DeBeers lab diamonds could upend market dynamics

Subject

Diamond dynamics.

Significance

The average price of rough diamonds has risen from 92 dollars per carat last year to 101 dollars per carat. Rough diamond imports into India, the world's largest cutting centre, have registered the biggest inflow in at least a decade. Prices for polished diamonds have also rocketed. Despite stagnant output, export values of polished diamonds from India have grown by double digits this year and polished stone prices have averaged more than 800 dollars per carat.

Impacts

• Lucara’s new digital sales platform could modernise the route to market for mined diamonds and reduce value erosion in secondary markets.
• Botswana’s government has an option to take a 15% interest in DeBeers’ synthetic diamond venture.
• Modern equipment can efficiently recover large stones and finds may increase -- Lucara recently recovered a 327 carat white stone.