Adam O’Grady Becomes Lightbox’s First COO

 

Adam O’Grady

Lightbox has promoted Adam O’Grady to the newly created role of chief operating officer, effective March 27.

The executive will lead all aspects of supply chain and manufacturing activity for the De Beers-owned lab-grown diamond company, it said last week. These include diamond synthesis and jewelry manufacturing, cutting and polishing, and research and development.

O’Grady has been general manager of the Lightbox lab since 2019. In addition to his new responsibilities, he will continue to oversee operations and engineering at the company’s advanced manufacturing lab in Gresham, Oregon, where he is based.

“He is a transformational leader with deep knowledge of the lab-grown diamond category,” said Lightbox CEO Antoine Borde.

Prior to joining Lightbox, O’Grady spent his two-decade professional career at Element Six, De Beers’ industrial super-materials and synthetic-diamond business. He served in a series of general management and senior project roles in South Africa, China and the UK. In 2019, he oversaw the design and construction of Lightbox’s $94 million manufacturing lab in Gresham, which opened in October 2020.

Source: Diamonds.net

HB Antwerp Invests in Botswana’s Young Diamond Talent

HB Antwerp has announced a partnership with Botswana to foster a new generation of diamond talent.

It has signed a a five-year memorandum of understanding with the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST).

They will jointly organize traineeships for Botswanan youth, offer scholarships for promising local talent, drive innovative projects backed by digital supply chains, and create job opportunities in the diamond sector.

The move comes as Botswana threatens to walk away from its long-standing sales agreement with De Beers, which is due for renewal at the end of June.

There has been media speculation that the Okavango Diamond Company (ODC), wholly owned by the Botswana government, was planning to sell its specials (+10.8-carats) to Belgian manufacturer HB Antwerp and to Canada-based Lucara and instead of De Beers.

HB Antwerp says it promotes respect for local communities, fair labor and pay, and investment in skills training and job placement opportunities for local workers.

Rafael Papismedov, its managing partner and strategy director, said: “Young people in Africa have incredible potential, but often do not have access to meaningful opportunities.

“We believe in the power of diamonds to catalyze positive change and look forward to leveraging this partnership to deliver on that potential for the Botswanan people.”

Source: DCLA

How do I know where my diamond was mined ?

 

It can be challenging to determine the exact location where a diamond was mined, but there are several ways to get an idea of its origin:

1. Diamond certificate: A diamond certificate or grading report from a reputable laboratory such as GIA, AGS,HRD, IGI or DCLA will provide information about the diamond's characteristics, including its colour, clarity, and carat weight. Some certificates may also include information about the diamond's origin or a statement that the diamond is of natural origin.

2. Inscription: Some diamonds may have a laser inscription on the girdle (the thin outer edge) of the diamond that identifies the diamond's report and sometimes brand origin or other information about the diamond. The inscription is a laser inscription or a micro-inscription that can only be viewed under magnification.

3. Jewellers and diamond dealers: An experienced jeweller or diamond dealer may be able to provide information about the diamond's origin based on their knowledge and experience in the industry.

4. Diamond tracing programs: Some diamond companies offer programs that trace the origin of their diamonds from the mine to the consumer. For example, the De Beers Group has a program called Tracr that provides a digital certificate of a diamond's journey from mine to retailer. It's important to note that not all diamonds can be traced to their exact origin, but the above methods can provide some information about a diamond's potential source. Diamonds can be found in various places around the world, but the most famous diamond sources are:

1. Botswana: Botswana is the world's leading producer of diamonds by value and is responsible for about 25% of the world's diamond supply.

2. Russia: Russia is the world's largest diamond producer by volume, accounting for about 27% of global diamond production. The majority of diamonds mined in Russia come from the Yakutia region in northeastern Russia.

3. Canada: Canada is the world's third-largest diamond producer, and its diamond mines are known for producing high-quality gemstones. The majority of Canada's diamond mines are located in the Northwest Territories.

4. Australia: Australia is known for producing some of the world's most valuable pink and red diamonds. The Argyle Diamond Mine in Western Australia was the world's largest source of pink diamonds until its closure in 2020.

5. South Africa: South Africa is one of the earliest sources of diamonds, and the country's Kimberley region is famous for its diamond mines. The Cullinan Diamond, the largest rough diamond ever found, was discovered in South Africa in 1905.

Source: Certin 

Diamond Importers Might Have to Declare Russian Origin

Polished diamonds

G7 countries could oblige companies to affirm that their imported polished diamonds are not of Russian provenance, according to the US’s top sanctions official.

Leaders of the bloc will meet at a summit in mid-May and are looking to have a plan in place by then, according to a member alert the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) released Tuesday summarizing remarks by Ambassador James O’Brien, who heads the US’s Office of Sanctions Coordination.

“There could be a required declaration that finished diamonds imported to the US and other G7 markets were not originally mined in Russia or other kinds of restrictions that apply to polished diamonds,” O’Brien said, according to the note. “The aim is to ensure this is phased in at a time and flow that will accommodate the work of the industry.”

O’Brien made his comments at last week’s annual JVC luncheon, where he was the guest speaker. The summary contained a mix of direct and paraphrased quotes, wrote JVC president and general counsel Tiffany Stevens.

The G7 includes the US, as well as Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the UK. The European Union is known as its “eighth member.”

