Most cultures at some point have had a practice of keeping large amounts of wealth stored in the form of jewellery

Humans have used jewellery for a number of different reasons:

• functional, generally to fix clothing or hair in place, or to tell the time (in the case of watches)
• as a marker of social status and personal status, as with a wedding ring
• as a signifier of some form of affiliation, whether ethnic, religious or social
• to provide talismanic protection (in the form of amulets)^[4]
• as an artistic display
• as a carrier or symbol of personal meaning – such as love, mourning, or even luck

Most cultures at some point have had a practice of keeping large amounts of wealth stored in the form of jewellery. Numerous cultures store wedding dowries in the form of jewellery or make jewellery as a means to store or display coins. Alternatively, jewellery has been used as a currency or trade good; an example being the use of slave beads.^{[citation needed]}

Many items of jewellery, such as brooches and buckles, originated as purely functional items, but evolved into decorative items as their functional requirement diminished.^[5]

Jewellery can also symbolise group membership (as in the case, of the Christian crucifix or the Jewish Star of David) or status (as in the case of chains of office, or the Western practice of married people wearing wedding rings).

Wearing of amulets and devotional medals to provide protection or ward off evil is common in some cultures. These may take the form of symbols (such as the ankh), stones, plants, animals, body parts (such as the Khamsa), or glyphs (such as stylised versions of the Throne Verse in Islamic art).^[6]

Materials and methods[edit]

In creating jewellery, gemstones, coins, or other precious items are often used, and they are typically set into precious metals. Alloys of nearly every metal known have been encountered in jewellery. Bronze, for example, was common in Roman times. Modern fine jewellery usually includes gold, white gold, platinum, palladium, titanium, or silver. Most contemporary gold jewellery is made of an alloy of gold, the purity of which is stated in karats, indicated by a number followed by the letter K. American gold jewellery must be of at least 10K purity (41.7% pure gold), (though in the UK the number is 9K (37.5% pure gold) and is typically found up to 18K (75% pure gold). Higher purity levels are less common with alloys at 22 K (91.6% pure gold), and 24 K (99.9% pure gold) being considered too soft for jewellery use in America and Europe. These high purity alloys, however, are widely used across Asia, the Middle East and Africa.^{[citation needed]} Platinum alloys range from 900 (90% pure) to 950 (95.0% pure). The silver used in jewellery is usually sterling silver, or 92.5% fine silver. In costume jewellery, stainless steel findings are sometimes used.

Bead embroidery design.

Other commonly used materials include glass, such as fused-glass or enamel; wood, often carved or turned; shells and other natural animal substances such as bone and ivory; natural clay; polymer clay; Hemp and other twines have been used as well to create jewellery that has more of a natural feel. However, any inclusion of lead or lead solder will give an English Assay office (the building which gives English jewellery its stamp of approval, the Hallmark) the right to destroy the piece, however it is very rare for the assay office to do so.

Beads are frequently used in jewellery. These may be made of glass, gemstones, metal, wood, shells, clay and polymer clay. Beaded jewellery commonly encompasses necklaces, bracelets, earrings, belts and rings. Beads may be large or small; the smallest type of beads used are known as seed beads, these are the beads used for the "woven" style of beaded jewellery. Another use of seed beads is an embroidery technique where seed beads are sewn onto fabric backings to create broad collar neck pieces and beaded bracelets. Bead embroidery, a popular type of handwork during the Victorian era, is enjoying a renaissance in modern jewellery making. Beading, or beadwork, is also very popular in many African and indigenous North American cultures.

Silversmiths, goldsmiths, and lapidaries methods include forging, casting, soldering or welding, cutting, carving and "cold-joining" (using adhesives, staples and rivets to assemble parts).^[7]

Diamonds[edit]

Diamonds

Main article: Diamond

Diamonds were first mined in India.^[8] Pliny may have mentioned them, although there is some debate as to the exact nature of the stone he referred to as Adamas;^[9] In 2005, Australia, Botswana, Russia and Canada ranked among the primary sources of gemstone diamond production.^[10] There are negative consequences of the diamond trade in certain areas. Diamonds mined during the recent civil wars in Angola, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, and other nations have been labelled as blood diamonds when they are mined in a war zone and sold to finance an insurgency.

