According to the WFDB, the rapid growth of lab-grown diamonds is reshaping the sector, particularly in the United States, where synthetic stones feature in most new engagement rings.

Dvash said that this trend poses a serious threat to the “value, image and future” of natural diamonds.

Speaking at the WFDB Presidents’ Meeting in June, he stated that industry leaders from producing countries, mining companies, diamond exchanges and retailers had pledged increased cooperation and financial backing to promote natural stones.

This includes support from De Beers, the Natural Diamond Council (NDC), and retail groups such as Signet and Chow Tai Fook.

The Luanda Accord, signed in June by African diamond-producing nations and industry bodies, commits signatories to contribute 1% of rough diamond revenue to a global marketing fund overseen by the NDC.

De Beers has also pledged further investment in education and advertising, while the NDC has launched a new website aimed at helping retail staff communicate the qualities of natural diamonds more effectively.

Additionally, the WFDB has launched its own campaign using original video content to highlight the “emotional and symbolic value of natural stones”.

Dvash described recent initiatives as a “concerted global effort” to return natural diamonds to “centre stage”.

He said: “The natural diamond is more than a product – it is a symbol. And its future depends on our unity.”

Chapter 2 introduces four sets, each inspired by a tree emblematic of one of De Beers’ four diamond-producing countries. The new designs expand on Chapter 1, which launched in January.

The Camelthorn Resilience set draws on the silhouette of the Camelthorn tree, a feature of Namibia’s desert landscapes. Polished and hand-textured gold mimics the tree’s bark, while white and brown rough diamonds are set in basket settings to echo its organic form. The necklace in the set can be worn in seven different ways.

Meanwhile, the Baobab Magnitude set references Botswana’s ancient baobab tree, known as the ‘tree of life’. The designs combine jet with white and Fancy coloured diamonds, both rough and polished. New techniques for the house include hand-carved jet and the intricate setting of rough diamonds with diamond melee.

Additionally, inspired by South Africa’s jacaranda tree, the Jacaranda Bloom set features floral designs articulated to move with the wearer. 

Pieces include pear-shaped, marquise and round brilliant-cut diamonds. Grand Feu enamel is used to capture the purple gradient of the tree’s blossoms. 

Two standout stones feature: a 20.10 carat D-Flawless pear-shaped diamond and a 1.01 carat Fancy Intense Pink diamond.

Lastly, the Maple Colours set pays tribute to Canada’s national tree. The pieces feature geometric leaves crafted in white, yellow and rose gold with fancy orange-hued diamonds. White diamonds and polished metal are used to reflect the textures of fallen leaves.

The remaining 17 pieces from the collection will be revealed at an event in China this autumn.

Emmanuelle Nodale, De Beers London chief executive, said: “We are proud to present ‘Essence of Nature: Chapter 2’, continuing our celebration of the majesty of trees while paying tribute to four important sources of our diamonds.

“The collection deepens our connection with the lands, drawing on over 135 years of expertise in rough and polished diamonds. We are a house born from contrasts, and Essence of Nature showcases our bold artistry and pioneering craft techniques, with an unexpected duality between modernity and timelessness.”

The group has created its own collection featuring floral designs from its archive, each piece set with 25 diamonds to represent 25 decades. Another range is crafted in 18ct yellow gold sourced from The Royal Mint.

To mark the anniversary, partner brands have also released limited-edition pieces: Roberto Coin has added to its Venetian Princess collection; Fope has introduced a sapphire version of its Prima bracelet; Marco Bicego has unveiled London blue topaz designs for its Lunaria line; and Fabergé will launch a one-of-a-kind egg object later in the year.

The brand, which holds Royal Warrants and serves as jewellers, goldsmiths and silversmiths to His Majesty The King, received a new Royal Warrant in May 2024. 

Since 2012, two of the company’s master craftsmen, Martin Swift and Mark Appleby LVO, have served as crown jeweller, responsible for maintaining the crown jewels. 

Mappin and Webb’s recent collections have also included pieces developed under the Crown Jeweller’s oversight.

The brand operates a London Jewellery Workshop and a Silver Workshop in Greater London, providing repair, restoration and bespoke services. The teams are involved in diverse projects, from mayoral regalia to Ascot trophies.

Additionally, Mappin and Webb supports charitable initiatives including the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust and The King’s Trust. 

It contributes a portion of sales from anniversary collections to support The King’s Trust’s Change A Girl’s Life campaign.

A new flagship showroom in Manchester is set to open in 2025, featuring a De Beers boutique and becoming the only David Yurman stockist in the UK outside of London.

Karl Bailey, senior manager of Mappin and Webb Regent Street, said: “It is our great pleasure that in May 2024 we received the Royal Warrant to His Majesty The King as Jewellers, Goldsmiths, and Silversmiths.

“As a grantee of a Royal Warrant, it signifies and reinforces our exemplary service, quality, and excellence of the highest calibre.”

Craig Bolton, president of the Watches of Switzerland Group, added: “We are thrilled to be celebrating the 250th Anniversary of Mappin and Webb, and to be working with such esteemed jewellery partners to do so is a reflection of the incredible heritage of this renowned British brand.”

