Dear Friends, Summer is upon us, and as we contemplate our annual holidays, we are in the midst of a slow business season. There is always a seasonal slowdown over the summer, but the situation for most of us in the diamond industry is problematic for additional reasons. Demand in the US is fairly weak … Read more
Antwerp, May 30, 2024: The World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) commends the Antwerp World Diamond Center (AWDC) for its call for multiple verification points outside the G7, in implementation of the G7 Russian diamonds sanctions. The AWDC issued this call in a statement on May 24, 2024, thus effectively aligning itself with the position … Read more
Dear Friends, The G7 system of enforcing the sanctions against Russian diamonds is still causing dismay and uncertainty throughout the diamond world. The one-node system, in which all rough must be certified by the Diamond Office in Antwerp, has been in effect since March 1 for all rough diamonds entering the EU, and is supposed … Read more
Dear Friends, Bourse presidents from around the world came together in Shanghai in early March for WFDB 2024 Presidents’ Meeting. This was an opportunity to discuss the most pressing issues facing the industry – the G7 restrictions, synthetic diamonds, and the lackluster Chinese market, which we did in expert panels, presentations, and intensive working sessions. … Read more
Ramat Gan, March 11, 2024: The World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) concluded its annual Presidents’ Meeting for 2024, held in Shanghai, China. The three-day meeting explored the most pressing issues facing the world diamond industry – the G7 restrictions, synthetic diamonds, and the lackluster Chinese market — with expert panels, speeches, and discussions. The … Read more
Dear Friends, On February 24, 2023, the G7 Countries (USA, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, UK & Japan – along with the EU) made a statement regarding restrictive measures on Russian Diamonds. They stated that they would work closely to engage key partners in the diamond industry. This was followed up by another statement on May … Read more
Dear Friends, The year 2023 was a difficult one for the world diamond industry. There was a significant decline in demand, especially for mid-range sizes. The challenging global economic situation and high-interest rates impacted demand, although perhaps this was a case of the market correcting itself after the splurges in diamond and jewelry spending in … Read more
Reflecting on the ongoing G7 sanctions on Russian diamonds and its expected impact on an already shaky diamond and jewellery market, I am reminded of an old episode of the podcast ‘Cautionary Tales’ by Tim Harford. The episode dealt with the story of the Torrey Canyon disaster. For those of you too young to know … Read more
Antwerp, December 18, 2023: The World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB), which represents 27 diamond bourses and close to 30,000 bourse members worldwide, reiterates its support for the objectives of the G7 to restrict the import of rough and polished diamonds originating in Russia. The WFDB will continue to cooperate with the G7, the World … Read more
Dear friends, The G7 countries released a statement on December 6 which sets forth import restrictions on Russian diamonds from January 1, 2024 and further restrictions as of March 1, 2024, as well as calling for a traceability-based verification and certification mechanism for rough diamonds in a single-entry point in the G7 by September 1, … Read more
