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
De Beers Sale Nearing Final Stage: Al Cook
Potential Buyers Are Understood To Include A Consortium Comprising African Governments and Private-Sector Investors
The long-awaited sale of De Beers appears to be entering its final phase, with Chief Executive Officer Al Cook indicating that a transaction could be completed within weeks.
Cook said the divestiture process is “closer than it has ever been” and expressed confidence that a deal would be concluded sooner rather than later.
According to Cook, negotiations have been extensive and the process has now reached a critical stage. Potential buyers are understood to include a consortium comprising African governments and private-sector investors.
Botswana, which currently holds a 15 percent stake in De Beers, has shown interest in increasing its participation, alongside Angola and Namibia. Several commercially focused investment groups are also reportedly evaluating opportunities.
The sale comes as De Beers continues to grapple with challenging market conditions. Weak global demand for natural diamonds has prompted cost-cutting measures, including plans to reduce annual overheads by approximately $100 million. Parent company Anglo American has repeatedly written down the value of the diamond business amid declining sales and rising inventories.
According to Anglo American’s 2025 financial report released in February 2026, De Beers’ enterprise value has fallen to $2.3 billion, a sharp decline from $9.2 billion in 2023.
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