The British crown jewels contain the Cullinan Diamond, part of the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found (1905), at 3,106.75 carats (621.35 g).

Now popular in engagement rings, this usage dates back to the marriage of Maximilian I to Mary of Burgundy in 1477.^[11]

Other gemstones[edit]

Main article: Gemstone

Many precious and semiprecious stones are used for jewellery. Among them are:

Amber

Amber, an ancient organic gemstone, is composed of tree resin that has hardened over time. The stone must be at least one million years old to be classified as amber, and some amber can be up to 120 million years old.

Amethyst

Amethyst has historically been the most prized gemstone in the quartz family. It is treasured for its purple hue, which can range in tone from light to dark.

Spanish emerald and gold pendant at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Emerald

Emeralds are one of the three main precious gemstones (along with rubies and sapphires) and are known for their fine green to bluish green colour. They have been treasured throughout history, and some historians report that the Egyptians mined emerald as early as 3500 BC.

Jade

Jade is most commonly associated with the colour green but can come in a number of other colours as well. Jade is closely linked to Asian culture, history, and tradition, and is sometimes referred to as the stone of heaven.

Jasper

Jasper is a gemstone of the chalcedony family that comes in a variety of colours. Often, jasper will feature unique and interesting patterns within the coloured stone. Picture jasper is a type of jasper known for the colours (often beiges and browns) and swirls in the stone’s pattern.

Quartz

Quartz refers to a family of crystalline gemstones of various colours and sizes. Among the well-known types of quartz are rose quartz (which has a delicate pink colour), and smoky quartz (which comes in a variety of shades of translucent brown). A number of other gemstones, such as Amethyst and Citrine, are also part of the quartz family. Rutilated quartz is a popular type of quartz containing needle-like inclusions.

Ruby

Rubies are known for their intense red colour and are among the most highly valued precious gemstones. Rubies have been treasured for millennia. In Sanskrit, the word for ruby is ratnaraj, meaning king of precious stones.

Sapphire

The most popular form of sapphire is blue sapphire, which is known for its medium to deep blue colour and strong saturation. Fancy sapphires of various colours are also available. In the United States, blue sapphire tends to be the most popular and most affordable of the three major precious gemstones (emerald, ruby, and sapphire).

Turquoise

Turquoise is found in only a few places on earth, and the world’s largest turquoise producing region is the southwest United States. Turquoise is prized for its attractive colour, most often an intense medium blue or a greenish blue, and its ancient heritage. Turquoise is used in a great variety of jewellery styles. It is perhaps most closely associated with southwest and Native American jewellery, but it is also used in many sleek, modern styles. Some turquoise contains a matrix of dark brown markings, which provides an interesting contrast to the gemstone’s bright blue colour.

Some gemstones (like pearls, coral, and amber) are classified as organic, meaning that they are produced by living organisms. Others are inorganic, meaning that they are generally composed of and arise from minerals.

Some gems, for example, amethyst, have become less valued as methods of extracting and importing them have progressed. Some man-made gems can serve in place of natural gems, such as cubic zirconia, which can be used in place of diamond.^[12]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewellery

Process of liberalizing the diamond market

One of the significant trends in the development of the global diamond market is the creation of lapidary production in diamond-mining countries: Botswana, Angola, Namibia, South Africa, Canada. The pioneer of this process was, undoubtedly, Russia, which is one of the largest producers of rough diamonds and where the developed national lapidary industry has existed in market conditions for more than fifteen years. (The formation and development of the lapidary industry in the USSR in 1963-1991 is of historical interest today, since the economic and political conditions peculiar to that period are obviously incomparable with the current ones). The study of some of the conflicts and contradictions that accompanied and continue to accompany the work of the Russian lapidary industry today, can serve as a good example for countries,

