What does the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision have to do with the diamond industry? Well, pretty much everything if we want to understand the slow market environment that we continue to experience.

Rapaport Editor in Chief Sonia Esther Soltani chats with Senior Analyst Avi Krawitz and News Editor Joshua Freedman, highlighting the major events, trends and quirky news stories that have shaped the diamond industry in the first quarter of 2023. 

David Kellie, CEO of the Natural Diamond Council, chats with Rapaport’s Avi Krawitz about the organization’s latest projects — including a rebuttal to the lab-grown sector’s sustainability claims, a path to partnering with other sectors of the trade, and the group’s ongoing work with brand ambassador Lily James.

Iris Van der Veken, executive director of the Watch & Jewelry Initiative 2030, discusses with Rapaport’s Avi Krawitz the organization’s immediate and long-term goals, how the luxury brands are approaching sustainability challenges, and how to raise the bar when it comes to issues such as climate change, gender equality, and governance. 

Frederik Degryse, CEO of iTraceiT, a new platform that aims to validate a diamond’s origin and journey, chats with Rapaport’s Avi Krawitz about the rising demand for traceability programs and the challenges providers of such services face in facilitating diamond-origin claims. 

Sam Karmiel, owner of Icerock Diamonds, discusses the learning curve he experienced as his business shifted focus to selling expensive diamonds via Instagram.

Rapaport Acting Editor Rachael Taylor and Senior Analyst Avi Krawitz discuss the role technology is playing in jewelry design and marketing. They also explore the legacies of two major brands that are the subjects of books Taylor recently published.  

Rapaport Senior Analyst Avi Krawitz, News Editor Joshua Freedman and Senior Reporter Leah Meirovich look back on 2023, picking their favorite industry moments of the year, their personal and professional highlights, and the top stories on Rapaport.com — and outlining their expectations for 2023.

Mountain Province CEO Mark Wall expresses optimism for the diamond trade, noting that the eventual release of pent-up demand in China, coupled with supply constraints, will support the market. He also outlines the opportunity the macro environment provides Canadian producers, discusses the long-term prospects for Mountain Province, and provides an update on the Ice Road that is developed each year to supply the mines in the Northwestern Territories.

Rapaport Senior Analyst Avi Krawitz and News Editor Joshua Freedman question whether sentiment in the diamond industry is aligned with that of the retail sector. They also discuss the high-end market, the growing importance of the GemGenève show, the lab-grown diamond segment, De Beers’ negotiations with Botswana, and the recent Kimberley Process (KP) plenary meeting.