nujoma, the world’s largest diamond sampling and exploration vessel. Acquiring the new ship will help the company capitalize on that vessel’s work, and support the long-term future of Namibia’s diamond sector, Cleaver added.
Kleven Verft, a Norwegian ship-building company that constructed the Nujoma, will also build the new vessel, and has signed a memorandum of understanding with De Beers.
Source: Diamonds.net
Dealers reported a difficult but stable rough market as De Beers’ November sight closed with a value of $455 million — 4% lower than the same period a year ago.
The rough market improved slightly from the October sight, which was the smallest sale of the year as Indian manufacturing slowed for Diwali. However, sightholders still noted weak profitability on De Beers goods during November, with premiums on the secondary market close to zero.
Most boxes of diamonds from last week’s sight commanded prices on the dealer market that did not cover the costs of doing deals, explained Dudu Harari of diamond broker Bluedax in a report on the sight.
Read More: diamonds.net
Due to resources dwindling Beers’ joint ventures will close four diamond mines by 2022.
Namdeb is a DeBeers project with the government of Namibia, Will close the Elizabeth Bay mine at the end of 2018 followed by the Daberas deposit at the end of 2019 and Sendelingsdrif in 2020. The main asset Southern Coastal will close in 2022.
Production saw a shift to offshore assets this past year. For the first nine months of 2017, Debmarine’s production surged 22% to 1.1 million carats.
Subdued world economic growth will make the next few years challenging, mainly due to negative impacts forecast in exchange rates and other indices.
More trouble for diamond miner Petra Diamonds yesterday after it warned it is heading into financial trouble with its lenders.
Petra has borrowed heavily to expand its operations in the country. The company is now likely to breach its banking covenants at the end of the year, because of the row with the government in Tanzania. As well as strikes at three of its mines in South Africa.
Petra diamonds is known for the size and quality of the diamonds produced at the famous Cullinan mine outside of Pretoria in South Africa.
De Beers marketing spend this years is more than $140 million, This is the biggest De Beers push in a decade.
The marketing will focus on increasing consumer demand for diamond jewellery in US, China and Indian markets.
The De Beers brands, Forevermark and De Beers Diamond Jewellers. Will receive the most funding, But Debeers will also increase its contributions to the Diamond Producers Association and India’s Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council.
Stephen Lussier, De Beers’ executive vice president of marketing and CEO of Forevermark. Said the consumer expenditure for diamond jewellery over the past five years collectively has been the highest on record. and this made the outlook positive.
A yellow diamond is a coloured diamond characterised by its natural yellow body colour. Yellow must be the predominant colour in the diamond, though it can be modified by other hues, such as green, orange, or brown, which can influence the overall appearance of the stone.
Key Characteristics of Yellow Diamonds
Colour Origin:
The yellow colour in diamonds is primarily caused by the presence of nitrogen atoms within the diamond’s crystal structure. These nitrogen atoms absorb blue light, which results in a yellowish hue. The more nitrogen present, the more intense the yellow colour can become.
This unique characteristic makes yellow diamonds distinct from other coloured diamonds, such as blue diamonds, which gain their colour from the presence of boron.
Colour Variations:
While yellow diamonds are often uniformly yellow, the shade and intensity of the yellow can vary widely. Some may show a subtle, faint yellow, while others exhibit a vibrant, rich yellow that is striking and eye-catching.
The yellow can sometimes be modified by secondary hues. For instance, greenish-yellow diamonds might show a yellow-green tinge, while brownish-yellow diamonds can appear more earthy or muted. These variations in colour can affect the diamond’s overall value and appeal.
Canary Diamonds:
The term “canary diamond” refers to a particularly vivid, intense yellow diamond. These diamonds are much rarer than the more common yellow diamonds, and their colour can range from brilliant lemon yellow to golden hues.
Canary diamonds are highly prized in the market for their bright, vibrant appearance and often fetch higher prices due to their rarity and striking colour.
Rarity and Availability:
Natural yellow diamonds are relatively common compared to some other coloured diamonds, like pink or blue diamonds. However, the intensity and depth of the yellow colour can influence the rarity and desirability of a diamond.
Yellow diamonds are found in several regions around the world, including Africa, Australia, and South America.
Grading Yellow Diamonds:
Like all diamonds, yellow diamonds are graded on a combination of colour, clarity, cut, and carat weight. However, when grading coloured diamonds, the hue, tone, and saturation are the primary focus.
Hue refers to the primary colour of the diamond (in this case, yellow), tone refers to the lightness or darkness of the colour, and saturation measures the intensity of the colour. A high saturation, deep yellow diamond will generally be more valuable than a pale or less saturated one.
The most sought-after yellow diamonds have a vivid yellow hue with high saturation and a pleasing, even colour distribution throughout the stone.
Symbolism and Use:
Yellow diamonds are often associated with happiness, wealth, and success due to their vibrant, sunny appearance. They can also symbolise optimism and joy, making them a popular choice for engagement rings, jewellery, and special gifts.
