Hong Kong shows open to slow traffic. Low expectations for diamond sales amid weak Chinese demand. Global market cautious. US retail seasonally quiet. Strong demand for ex-plan goods at De Beers sight following Jan. price cut; Feb. prices stable. Alrosa 2023 revenue +9% to $3.5B, profit -15% to $933M. Sarine 2023 sales -27% to $43M, loss of $2.8M vs. $8.8M profit in 2022. WFDB and other trade bodies warn that G7 requirement to ship diamonds through single Antwerp node will harm industry. De Beers backs African producers’ right to certify own goods. US sanctions of Russian-source diamonds begin March 1. Rapaport holds emergency sanctions webinar and requests trade support for Rapaport US Diamond Protocol.

Synthetic stones masquerading as naturals are arriving in labs. How prevalent is this, and how can the rest of the trade protect itself if fraudsters are trying to dupe the experts? Insiders weigh in.

Author, historian and curator Beatriz Chadour-Sampson offers a tour of the Victoria & Albert Museum’s outstanding collection, which is the basis of the institution’s new online courses.

Members of the editorial team pick their favorite pieces from the internet.