The Louvre Raid: History Repeats Itself
October 23, 25 by John JeffayHistory repeats itself. The dramatic heist at the Louvre last week was not the first time thieves broke into the museum's Apollo Gallery, smashed a display case and made off with a priceless royal treasure. It happened in December 1976. Raiders escaped with... Read More...
NDC Campaign: Ready to Roll, Just Waiting for Cash
October 16, 25 by John JeffayThe Natural Diamond Council (NDC) says it has a marketing campaign that's "ready to roll" - it's just waiting for the six African diamond producers who signed up to the Luanda Accord to provide the funding. David Kellie, outgoing CEO of the NDC... Read More...
Fabergé Eggs, from Revolution to Reinvention
October 09, 25 by John JeffayThere are Fabergé eggs, and there are Fabergé eggs. The originals (there were just 50 of them) were the preserve of Russian royalty. They were the ultimate Easter gift, presented by the tsar to his wife or mother. Money was no object. They were designed and Read More...
A Nation that Lives by the Diamond...
October 02, 25 by John JeffayBotswana's failure to sell a single carat at its emergency tender last week underscores a dramatic change of fortunes for Africa's diamond capital. It is a nation that has been transformed diamonds. They were discovered in 1967, less than six months after ... Read More...
AI, My Unreliable Friend
September 25, 25 by John JeffaySo I have a new friend, called AI. You probably do as well, and you probably have the same mixed feelings - that your AI friend is brilliant and stupid at the same time. A few weeks ago I asked mine to check some facts for me about US tariffs on Indian diamond... Read More...
From Novelty to Nuisance
September 18, 25 by John JeffayThe pendulum has swung. Lab growns, once embraced as a quirky addition to the diamond family, are now being officially shunned. They were a novelty back then, but now it seems they've become a nuisance. It was only 15 years ago that CIBJO... Read More...
Colorful History of $30m Blue
September 10, 25 by John JeffaySo who will be the next owner of the remarkable 9.51-carat Mellon Blue diamond? It was part of a vast collection of art and jewelry that belonged to the American heiress and philanthropist Rachel Lambert (Bunny) Mellon. In 2014, shortly after her death at the age... Read More...
Anglo American and Botswana: Divorcing and Remarrying
September 04, 25 by Erez Jacob RivlinErnest Oppenheimer gained control of De Beers in 1929, and Anglo American bought the control from the Oppenheimers in 2011. Just 14 years later, and the current owners have decided to pass the reins to the highest bidder. This upcoming sale holds both Read More...
How a Diamond can Beat Digital Distraction
August 28, 25 by John JeffayLess is sometimes more. Every device you own today does a thousand things. Your smartphone has a restaurant full of menus you've never even looked at. It connects wirelessly not just to your earbuds and your smartwatch, but (for early adopters) your ... Read More...
Pink Diamond Heist is PR Win for Dubai
August 20, 25 by John JeffayIt took more than a year to plan the theft of a $25m pink diamond. And it took Dubai Police just eight hours to crack the case, locate the gem and arrest three suspects, according to a statement issued on Monday (18 August). They also rushed out a slick two-and-a-half Read More...
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