 An extremely negative consequence, accompanying the rapid growth of the number of lapidary enterprises in Russia, since 1992, has been the serious criminalization of the industry. A significant part of the new granular enterprises acted as a tool to ensure the illicit export of rough diamonds through "gray" and "black" schemes. And although the peak of this process occurred in 1995-1997, he continues to cause serious concern today. In December 2005, the State Duma held a "round table" on "Legislative support for the effective development of the diamond-lapidary industry of the Russian Federation". Speaking at this representative forum, Deputy Director of the Administrative Department of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation L. Tolpezhnikov said that despite the growth in the number of granular enterprises, The volume of raw materials actually cut in Russia is about 3.8 to 4.5 million carats, and this figure has been stable for several years. At the same time, "sales of diamonds in the domestic market increased and almost double the volume of goods that our enterprises cut." And further: "Increasing the volume of supplies to the domestic market does not lead to an increase in the actual amount of cut." As a source of information that allows such a conclusion to be drawn, L. Tolpezhnikov referred to the official reporting of the Ministry of Finance, indicating that the information is classified "top secret." This performance, undeservedly ignored by the press, was the actual recognition that up to 50% of the rough diamonds sold in the domestic market of Russia are in the shadow turnover. Of course, A similar level of criminalization is not specific to the cutting industry, but is inherent in the whole for countries with a transitional type of economy and, accordingly, a high level of corruption and a weak and imperfect law enforcement system. Obviously, Angola, Namibia, Botvana, a number of other African countries that are ardently advocating the creation of national lapidary industries will inevitably face the same problems and will fairly add to the headache for the remaining participants in the Kimberley Process.

Another block of conflict situations, in which Russia's lapidary enterprises have permanently fallen and, alas, continues to fall, is connected with the imperfection of the tax system, fiscal procedures and administrative regulation. Some aspects of the problem, for example, excessive interest in quotas or paranoid love for the label "secret" on any information related to diamonds, were the legacy of a totalitarian past. Others, such as the reluctance of the Ministry of Finance to agree to the organization of a specialized customs post in Yakutsk, were the result of a well-founded bureaucratic shock caused by the criminal tsunami. Some were caused by tactical contradictions in the interests of extractive companies and lapidary enterprises and the corresponding efforts of their lobbyists. How else can we explain the fact, That the export of rough diamonds and the sale to the domestic market are taxed differently by the value-added tax, when exporting the diamond-mining company returns from the VAT budget, and when selling to the domestic market - no? It took more than 10 years of efforts known as the "process of liberalizing the diamond market" in order to remove some of this kind of contradictions and create conditions for the industry that are illusory approaching the norms by which the main competitors work: the lapidary enterprises of Israel, Belgium, India and China. Still, problems of this type had a largely subjective nature, and the hope of their solution through negotiations and compromises remained always. And when selling to the domestic market - no? It took more than 10 years of efforts known as the "process of liberalizing the diamond market" in order to remove some of this kind of contradictions and create conditions for the industry that are illusory approaching the norms by which the main competitors work: the lapidary enterprises of Israel, Belgium, India and China. Still, problems of this type had a largely subjective nature, and the hope of their solution through negotiations and compromises remained always. And when selling to the domestic market - no? It took more than 10 years of efforts known as the "process of liberalizing the diamond market" in order to remove some of this kind of contradictions and create conditions for the industry that are illusory approaching the norms by which the main competitors work: the lapidary enterprises of Israel, Belgium, India and China. Still, problems of this type had a largely subjective nature, and the hope of their solution through negotiations and compromises remained always.

