DiamondBuzz

VD Global forays into sports memorabilia with AthleteGEM

VD Global will provide diamonds to AthleteGEM in a new joint venture that aims to “reignite” the industry using investment-driven sports memorabilia. AthleteGEM is the brainchild of VD’s CEO of luxury, Bhavya Vaghasia, and Danny White, the CEO of White Rocks, which helps private jewelry clients negotiate their purchases.

Published

2 years ago

January 29, 2025

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The company will create memorabilia containing a polished diamond laser inscribed with an athlete’s signature, personal message and an exclusive edition number, formed into a wearable collectible. AthleteGEM™ collaborates with, Athletes, NIL Collectives, and Universities to craft natural diamond collectibles, empowering student-athletes to monetize their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).

The purchaser will also receive a story card detailing the athlete’s journey and the significance of the diamond, as well as a digital time capsule featuring a personal message from the chosen athlete. In the first cohort, the venture has signed 100 athletes across diverse sports, including its most well-known of the set, Hugues Fabrice Zango from Burkina Faso, who holds the world indoor record in the triple jump. AthleteGEM will issue 21 diamond collectibles for each athlete. Within that group, diamonds will be available in various carat sizes to fit different budgets, White explained.

Next month, AthleteGEM intends to release a second round of diamond mementos, featuring a new set of athletes. In phase two of the project, each purchaser will receive both a rough, uncut diamond, which symbolizes the athlete’s raw journey, as well as a polished diamond, representing refined brilliance and success, White noted. Buyers will be able to work together with their chosen athlete and designers to customize their diamonds into bespoke pendants, rings or bracelets.

DiamondBuzz

De Beers Sale Could Take 18 Months To Clear Regulatory Hurdles: Duncan Wanblad

The strategic divestment of De Beers highlights the persistent friction between corporate portfolio optimization and multi-jurisdictional regulatory compliance.

Published

22 hours ago

August 25, 2026

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The long-awaited sale of De Beers could easily take 18 months to clear regulatory hurdles, says Duncan Wanblad, CEO of parent company Anglo American, once a deal is finally agreed.

Wanblad has, however, insisted that the company is not exclusive with any consortium and that more than one group remains involved in the process.

The strategic divestment of De Beers by Anglo American highlights the persistent friction between corporate portfolio optimization and multi-jurisdictional regulatory compliance.

Initiated in May 2024 as part of a sweeping restructuring, Anglo’s decision to offload its loss-making diamond unit was designed to sharpen capital allocation around core, high-margin assets like copper and iron ore.

However, CEO Duncan Wanblad’s candid assessment underscores a critical transactional reality: securing a signed agreement is merely the precursor to a prolonged regulatory clearance phase.

While Anglo American maintains a target to agree on deal terms by the end of 2026, market expectations regarding transaction completion require re-calibration. Antitrust approvals across key diamond consumption and trading hubs—most notably the United States, China, and the European Union—could extend the execution window by up to 18 months post-signing.

Given De Beers’ historical market concentration and influence across global supply chains, international competition authorities will undoubtedly subject any structural change in ownership to intense scrutiny.

Although the Global Diamond Consortium, spearheaded by former De Beers managing director Gareth Penny, has positioned itself as a primary contender, Anglo American has deliberately avoided granting exclusivity. While maintaining multiple bidding tracks preserves commercial leverage, it delays the precise regulatory preparation required for closing. Formal filings cannot be finalized until the specific jurisdictional footprint and capital background of the acquiring consortium are locked in.