Due to their striking appearance, yellow diamonds are often used in high-end jewellery, where their bold colour can stand out and create a dramatic effect.
Price and Market Appeal:
The price of yellow diamonds can vary significantly depending on factors like colour intensity, clarity, and size. Vivid yellow diamonds, particularly those with a deep, rich hue, tend to fetch higher prices due to their rarity and the high demand in the luxury market.
However, the relative abundance of yellow diamonds compared to other coloured diamonds like pink or blue means they are often more affordable than rarer varieties.
Yellow diamonds are a beautiful and unique variety of coloured diamonds, with their colour arising from the presence of nitrogen in their crystal structure. While yellow diamonds are relatively common, those with intense yellow hues, such as canary diamonds, are rarer and more valuable. These diamonds are graded based on their hue, tone, and saturation, and are prized for their vivid and radiant appearance. They are a popular choice in fine jewellery, symbolising happiness, wealth, and success, while also offering an affordable yet striking alternative to more expensive coloured diamonds.
A rough diamond is a diamond in its natural state, exactly as it is found deep within the Earth. It has not yet undergone any form of cutting, polishing, or alteration. Rough diamonds are typically irregular in shape, with a variety of textures, colours, and surface conditions, ranging from clear and transparent to opaque and coloured.
These diamonds are generally discovered in kimberlite pipes (volcanic formations) or alluvial deposits (water-worn areas), and they are extracted through a process of mining. Once found, rough diamonds are carefully sorted and graded based on their size, shape, colour, and clarity before they are sent to gem cutters for transformation into polished stones.
Key Characteristics of Rough Diamonds
Shape:
Rough diamonds are typically irregular, with shapes that can range from octahedral (two pyramidal shapes joined together) to dodecahedral (a 12-sided form). These shapes are determined by the crystal structure of the diamond and can vary widely.
The rough shape is not intended for jewellery, and the gem cutters will plan how to cut the stone based on its natural geometry to maximise yield and minimise waste.
Colour:
Rough diamonds can appear in a wide range of colours, from colourless and transparent to shades of yellow, brown, or even rare colours such as blue, green, or pink.
The final colour of the diamond will depend on its internal structure and any trace elements present in the rough material. Some rough diamonds are even tinted due to the presence of minerals or impurities.
Clarity:
In their natural form, rough diamonds may have a variety of inclusions and blemishes, such as tiny air bubbles or mineral inclusions trapped within the crystal. These internal flaws are often visible to the naked eye or under magnification, though they can be reduced or eliminated during the cutting and polishing processes.
Size:
Rough diamonds vary greatly in size, from small pebbles to large stones weighing several carats. Larger rough diamonds are often considered more valuable, especially if they possess good colour and clarity, as they can be cut into high-quality finished diamonds.
The Journey of a Rough Diamond
Extraction:
Rough diamonds are mined from the Earth, typically through open-pit mining, underground mining, or alluvial mining (searching for diamonds in riverbeds or coastal regions). Mining companies extract the rough stones from kimberlite pipes or riverbeds, often using advanced technology to locate diamond deposits deep underground.
Sorting and Grading:
Once extracted, rough diamonds are sorted based on their size, colour, clarity, and shape. Each diamond is examined to determine its potential for cutting and polishing. Some rough diamonds are too flawed or small to be cut into gem-quality stones and may be used for industrial purposes instead.
The DCLA (Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia) offers rough diamond services to help classify and grade rough diamonds. They use their expertise to evaluate the quality of rough diamonds and assist in planning the best course of action for cutting and polishing.
Cutting and Polishing:
After sorting, the rough diamond is sent to skilled gem cutters, who use advanced techniques and tools to transform the stone into its finished form. The cutting process involves careful planning to maximise the yield (the amount of diamond produced from the rough stone) while aiming to enhance the diamond’s brilliance, fire, and overall appearance.
The diamond may be cut into a variety of shapes, such as round, emerald, princess, or cushion, depending on the rough stone’s shape and quality.
Grading:
Once the diamond is cut and polished, it is then graded according to the 4 Cs – Carat, Colour, Clarity, and Cut. This grade determines the diamond’s final value, and certificates from recognised laboratories such as DCLA are used to authenticate the quality of the diamond.
Uses of Rough Diamonds
Gem-quality Diamonds:
The primary use of rough diamonds is for gemstone production, where they are cut and polished into diamonds for use in engagement rings, earrings, necklaces, and other high-end jewellery.
Industrial Diamonds:
Some rough diamonds, particularly those with significant imperfections, are not suitable for use in jewellery. These diamonds are used for industrial purposes, where their hardness is highly valued. Industrial diamonds are employed in applications such as cutting, grinding, drilling, and polishing, where the diamond’s extreme hardness makes it ideal for cutting or shaping other materials.
The rough diamond is the very first step in the life cycle of a diamond. Found in the earth in its natural form, it is then extracted, sorted, and carefully crafted into the sparkling gemstones that are valued in fine jewellery. Due to their rarity and the complexity of their transformation, rough diamonds represent both the mystery of nature and the skill of the craftsmen who shape them into stunning finished products.