But in principle the Russian stakeholders were unable to solve the following problem. For the successful operation of the cutting plant, modern technologies and equipment are needed, well-trained personnel, tax preferences and loyal administration are desirable. But the main thing is that we need working capital. Traditionally, this business is arranged in such a way that the diamond cutter pays for rough diamonds at once, and the finished diamond gives the jeweler (or dealer) a consignment. Consequently - loans are needed, and given the fact that the cost of rough diamonds can reach up to 90% of the cost of a diamond, credit policy is the main factor of business success. In Israel, India, Belgium, there are specialized banks such as Antwerp Diamond Bank, ABN-AMRO Bank, State Bank of India, etc. The rate of loans for cutters fluctuates about LIBOR + 2%. Such conditions for Russia were and remain impossible for reasons, from diamantaires not depending. What kind of loans could be seriously talked about, if the refinancing rate in the mid-90s exceeded 200%!? Today, the domestic interest rate is 10.0%. In the European Union - 4.0%, in China - 3.6%, in Israel - 4.5%, in India - 7.75%. Accordingly, the cost of loans varies. These simple arguments make it possible to draw a rather unhappy conclusion: a Russian lapidary enterprise that operates on loans from Russian banks was, and probably will not be, competitive for a long time compared to Israeli, Belgian, Indian, and Chinese counterparts. In Russia there are still no cheap loans and there are no banks specializing in investment in the lapidary industry. Therefore, if the Russian granulator "plays by the rules" he is initially doomed to failure in the market. It seems that this situation will be typical for the majority of African diamond-mining countries that are striving to enter the "club of cutters".

http://rough-polished.com/ru/analytics/11191.html

Price range that corresponds to your diamond cost of this size and quality

Times are changing. Remember the time when the retail jewelry store was the first and only place where you could buy a diamond? Currently, the traditional retailer in the trade in diamonds competes not only with other jewelry stores. Now it seems that everyone is engaged in diamond business, from hypermarkets to department stores and countless Internet sites. Add to this the problem of reducing profits and increasing the number of buyers who make large purchases online, and the owner of a regular real jewelry store at least shut down. But there are ways to restore the sales of diamonds, and one of them is the interaction with your customers. Let's take an example of a young man who is going to get engaged ...

Our customer John (John) for 25 years, he is a man of the third millennium, if you like. He walks into your store, armed with information he collected from web pages, and tells you what he needs: a ring with a round brilliant diamond cut diamond weighing 1.50 carats, color G, purity VS-2. And he indicates the price range that corresponds to your diamond cost of this size and quality!

What should a retailer do? Before you think, "Well, here you go again!" And lose another sale in favor of the Internet, you must be tuned in such a way as to surely translate this scenario into reality. The faster you can turn it into an advantage for yourself, the faster you will restore these sales volumes.

Your first step? DO NOT show him what he asked! If you immediately show John your diamond weighing 1.50 carats, the colors of G, the purity of VS-2, you tune it to the idea that this is a "commodity". And he, probably, will ask you for the price, make a note and leave the store - forever. If he is firmly concerned about the price, you will never win against the Internet. Besides, do not go straight to the point. Ask John if he does not want to drink anything. Remember that you want to establish a relationship with him. There will be a lot of time to show the diamonds, but you first need to get some key information from this potential buyer.

Your first step is to ask John why he is going to buy a diamond. Even if you are sure that this is an impending betrothal soon, never make an assumption. In addition, if you ask him a question, he will have to say: "I'm going to be engaged." Now you have a reason to congratulate him, ask about his choice and various other details related to the upcoming betrothal. In fact, you helped raise the emotional level of your conversation with John.

Then give him the opportunity to feel satisfaction from the "research" he conducted. Ask where he was already looking for diamonds. You can find out that he only "saw" the diamonds on the Internet. Many potential buyers actually believe that they can look at the diamond certificate and take an informed decision based only on numbers and letters (and probably the schedule) without even looking at the diamond itself! Now it's time to show your experience and give John a small consultation on diamonds and laboratory certificates.

Maybe you want to tell him something like: "John, would you understand that Nina will be" the only one "for you, just by looking at her driving license"? Of course, he will say no! You can use this simple analogy to explain that, although the laboratory certificate gives important information about the diamond, the only way to really feel the beauty and personality of a diamond is to look at the diamond itself! Now say something that will cause John to present "the very moment" when he makes an offer or when Nina brags about her new engagement ring in front of her girlfriends. "How do you want Nina to react when she sees her ring for the first time?" John, perhaps, will answer thoughtfully and emotionally: "I want her to like it very much," or "I want,

If you sell a branded premium diamond, then this is the right time to show it. If you do not have brands, then you need to offer your finest diamonds (for example, better quality). Now it's time to discuss the light characteristics of a diamond, or how a diamond refracts light. (John will pay attention to the term "light characteristics of a diamond", since men are generally associated with the characteristics and indicators of ... cars, in sports, etc. Yes, it is.) The highest light characteristics of a diamond is what allows a diamond Be visible at the other end of the room, even if it is not the largest diamond in the room! John will have no choice but to think about Nina, how she wears her wedding ring, and undoubtedly he will want to find for her the most beautiful diamond he can afford.

