De Beers reported rough diamond sales of $490 million for its eighth sales cycle of 2021, an increase of 5% versus the eighth cycle in 2020 and down 6% compared to the preceding seventh cycle of 2021.

Bruce Cleaver, CEO, De Beers Group, said: “As the diamond sector prepares for the key holiday season and US consumer demand for diamond jewellery continues to perform strongly, we saw further robust demand for rough diamonds in the eighth sales cycle of the year ahead of the Diwali holiday when demand for rough diamonds is likely to be affected by the closure of polishing factories in India.”

Photo credit: Elaine Banister / © Anglo American