For almost a century, 17 Charterhouse Street has been the headquarters of De Beers. But for those in the diamond industry, it represented much more than just an address or a building.  For many decades it was the lodestar from which the industry took its bearings. It housed a company that everyone looked towards for all things to do with diamond supply, diamond pricing and diamond marketing.

Though there have been many changes  wrought in this industry in the last couple of decades, the news that De Beers will soon be shifting out of its HQ will no doubt put the final seal on proclamations about the end of an era.

Media reports across several publications have reported that Anglo American --  which took over ownership of De Beers some time back -- is now considering selling the property and shifting De Beers to its own office premises in Carlton House Terrace, close to Charing Cross Station, London.

This, it is reported, was announced to the 300- strong office force currently working out of 17, Charterhouse Street, on Friday. 

It will be recalled that in late 2013, De Beers shifted sorting and sight operations to Gaborone, Botswana. That decision had already led to a depletion of staff strength working at the London HQ.

Anglo American has been one of the mining companies particularly hard hit by the global slump in the commodity trade; and its problems have been widely discussed. It now hopes to raise US$ 4 billion, media reports state, through sale of its assets  to reduce debt and to improve  its overall position.