Of course, at some point it will be necessary to touch on the issue of color, purity and weight in carats, but John needs to understand that the most important factor related to beauty is the CONSTRUCTION. If you have any devices that will help demonstrate the cut, then this is the right time to use them during the presentation of your diamond. Remember that you want to let John know that YOU are an expert on diamonds (and not him!). But do not go too far into technical details, talking about the corners of the crown, the percentage of the site, the depth of the pavilions and so on. Such conversations distract from the emotional state that has been created so far. In fact, some devices can help to understand all the technical details and will allow you to get a visual visual image that will show John,

Here are a few suggestions that can help turn a buyer on the Internet into their loyal customer:

1. Keep in mind that some websites use the term "ideal" to describe the cutting of some of the diamonds placed on them, even if these diamonds are evaluated by laboratories that do not even use the term "ideal" as an evaluation category. If the customer says that he saw the "perfect cut" online at a much smaller diamond than yours, then ask questions. Ask which laboratory issued the certificate. If this is a different laboratory, and not the American Gem Society Lab (which introduced the term "perfect cut" and has stringent criteria for its application), then clarify this discrepancy. Say that the Gemological Trading Laboratory of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA Gem Trade Lab), for example, Uses the term "Excellent" to denote the highest category in its system. You will be thankful for your knowledge and explanations, and this may prompt an online buyer to make a purchase from you.

http://www.thediamondloupe.com/depth/2015-05-30/how-make-customer-out-internet-shopper

President of the Joint Stock Company "ALROSA" (PAO) Andrei Zharkov took part in the meeting of the Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Egor Borisov on summarizing the preliminary results of financial and economic activities of miners. In addition, Zharkov signed a new collective agreement with the trade union of workers of the diamond industry "Profalmaz".
During the meeting with the leadership of the Republic of Yakutia discussed the preliminary results of ALROSA for 2016 and its tasks for 2017. The parties also elaborated on the implementation of the agreement on social and economic development of the region.
Also discussed issues of cooperation in creating favorable conditions for development of small and medium-sized businesses, in particular, they discussed the measures to support the jewelry case and the timber industry.
Meanwhile, the new treaty, which regulates the relationship between the management of ALROSA and the workforce of the company, was signed by President of ALROSA Andrei Zharkov and chairman of trade union "Profalmaz" Mothra Scriabin. The new contract will run until 2019, the year all the major benefits and guarantees for employees of "ALROSA" retained in full.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/WeddingPearls

Thai Association of dealers in precious stones and jewelery (Thai Gem and Jewelry Traders Association, TGJTA) said that Thai Jewelry Fair Thailand Gems & Jewelry Fair will be held from 15 to 18 June at the Exhibition Center in Muang Thong Thani Bangkok.
President TGJTA Suttipong Damrongsakul (Suttipong Damrongsakul) said: "We are quite confident that this step will allow us to provide great benefits and a much better fair to our members and the Thai jewelry industry feedback from Thai and international exhibitors, as well as support from the visitors was. extraordinary. The fair will also allow the gems and jewelery trade to develop in a more vibrant and dynamic environment. "
Thailand Gems & Jewelry Fair 2017 will offer Thai ornaments variety of price ranges and styles of rare, high-quality colored gemstones, delicately worked gold and silver. The exhibition will be open to Thai and international companies as well as the general public. It will be held on an area of 20,000 square meters, and take 1,000 companies from around the world. Organizers expect more than 30,000 visitors who will take part in this event.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/RoyalPearls

