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First Sale Of Traceable Congolese Artisanal Diamonds Exceeds Market Expectations: AWDC

OrigemA Initiative Delivers Above-Market Returns, With Proceeds Set To Support Community Development and Artisanal Mining Livelihoods In The DRC.

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The first international sale of fully traceable artisanal diamonds from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has delivered prices slightly above market estimates, according to a statement from the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC).

The 103.77-carat parcel, sold through a tender at Antwerp-based Bonas-Couzyn under the Belgian-Congolese OrigemA project, achieved an average price of US$65.5 per carat. Proceeds from the sale will go entirely to the COMIDIANZ cooperative, which mined the diamonds, and will be reinvested in the local community of more than 20,000 people.

OrigemA, an initiative of the AWDC, gives artisanal mining cooperatives in the DRC direct access to international markets, helping them secure competitive prices and reducing reliance on a limited number of local buyers.

Karen Rentmeesters, CEO of AWDC said :

“The prices achieved in this sale once again confirm Antwerp’s unique position as a global trading hub for rough diamonds. The presence of a large pool of international buyers creates maximum competition, resulting in the best possible market price for the goods.”

Rentmeesters said the results highlighted the benefits of providing artisanal producers with direct market access. “These results demonstrate that direct access to the international market can make a meaningful difference for artisanal producers. We hope this success will accelerate the further rollout of the OrigemA project, so that diamonds from other participating cooperatives can also be brought to market via Antwerp in the near future.”

The sale results were announced in the presence of Sylvain Mwepu Kidenga, representing the Congolese Centre d’Expertise d’Evaluation et de Certification (CEEC). Funds generated from the sale will support the development of the mine and finance projects related to agriculture, healthcare and education in the region.

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Divine Solitaires Named ‘Best Diamond Jewellery Brand’ At JewelZ South India 2026

The Recognition Acknowledges The Brand’s Approach To Quality Assurance, Standardised Pricing and Transparency In The Natural Diamond Solitaire Category.

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Hyderabad, 25 September 2026: Divine Solitaires, India’s natural diamond solitaire brand, has been honoured with the ‘Best Diamond Jewellery Brand’ award at JewelZ South India 2026, recognising its efforts to bring greater consistency, transparency and quality assurance to the natural diamond solitaire buying experience. The award was presented on 22 September at Novotel, HICC, Hyderabad.

The recognition comes as the natural diamond solitaire category evolves, with consumers increasingly seeking greater clarity around certification, quality and pricing when making high-value jewellery purchases. Divine Solitaires has built its proposition around addressing these expectations through its 123-parameter Quality Guarantee and Nationwide Standard & Transparent Pricing, which are applied uniformly across its retail network.

With a presence through 200+ partner jewellers across 100+ cities in India, the brand offers a portfolio of 3,000+ designs, alongside consumer-focused initiatives and long-term value programmes, including buyback and upgrade options.

Commenting on the recognition, Jignesh Mehta, Founder and Managing Director, Divine Solitaires, said:

“The way consumers buy diamonds is evolving. A solitaire is a significant purchase, and today’s buyer wants greater clarity on what they are buying, how quality is evaluated and how the price is determined. At Divine Solitaires, our endeavour has been to bring greater structure and consistency to this journey through clearly defined quality parameters and transparent pricing. This recognition at JewelZ South India is encouraging because it reflects the industry’s growing focus on building trust through greater accountability and standardisation.”

Adding to the brand’s presence at the event, Jignesh Mehta participated in the panel discussion “How the Jewellery Moguls are Crafting the New Jewellery Era”, moderated by Ritu Marya, Editor-in-Chief, Retailer Media. The session brought together senior industry leaders to discuss evolving consumer expectations, trust-building and changing retail models.

Mehta’s participation focused on the evolving natural diamond solitaire category, particularly the importance of consistent quality assurance, transparency and standardisation in building consumer confidence around high-value jewellery purchases.

The recognition reinforces Divine Solitaires’ focus on creating a more structured and transparent solitaire-buying ecosystem, as the category continues to evolve alongside changing consumer expectations.

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