Israel Diamonds back issues from August 2007:
Viewpoint.
Aug 01, 2007; ... The issue of diamonds as an investment commodity has raised its head once again. It was the subject of two seminars in Antwerp last month, and was discussed at the World Federation of Diamond Bourses' and the International Diamond Manufacturers Association's Presidents Meeting in ...
IDI launches campaiqn to expand into Chinese market.(SHORT cuts)(Industry overview)
Aug 01, 2007 ... The Israel Diamond Institute (IDI) officially launched the Israeli diamond industry's campaign in China on July 4 at a press conference held at the Israeli Embassy in Beijing. The IDI's campaign, formulated after chairman Moti Ganz declared China as a strategic market for the Israeli ...
HRD Antwerp NV launches lab link service in Israel.(SHORT cuts)
Aug 01, 2007 ... HRD Antwerp NV took a significant step in its new global outreach program on Tuesday, July 17, with the official launch in Israel of HRD Lab Link. The new service will provide members of the Israeli diamond centre direct access to the HRD Diamond Lab, one of the world's most respected ...
WFDB announces appointment of first ever executive director.(SHORT cuts)
Aug 01, 2007 ... Ernest Blom, the president of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses, has announced the appointment of Michael Vaughan as the WFDB's first ever full-time executive director. Before the announcement was made, Vaughan's appointment was ratified by the WFDB Executive Committee. ...
Abbey Chikane named CEO of South Africa's State Diamond Trader.(SHORT cuts)
Aug 01, 2007 ... South Africa's new State Diamond Trader, which has been established under government-backed legislation, will have as its CEO Abbey Chikane, formerly chairman of the South African Diamond Board. A spokesperson for the country's Department of Minerals and Energy confirmed the appointment. ...
2007 President Meeting held in Amsterdam, celebrates WFDB's diamond anniversary.
Aug 01, 2007 ... Amsterdam has long held a central place in diamond industry lore. For not only was it one of the traditional centers of the business in Western Europe, dating back to the 16th century, when William of Orange passed an edict that provided religious minorities, including Jews, to follow ...
Sarin targets retail market, aiming to boost consumer confidence: the need to defend consumer confidence has been a hot topic in the diamond and jewelry sectors for several years already. According to one of Israel's leading equipment developers, there are technological solutions to the issue.
Aug 01, 2007 ... In this era of instant communication, never before have consumers been so well-armed with information regarding products they are interested in buying due to the power of the Internet. With just a few clicks they are able to access a world of data, of which the 4Cs are just the most basic ....
Israelis report mixed results at JCK Show in Las Vegas.
Aug 01, 2007 ... Israeli exhibitors reported mixed results from the 16th Annual JCK Show-Las Vegas, which ran from June 1-5. More than 21,000 jewelry retailers from 72 countries visited to see the jewelry industry's latest products, trends and new ideas to take back to their retail stores. Those retailers ...
Avi Paz looks forward to second term as IDE president.(Interview)
Aug 01, 2007 ... There can surely be fewer indications of the quality of the work of an elected official than that of being re-elected unopposed. Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE) president Avi Paz was formally re-elected in June as head of the exchange for a further two-year term after no candidates decided ...
DTC to split its sales and marketing divisions.(FACETS)
Aug 01, 2007 ... Speaking to a sightholder seminar on July 11, Diamond Trading Company Managing Director Varda Shine has said that the DTC is currently organizing separate sales and marketing units, The move, she stated, will help the DTC focus clearly on its core distribution and marketing activities. ...
Alrosa wins appeal on EU ban against selling to De Beers.(FACETS)
Aug 01, 2007 ... Alrosa, the Russian government-controlled diamond producer, won an appeal against the European Commission's order that it stop selling rough diamonds to De Beers after the end of 2008 for antitrust reasons. The Court of First Instance annulled the decision, and the European Commission said ...
Diamond derivatives come under the spotlight once again.(FACETS)
Aug 01, 2007 ... The possibility of diamonds being traded as a commodity by the investment community was raised once again in two seminars conducted in Antwerp at the end of June, reported the Antwerp Facets News Service. Both seminars addressed the subject of diamond derivatives, which unlike financial ...
De Beers and Alrosa see eye to eye on diamond prospecting.(FACETS)
Aug 01, 2007 ... Russian President Vladimir Putin's first-ever state visit to South Africa provided a venue for De Beers and the Russian government-controlled monopoly diamond producer Alrosa to sign a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on diamond prospecting in Russia and Africa. The ...