Dubai's famous Gold Souk specialized shopping center noted an almost complete lack of visitors and buyers of jewelry from India. In a good year deal with them could bring about 15% - 20% of sales of Gold Souk, and even more in terms of gold prices fall, according to the Gulf News report.
For the operators of a shop in Souk strike by the demonetization it was extremely heavy. Although gold trading center of some compensation provided more rapid growth of Chinese gold buyers in recent weeks. But this is not Indian visitors levels, and, in addition, Chinese consumers prefer products made of 18-carat, rather than 22-karat gold.
"Beyond the Gold Souk shops in areas such as Bur Dubai, also showed a decrease in buying interest from Indian visitors - said Siryak Varghese (Cyriac Varghese), CEO of Sky Jewellery -. What you see here is a complete mirror reflecting a sharp reduction in gold sales in India from November 8, when it was announced the demonetization. "
Indian demand for gold could fall further in the event that the government is still stepping up its actions against unrecorded income, to obtain tax on what is hidden in the banking cells throughout India.
Indian exchangers also can not help those who have remained in the hands of the old banknotes. The group company Joyalukkas said: "Currently, we do not accept and do not exchange any banknotes, coming out of a turn, taking into account the guidelines to be followed when the demonetization and we are closely monitoring the situation."
http://feeds.feedburner.com/PearlJeweller

De Beers announced that it will start flooding their mines Snap Lake (Snap Lake) in Canada in January.
The company has received regulatory approval for the project of flooding earlier this year. De Beers tried to sell the mine, but could not reach agreement with potential buyers.
De Beers said it plans to keep the resource Snap Lake as market conditions and technical innovations will not allow the mine to operate more economically. The program extended care and maintenance will maintain long-term viability of the ore body and reduce costs, while minimizing impact on the environment and preserving the Snap Lake in the state of rest, the company added.
At the same time, De Beers withdrew from the joint venture with CanAlaska Uranium exploration of diamonds in West Athabasca in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The drilling program, undertaken by De Beers in September, helped found seven anomalies that are likely to be associated with magnetic minerals within the organic material in the coating layer, according to CanAlaska.
However, currently underexplored region of Western Athabasca still are of interest in terms of the search for diamonds in claim CanAlaska.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/GiftJewelry

Sales of jewelry and other luxury goods in Hong Kong in January fell despite the Chinese New Year, which occurred during the reporting period.
Spending on jewelry, watches and valuable gifts decreased by 3.9% compared with the same period last year, to $ 944 million (HKD 7,33 bn) according to the Department of Statistics and Census of Hong Kong.
Chinese New Year fell on January 28, in contrast to February 8 last year, but this potential momentum for the January sales could not lead to higher consumer spending, the data showed. The fall occurred despite the increase in the number of tourists to Hong Kong, which amounted to 4.8% during the reporting month.
The short-term outlook for retailers in Hong Kong will depend on tourism levels and on whether local consumer sentiment deteriorated due to global uncertainty.
Decline in sales of jewelry and expensive gifts should be the growth of consumer purchases by 2.3% in December, which was the first in more than two years.
Total retail sales in Hong Kong in all categories dipped by 0.9% in January.
https://del.icio.us/pearlsonline

In discussing the question of whether to expand production at the diamond mine, Argyle (Argyle) in Western Australia, Rio Tinto concluded on the need to lower the evaluation of mineral resources for the project.
In a recent statement, Rio Tinto noted that the estimated mineral resources, that is, the amount of material that can be recovered for economic gain, have been drastically reduced in the past year. The company in 2016 reduced the estimate of this indicator by 66% to 15 million tons.
In Rio Tinto said that this is due to constant revision options for expansion of the project life cycle.
"It also limits the creative assets of the project before a known volume of mineralization that may be developed, mining and processing within the specified service life", - added to the mining company.
Meanwhile, Rio Tinto said that production at the Argyle diamond will continue until 2021.
http://www.feedlisting.com/rss-feed-url/898225.html