This appointment comes as the brand enters a new phase of global expansion and strategic evolution as part of the Group’s Origins strategy.

With over 20 years of expertise in shaping and developing global brands, Nodale is recognised for her strategic leadership and ability to translate insights into meaningful growth.

Prior to joining De Beers London, she held senior positions at Kering, where she played a key role in shaping strategy within the Watches & Jewellery Division. Most recently, she served as general manager Europe at Milan-based luxury jewellery brand Pomellato.

Nodale will lead De Beers London as the brand prepares to open its Paris flagship boutique on Rue de la Paix later this year, reinforcing its status as a global luxury jewellery house. The flagship store will be the first to showcase De Beers London’s new retail concept.

This appointment follows the brand’s recent transformation from De Beers Jewellers to De Beers London.

Sandrine Conseiller, CEO of De Beers Brands, said: “I am delighted to welcome Emmanuelle to De Beers London. With our new identity firmly established and the upcoming launch of our Paris flagship, Emmanuelle’s leadership will be instrumental in expanding and strengthening our position in the global luxury jewellery market as we continue to differentiate ourselves as the only luxury jewellery house with direct access to natural diamonds at their source.”

Nodale added: “I am thrilled to step into this role at such an exciting time for De Beers London. From our home in London, I’m committed to building on De Beers’ exceptional diamond legacy with a focus on design-led pieces that embody modern elegance. I look forward to working closely with the talented teams to enhance the desirability of our brand globally and continuing to cement its role as a premier luxury jewellery house.”

The Round Table will bring together key stakeholders in the diamond industry to discuss the most effective approaches for promoting natural diamonds through category marketing.

The Angola Ministerial Roundtable will be hosted by Angola’s Ministry of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas (MIREMPET).

It will bring together Ministers responsible for the Mineral Resource Sector from major African diamond-producing countries, namely Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Cook said: “We are proud of the beauty of diamonds and the benefits they bring to producing nations, but it’s vital that we inspire consumers with the wonder of these natural miracles. I commend the Angolan Government for taking the initiative to establish this event so that key stakeholders in the diamond industry can come together.

“I’m looking forward to joining leaders of diamond producing countries and businesses in Luanda so that we can align on a successful shared approach for promoting natural diamonds.”

De Beers has diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa, employing over 2000 people.

With a career in luxury and fine jewellery, Assimon brings more than 20 years of experience leading commercial strategy, client engagement, and brand development across global markets.

As CEO of De Beers London, she led a major brand transformation, expanded international retail presence, and implemented customer-centric strategies.

Previously she was also CEO of De Beers Forevermark, CEO of De Grisogono, and held senior leadership roles at Richemont and Louis Vuitton, including international director of High Jewellery and Exceptional pieces at Piaget.

Additionally, Assimon is a certified diamond graduate from the GIA.

In her new role at Bonhams, she will be based in London and oversee global commercial strategy and drive client experience across all business areas.

She will also be responsible for aligning the company’s commercial vision with its expanding global platform, ensuring “consistent growth and innovation across Bonhams’ diverse portfolio of categories”.

Assimon said: “I am thrilled to join Bonhams at such a dynamic point in its evolution. With its exceptional heritage and forward-looking vision, Bonhams is uniquely positioned in the auction world. I look forward to contributing to its continued global growth and success.”

Chabi Nouri, Global CEO, Bonhams, added: “We are delighted to welcome Celine Assimon to Bonhams. She brings a powerful blend of commercial expertise, leadership, and a deep understanding of the luxury market. Her appointment reinforces our commitment to strengthening client relationships and enhancing Bonhams’ global commercial capabilities.”

The Ombre Desert Diamonds is inspired by desert landscapes where many natural diamonds are found, and features warm white, champagne and amber tones in multi-stone ombré designs. It aims to evoke the beauty and rarity of natural diamonds and renew consumer interest in the category.

Beacons are its category-wide marketing concepts intended to stimulate demand for natural diamonds through new, “emotionally resonant” design ideas. Previous examples include the eternity and three-stone rings.

Retailers across the industry will be able to participate in the Ombré Desert Diamonds programme. De Beers is backing the launch with significant investment in media and digital campaigns, and will provide participants with marketing materials.

De Beers also formally introduced a new branded polished diamond line, Origin, De Beers Group. Initially revealed at the 2024 edition of the JCK show, the programme offers loose natural diamonds supported by provenance data and storytelling tools.

Origin diamonds will come with detailed information about their country of origin, journey through the value chain, rarity score and associated social impact programmes. The data is underpinned by Tracr, De Beers Group’s blockchain platform.

The company said the offering would give consumers assurance of ethical provenance while providing retailers with tools to boost digital engagement.

At the show, De Beers also updated attendees on other parts of its Origins strategy. It reported the completion of airborne geophysical surveys in Angola, a milestone in its upstream exploration activities.

In the midstream, the company said it was intensifying efforts on traceability. This year it added single-country origin data to Tracr and launched the DiamondProof verification tool in US retail stores.