H2 turnover of more than $2.24 billion for Dubai rough trade.(FACETS)
Aug 01, 2007 ... The total value of rough diamonds traded in Dubai, including imports and exports, equaled $2.24 billion during the first half of 2007, according to a report published by the Dubai Diamond Exchange. This represented a 17 percent increase on the amount reported for the same period in 2006. ...
South Korean government commits to lifting jewelry consumption tax.(FACETS)
Aug 01, 2007 ... The massive Asian market might be about to get significantly larger. Members of the jewelry and gemstone industry just received an important break with news that the South Korean government will eliminate a special consumption tax on high-priced jewelry as early as next year. ...
South Africa says no income tax break from diamond levy.(FACETS)
Aug 01, 2007 ... South African diamond mining companies that are subject to the new 5 percent diamond export levy, because they are not "beneficiating" enough stones to the domestic polishing industry, will not be allowed to write this expense off against their income taxes, South African Minister of ...
Surat diamond sector losing workers to textiles.(FACETS)
Aug 01, 2007 ... The diamond industry in Surat, the center of the Indian diamond polishing industry, faces a new threat, as the local textile industry has lured away some 25 to 30 percent of its workforce in recent months, according to a news report. Together with moves by African countries to ...
Kudrin stepping down as Alrosa chairman.(FACETS)
Aug 01, 2007 ... Russian Minister of Finance Alexei Kudrin is stepping down as chairman of the Supervisory Board of Russian diamond mining monopoly Alrosa. Kudrin is reportedly tired of the struggle between the Russian government, which is seeking to increase its stake in the company to 50 ...
Alrosa planning move into retail outlets.(FACETS)
Aug 01, 2007 ... Russian diamond mining giant Alrosa is mulling a move downstream with the establishment of a chain of diamond jewelry stores. The Russian newspaper Vedomosty reported that Alrosa plans to invest $50 million in setting up the high-end retail operation. Vedomosty reports that ...
Jwaneng Mine profit margin more than 80 percent.(FACETS)
Aug 01, 2007 ... The profit margin on the Jwaneng Mine, one of the four Debswana mines in Botswana, is more than 80 percent, according to General Manager Balisi Bonyongo. The mine is expected to produce 13 million to 14 million carats of diamonds a year from open pit operations until 2022, after which an ...
Snap Lake said to be on target for October opening.(FACETS)
Aug 01, 2007 ... De Beers Canada's Snap Lake Mine in Canada's Northwest Territories is "on schedule to begin commercial production in October," the company said. The mine will produce 1.5 million carats of rough per year, employing 500 people during full production. It will be the first completely ...
Environmental review may delay new De Beers mine.(FACETS)
Aug 01, 2007 ... De Beers Canada's planned diamond mine at Gahcho Kue in the Northwest Territories may be further delayed by a new extended environmental impact review imposed by the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board. The board is concerned by the fact that the proposed mine ...
Ontario announces details of diamond royalty.(FACETS)
Aug 01, 2007 ... The Canadian province of Ontario has finalized the royalties it intends to impose on rough diamonds mined within its jurisdiction, ranging from 4 percent up to a maximum of 10.4 percent, depending on the mine's net profits and allowing for deductions. The top rate applies to diamond ...
Polished exports show net gains in first half.(SUMMING UP)
Aug 01, 2007 ... POLISHED EXPORTS Exports of polished diamonds by the Israel diamond industry rose both in terms of value and volume during the first half of 2007, when compared to the same six-month period a year earlier, according to data supplied by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor. ...
Diamdel global offices cut back, but could the Israeli operation: be saved?
Aug 01, 2007 ... De Beers, in June, confirmed the worst fears of the global diamond industry, and none the less so that of Israel regarding its Diamdel subsidiary. Cutbacks that had been widely reported were announced. Diamdel, which sells rough diamonds to the secondary, or non-sightholder, market, will ...
New IsDMA managing director sets out his association's agenda.
Aug 01, 2007 ... One of the most intractable problems facing all diamond centers is the problem of securing a regular and stable supply of rough diamonds. The issues of increasing supplies, of finding new sources and persuading producers to open local offices are well known to the heads of diamond ...
State Bank of India opens branch at Israel diamond exchange.
Aug 01, 2007 ... In the latest indicator of the growing economic relation between Israel and India, the State Bank of India (SBI) opened a branch in Ramat Gan in the Israel Diamond Exchange complex. Not only is the SBI looking to gain a share of the financing of the growing diamond trade between the two ...