this is a very promising large field

Russian ALROSA since the beginning of 2017 managed to sell two batches of diamonds mined at the processing plant project Catoca (Catoca) in Angola, according to media reports.
Alrosa controls 32.8% stake in the Catoca venture, and the other is equal to the share owned by the Angolan state diamond company Endiama.
LL International Holding BV, which owns China-Sonagol, controls 18 percent stake, and Odebrecht Mining Services owns 16.4%.
"Since February 2017, our Angolan partners allowed us to participate in the sale, we have already sold two experimental batches of diamonds from the Catoca mine." - quoted by the Russian news agency Tass Vice-President of ALROSA Rinat Gizatulina. He added that the value of the transaction amounted to $ 10 - $ 15 million.
Catoca carries out operations for extraction of diamonds in the Angolan province of Lunda Sul.
It produces and sells about 6.8 million carats a year.
Meanwhile, Gizatulin said that ALROSA also plans to sell 35% of diamonds from the Catoca and about 50% of the stones from the field Luashe (Luaxe), also present in Angola.
Luashe is still in the development stage, production should start early next year, and the company production capacity of about 10 million carats per year.
"According to our geologists, this is a very promising large field, with reserves of not less than 400 million carats of diamonds" - Gizatulin said.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/RoyalPearls

which the diamonds mined in Russia

A high-level Russian delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and the Envoy of the President of the Russian Federation in the Far East, Yuriem Trutnevym discussed closer cooperation between the diamond and jewelery industry in Russia and India, with the representatives of Export Promotion of gems and jewelry Council (Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council , GJEPC) and the Indian diamond Exchange (Bharat diamond Bourse, BDB).
The delegation, which visited the BDB in Mumbai, included a number of senior officials, including governors and ministers from different parts of the Far East region of Russia.

Chairman GJEPC Pravinshankar Pandya (Praveenshankar Pandya) and BDB President Anoop Mehta (Anoop Mehta) put forward concrete proposals to the Deputy Prime Minister and other representatives of the Russian side about the possible areas of cooperation. They suggested that the elimination of the high import duty on polished diamonds coming into Russia, will contribute to the growth of export production there jewelry.
Pandya said that the Russian jewelry have superior finish compared to many other European countries, but lags behind others because of the cost factor and because of import duties on diamonds, which are the key raw material. He also suggested that the two countries could reach an agreement, according to which the diamonds mined in Russia, and then polished in India, can then be re-exported to Russia, to provide raw materials for the jewelry industry.
The second proposal was related to the creation of the joint venture in equal shares between the Russian mining company Alrosa and the Indian industry for the exploration and production of diamonds in India, given the Russian experience in the field of diamond production. Mehta said that the joint venture can immediately consider the resumption of the project Bander (Bunder), which, as we know, has proven reserves of diamonds over 30 million carats.
For his part, Yuri Trutnev suggested that the Indian industry to look at the creation of the Far East and the lapidary enterprises to train Russian workers cut art. The delegation responded positively to the proposal and invited Trutnev Indian delegation to visit Russia next month for further talks.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/WeddingPearls

The goal is to protect the trade from conflict diamonds flow

UAE continue to express its deep commitment to the Kimberley Process (KP) after a successful year presidency of the organization in 2016.
A special committee of the United Arab Emirates on the Kimberley Process, established by the Ministry of the economy and the Dubai Commodities Center (Dubai Multi-Commodity Centre, DMCC ), is intended to support and strengthen multilateral cooperation in respect of imports of rough diamonds exports and transit, in accordance with the requirements of the KP. Mariam al-Hashemi (Maryam Al Hashemi), the representative of the United Arab Emirates in KP, was appointed to head the Committee on participation and chairmanship of the KP (Committee on Participation and Chairmanship, CPC ).
Commenting on the appointment committee, Mariam said: "The members of the Working Group of the UAE government and the federal government always provide a lively and constructive consideration of the issues and initiatives put forward for discussion remains the goal is to protect the trade from conflict diamonds flow.".
"The Federal Customs Administration is working closely with its partners in order to facilitate trade and the protection of society. Cooperation with the Office of the Kimberley Process from the UAE and other agencies is vital to ensure that the diamond trade has continued to meet the KP principles, especially because the UAE is currently plays an important role in the trade in rough diamonds, "- said Suud Al Agrubi (Suoud Al Agroobi), Director of international Relations of the Federal customs control UAE.