Alrosa, in which the Kremlin holds a stake, “is deeply rooted to the power structure within Russia, and our government wants to make sure its revenue is not available for them to raid,” O’Brien explained. The state is seeking sources of funds to keep the war in Ukraine going, he added.

Important issues to tackle include how long to wait for Russian diamonds that are currently in the market to exit the system, the sizes of stones to which sanctions would apply, and how enforcement will work, the ambassador pointed out. “Having thoughts on these questions that can contribute to a framework in time for the mid-May meeting is a goal of the US government,” he said.

He also said that the US wanted to make sure Burma — also known as Myanmar — didn’t help Russia. The Asian country has been subject to various US sanctions since a military takeover in 2021.

“Russia is going to its allies and asking them to give back military equipment,” the official said, according to the JVC summary. “Burma supports Russia, so the government also wants to make sure Burma is restricted in its sources of revenue, so it doesn’t help Russia as well. This includes ensuring the regime does not earn money from the sale of rubies and other gemstones.”

Source: Diamonds.net

Necklace with 118ct. Sapphire Could Fetch $4.5M

Bulgari sapphire necklace

A diamond necklace by Bulgari featuring a cushion-shaped, 118.35-carat, royal-blue sapphire from Sri Lanka is set to realize up to $4.5 million at an upcoming Phillips sale in Hong Kong.

The necklace was created in 2004 by the Italian high-jewelry house, and it is the first time it is available at auction, Phillips said. The piece, from “an esteemed private collection,” will lead the May 23 Jewels & Jadeite sale at the new Phillips Asia headquarters in the West Kowloon Cultural District, the company added.

The sapphire is accompanied by SSEF and Gübelin gemological reports and appendix letters “expressing the rarity and exceptionality of the sapphire,” the auction house said. In addition, Gübelin awarded it the royal-blue color grade, meaning it has an even saturation not often seen in unheated blue sapphires of this size.

The necklace was featured in Bulgari’s “125 Years of Italian Magnificence” retrospective in China from 2011 to 2012.

The combination of the exceptional qualities of the sapphire, its Sri Lankan origins and the design by Bulgari make this a particularly important jewel, said Benoît Repellin, worldwide head of jewelry at Phillips.

“Unique in its size, color and origin, the stone embodies the transparency and luminosity pursued by Bulgari for its high-jewelry creations,” he explained. “This jewel is a holy grail for any collector, with a classic and elegant design typical of Bulgari that emphasizes the beauty and extraordinariness of the gem.”

Source: Diamonds.net

It is possible to trace a diamond

 

It is possible to trace a diamond if it has been reported as lost or stolen and has been registered with a diamond grading and identification laboratory. Many diamonds are laser-inscribed with a unique identification number or code that can be used to identify the stone if it is recovered.

In addition to laser-inscriptions, diamond grading and identification laboratories such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA, the International Gemological Institute (IGI) and (DCLA) Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia, provide certificates for diamonds that include a detailed description of the stone's characteristics, including its carat weight, colour, clarity, and cut. These certificates are the main method used to help identify a lost or stolen diamond.

However, it is important to note that not all diamonds are registered with these laboratories or have laser-inscriptions. Additionally, some diamonds may be recut or modified in a diamond cutting factory, making them more difficult to identify, But not impossible. Therefore, while it is possible to trace a lost or stolen diamond, it is not always guaranteed.

While measurements do provide all the proportion information about a diamond, they alone cannot be used to definitively identify a diamond.

Diamond measurements typically refer to the dimensions of the stone, including its length, width, and depth, as well as the angles and proportions of the diamond's cut. Measurements determine a diamond's shape and some aspects of its quality, such as its symmetry and polish, these alone do not provide enough information to identify a diamond conclusively.

To identify a diamond, experts will rely on a combination of factors, including the diamond's unique physical characteristics, such as its colour, clarity, and fluorescence, as well as any laser-inscriptions or certificates associated with the stone.

DCLA has a diamond registry, linking your diamond ownership 

 

Source: Certin Diamond insurance 

Significant Potential at Ekati, say New Owners

Vivid yellow rough diamond

Burgundy’s $136m deal to buy the Ekati diamond mine, in Canada, is likely to extend its life “significantly”, says Kim Truter, the company’s CEO.

The purchase, announced last week, from Arctic Canadian, should be concluded next month, pending financing and shareholders’ approval.

“The real advantage is it’s a tier-one asset in a tier-one country,” Truter told CBC News, Canada’s publicly owned news and information service.

He said he saw untapped potential at Ekati, which opened in 1998 as Canada’s first diamond mine.

Ekati is particularly attractive to Australia-base Burgundy because of the fancy yellow stones it produces, such as the 71.26-carat octahedron diamond recovered last September (pictured), believed to be the largest fancy vivid yellow gemstone discovered in Canada.

New owner Burgundy has a keen interest in yellow diamonds. It is currently reviving the Ellendale mine, Western Australia, once the world’s largest producer of fancy yellow diamonds, and has established its own dedicated cut and polish facility in Perth, also in Western Australia.

Burgundy is buying Ekati from Arctic Canadian Diamond Company, which acquired it in February 2021 after the previous owners, Dominion Diamonds, filed for insolvency.

Source: IDEX Online