DiamondBuzz
De Beers launches DiamondProof; distinguishes naturals from LGDs within seconds
De Beers has launched a diamond verification device aimed specifically at retailers. DiamondProof distinguishes natural gems from LGD in store within seconds as the customer looks on. DiamondProof distinguishes between the chemical composition of natural diamonds and LGD. De Beers says fewer than 1 per cent of diamonds will need additional evaluation and it guarantees that no synthetic diamonds will be mistakenly identified as natural.
De Beers Group announced that its innovative retail-facing diamond verification device, DiamondProof, has landed in select retail stores for the first time, giving consumers the ability to witness just how quickly the device can distinguish natural diamonds from non-natural diamonds, such as laboratory-grown diamonds (LGDs) and diamond simulants, providing a tool for retailers to help educate their customers on the differences between natural diamonds and other products. With research showing that almost half of consumers are unaware that LGDs can be readily detected, this easy-to-use device will enable retailers to show their customers just how quickly natural diamonds can be identified.
The first DiamondProof prototype instrument was unveiled at the JCK show in Las Vegas in June 2024 and has been developed to rapidly and easily screen both loose diamonds and those set in jewellery. With a zero percent ‘false positive rate*,’ the device will never mistake a lab-grown diamond as a natural diamond and delivers results within seconds.
Sandrine Conseiller, CEO of De Beers Brands, said: “Natural diamonds and LGDs are two fundamentally different products. Natural diamonds are rare, one-of-a-kind miracles of nature that come to us from the earth through heat, pressure and time. This incredible journey is what makes them the ultimate marker of life’s most profound emotional moments. Consumers should be able to have confidence in such a meaningful purchase, and DiamondProof allows retailers to offer them greater peace of mind. We are in a new era of transparency at retail, and customers deserve to know what they are buying.”
DiamondBuzz
Rio Tinto’s Diamond Division Posts $79 Million EBITDA Loss in 2025
Higher output from Canada’s Diavik Diamond Mine offsets revenue decline, but end-of-life pressures continue to weigh on performance.
Rio Tinto reported a challenging year for its diamond business in 2025, posting an underlying EBITDA loss of $79 million despite improved revenues. While the loss narrowed compared to the $115 million deficit recorded in 2024, the division remained under pressure amid a global diamond market slowdown and the nearing closure of its last active mine.
Annual revenue rose 19% to $332 million, supported by stronger production at the Diavik mine in Canada, Rio Tinto’s only remaining diamond operation. Output climbed 61% to 4.4 million carats, driven by the ramp-up of mining activities in the underground section of the A21 deposit, which began scaling up in late 2024.
However, the A21 underground ore body is expected to be depleted by the end of the first quarter of 2026, marking the end of Diavik’s operational life. The company plans to spend approximately $1 billion this year on closure activities related to Diavik, as well as rehabilitation work at the former Argyle Diamond Mine, which ceased production in 2020, and other non-diamond projects.
-
National News1 day agoWGC India gold market update: Price strength fuels demand Looking ahead
-
National News1 day agoGJEPC addresses issue of Termination of IEEPA-Based Reciprocal Tariffs
-
International News1 day agoIGI approves an investment of up to $150,000 in Saudi Arabia
-
National News1 day agoIndia’s polished diamond exports dip by 3.6 per cent yoy in January 2026
JewelBuzz is Asia’s First Digital Jewellery Media & India’s No.1 B2B Jewellery Magazine, published by AM Media House. Since 2016, we’ve been the trusted source for jewellery news, market trends, trade insights, exhibitions, podcasts, and brand stories, connecting jewellers, retailers, and industry professionals worldwide.