Closure of jewelry stores across the country

Reducing the number of jewelry stores in the United States slowed in the first quarter of this year, falling to 16%, according to the Trade Commission Jewelry (Jewelers Board of Trade, JBT) .
Reducing the rate of closure of jewelry stores across the country bucked the trend to a consistent reduction of the industry in the previous year, according to the JBT, published last week. 318 stores were closed in the first quarter, compared with 380 for the same period in 2016.
In 2016, the number of US companies that sell jewelry, fell by 54% to 1669 decline was mainly in the retail category.
Most of bankrupt companies this year, still belong to the retail sector, but, nevertheless, they closed 13% less, only 250 Closed wholesalers decreased by 14% to 44, and the manufacturing companies were less likely to be closed at 44 %, to 24.
The improvement rate was in the background of a slight 0.2-percent growth in sales in the US jewelry stores in January and February, which amounted to a total of $ 4.41 billion, according to a separate census Bureau.
According to the report, Credit Suisse, in the wider retail sector in the United States this year, was closed about 2,880 stores, compared with 1153 for the same period in 2016.

Commercial agreements are confidential in nature

Botswana defends his right not to disclose details of large transactions diamond development, saying that "no country does not sign transparent agreements."
Reuters quoted the World Bank consultant Handler Nils (Nils Handler), who noted that the government's decision to keep secret the negotiation process with regard to contracts for diamond mining and the development of large integrated projects is a cause for concern.
He said that more open process, including published contracts, Botswana will become more transparent country with jurisdiction accountable.
However, Minister of Minerals and Water Resources of Botswana Sadiq Kebonang (Sadique Kebonang) challenged the World Bank's view, saying that commercial agreements are confidential in nature because of the sensitivity of the information they carry.
"The negotiating team includes representatives of various ministries, semi-public and private sectors, public and private lawyers and experts in the field of mining, - quotes its word newspaper Mmegi -. The very participation of the parties in the negotiation process makes the process transparent."
He also said: "Even the World Bank, when gives us loans, keeps some of the details of the loan agreement a secret."
Kebonang noted that the details of large transactions for the extraction will be made public after the agreement to be concluded.
Botswana, according to Reuters The, gets 89% of its foreign currency earnings and 30% of national income from mining operations, mainly diamonds.
The country comprises numerous large-scale contracts for production, sale and marketing of diamonds to De Beers, a division of Anglo American.
De Beers and the Botswana jointly owned by Debswana and DTC Botswana companies. Botswana also owns a 15% stake in De Beers.

Tips on responsible jewelry practices

Tips on responsible jewelry practices (Responsible Jewellery Council, RJC), a global organization for standards and certification throughout the supply chain jewelry, held its AGM in Pforzheim, Germany.
The meeting elected the new vice chairman of the Board of Directors Dide Terola (Didier Theraulaz, Piaget) and was re-elected Honorary Treasurer Firiel Zeruki (Feriel Zerouki, De Beers Group) .
RJC Members also elected directors Peter Karakchieva Council (PJSC "ALROSA"), Stephen Lussier (Stephen Lussier, De Beers Group) , Aloka Kumbhata (Alok Kumbhat, Jewelex India Pvt Ltd , Diamond division), Philip Rayzerta (Philipp Reisert, C. Hafner GmbH + Co. KG), Larry Drummond (Metalor Technologies SA), Thomas Puzone (Vacheron Constantin), Mark Hanna (Richline Group, Inc.), Erika de Rockin '(Eric de Rocquigny, Van Cleef & Arpels), Boaz Lev ( boaz Lev, Gem Lab Services), Marijke Ahten (Marijke Achten, HRD Antwerp) and Michael de Gelhanda Merksemna (Geelhand de Merxemn, Antwerp World Diamond Centre), representing the appropriate forums.
After the shareholders' meeting RJC held an open discussion with the experts of the jewelry industry, which participants discussed the new EU Regulation on conflict minerals and exchanged views on the regulation and implementation of measures to improve the quality of due diligence by the RJC and its members.
During the event, presented the RJC annual activity report for 2017, which provides information on developments in the expansion of the membership of the Council, as well as in the field of certification and standards.