On synthetic diamonds, De Beers announced the first output of technology diamonds at its Element Six Oregon Centre. The site is part of a $130m (£96.07m) investment in industrial synthetic diamond solutions. The update follows De Beers’ decision to shut its Lightbox lab-grown jewellery brand.

Al Cook, chief executive officer of De Beers Group, said: “One year on from announcing our Origins strategy, we have made fast and meaningful progress in delivering our vision. We have met every target that we announced back in 2024. Every part of De Beers is evolving to create lasting value, benefitting shareholders, the industry and consumers. 

“The launch of our first beacon in over a decade marks an exciting new era in showcasing the magic of natural diamonds, while Origin, De Beers Group connects people with the powerful stories behind natural diamonds – the communities they help support, the landscapes they come from, and the meaningful impact they create. With innovation across the value chain – from provenance to synthetic diamond technology – De Beers is reinforcing its leadership in an evolving marketplace.”

ODC has commenced registering rough diamonds in the 3-6gr and 2-10ct size ranges on Tracr, significantly increasing the availability of traceable diamonds from Botswana.

Debswana, the joint venture between De Beers and the Botswana government, is supporting ODC’s participation in Tracr by providing the necessary supply information to facilitate seamless integration onto the platform.

Mmetla Masire, ODC managing director, said: “At Okavango Diamond Company, we believe that every diamond carries more than just its natural brilliance, it carries the story of its origin, its journey, and the people whose lives it touches along the way.

“By joining the Tracr platform, we are strengthening our commitment to transparency and ensuring that Botswana’s diamonds are recognised for the ethical legacy they represent. This step is not just about technology; it’s about trust, responsibility, and shaping a future where provenance is as valuable as the diamond itself.”

Wes Tucker, Tracr CEO, added: “We are delighted that Okavango Diamond Company has joined the Tracr platform. This is an exciting step forward as we continue to expand traceability across the diamond industry and increase the volume of supply on Tracr.

“We continue to have positive discussions with a range of diamond producers and suppliers, and we look forward to growing the share of global diamond supply that we trace on the platform. With regulators’ focus on provenance assurance only set to increase, and opportunities for differentiating diamonds based on their origin only set to grow, now is the time for diamond companies to explore how best to provide traceability.”

Since its inception, ODC has sold over 36 million carats and serves a global network of more than 660 registered customers.

Purvi Shah from De Beers Group and Gaetano Cavalieri from CIBJO were re-elected to represent the producer and trade association forums respectively. Meanwhile, Antonio Samaniego of Minera Chalhuane joined Shah in the producer forum as a new board member.

New appointments also included Aagam Sanghavi of Accur8 Diamonds for the diamonds and gemstones trader/cutter/polisher forum, Alice Vanni of Italpreziosi for the precious metals traders, refiners and hedgers forum, and Leo Daguet of LVMH for the jewellery and watch manufacturer/wholesaler forum.

Additionally, Marianne Zani of Chanel was elected to represent the jewellery and watch retailer forum, while Didier Backaert of Bonas joined the board through the service industries forum.

The newly elected board members will be responsible for guiding the organisation’s strategic direction and ensuring its standards continue to meet the expectations of consumers, stakeholders, and the wider community. 

Dave Meleski, RJC chairman, said: “We are thrilled to welcome our new and returning Board members. Their collective experience across the entire jewellery and watch value chain will be invaluable as we continue to drive positive change and uphold the highest standards of integrity and sustainability within our industry. This diverse representation ensures that the RJC remains responsive to the needs and challenges of all our members.” 

John Hall, interim executive director, added: “The dedication and commitment of these individuals to the principles of responsible business are truly inspiring. We look forward to working collaboratively with them to advance the RJC’s mission and ensure that the jewellery and watch industry continues to be a force for good in the world. Their insights and leadership will be crucial as we navigate the evolving landscape of sustainability and ethical practices.” 

As part of the closure process, De Beers Group is discussing the sale of certain assets, including inventory, with potential buyers.

The business was launched with transparent linear pricing of $800 (£600.50) per carat. Since then, LGD prices in the jewellery sector have fallen 90% at wholesale, tracking closer to a cost-plus model as they have diverged from natural diamond prices.

The proposed closure of the Lightbox business reflects a key executional milestone in De Beers Group’s Origins Strategy, as set out in May 2024.

Element Six, De Beers Group’s subsidiary that previously produced lab grown stones for Lightbox, will maintain its exclusive focus on industrial solutions using synthetic diamonds.

Al Cook, De Beers Group CEO, said: “As we move towards becoming a standalone company, we continue to optimise our business, reduce costs and build a focused De Beers that is positioned for profitable growth. The persistently declining value of lab-grown diamonds in jewellery underscores the growing differentiation between these factory-made products and natural diamonds.

“Lightbox has helped to highlight the fundamental differences in value between these two categories. Global competition continues to intensify with more low-cost lab-grown diamond production from China. In the US, supermarkets are driving down lab-grown diamond jewellery prices.”

He added: “Overall, we expect both the cost and price of lab-grown diamonds to fall further in the jewellery sector. The planned closure of Lightbox reflects our commitment to natural diamonds. We are also excited at the growing commercial potential for synthetic diamonds in the technology and industrial space.”