The Diamond Council of America, an education-focused nonprofit serving the jewelry trade, has named a new board of directors, led by chair Jennifer Hamond of Signet Jewelers and vice chair David Bonaparte of Jewelers of America. New board members include Bobbi L. Avery of Day’s Jewelers, Jeffery Bolling of Jeffery B. Jewelers, Britney Phillips of Fred Meyer Jewelers, and Lindsay Salvo of Signet Jewelers.

 

US consumers spent a record $257.8 billion online between November 1 and December 31, according to Adobe Analytics. Mobile devices accounted for 56.4% of e-commerce transactions, up from 54.5% a year earlier, as strong discounts helped drive online demand over the holiday period, Adobe said.

 

Titan Company reported group sales rose 40% year on year in the fiscal quarter ended December 31. Domestic jewelry sales climbed 41%, with brands Tanishq, Mia, Zoya and beYon up 40%, while CaratLane grew 42%. The company said revenue growth was driven by higher average selling prices, which offset largely flat buyer growth.   

 

US independent jewelers recorded a 5% year-on-year increase in gross sales in December, according to Edge Retail Academy, as a 12% rise in average transaction value offset a 6% drop in sales volume. Diamond sales declined 4%, with an 11% increase in average ticket size outweighed by a 13% fall in unit sales, the Edge reported. Data provider Tenoris said jewelry unit sales rose 10% in December while total value fell 5.4%, adding that finished jewelry sales increased 7.5% in 2025, with average spending on diamond jewelry up 10% to $2,739.

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Polished diamond prices extended their decline in December, capping a weak year for the sector. Rapaport’s RapNet Diamond Index (RAPI) for 1-carat stones fell 2.3% for the month and 9.9% for the year, while the 0.30-carat and 0.50-carat indices dropped 20% and 26% respectively in 2025. The IDEX Polished Price Index slid 1.7% in December and 10.9% over the full year.

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A new feasibility study indicates the proposed underground expansion will extend production at the Karowe mine in Botswana by about 10 years, generating an estimated $3.4 billion from 4.5 million carats, owner Lucara Diamond said. Underground production is planned to follow completion of open-pit operations and is expected to ramp up to full capacity in the first half of 2028. Lucara raised $50.4 million (CAD 70 million) to help fund the project through a private placement backed by its major shareholder, the Lundin Family Trust.

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Botswana is considering cooperation with Russia in the diamond sector, foreign minister Phenyo Butale told Russian state news agency TASS. Butale said opportunities could include leveraging Russian expertise in large-scale mining projects and downstream processing to support value creation in Botswana’s diamond industry.

 

Hong Kong’s sales of jewelry, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts rose 3.6% year on year in November, according to the city’s Census and Statistics Department. Total retail sales increased 6.5% to HKD 33.7 billion, with online sales accounting for 11.2% of the total. Growth was led by electronic and other consumer durable goods, which jumped 38.6% during the month.

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The Bureau of Indian Standards unveiled a new diamond disclosure standard tightening rules on terminology and transparency across natural, laboratory-grown, treated and imitation diamonds. The standard limits use of the term “diamond” to natural stones and requires full disclosure for laboratory-grown diamonds, while banning abbreviations such as “lab grown,” “lab created,” or “LGD.” The move aims to curb misleading descriptions and strengthen consumer confidence as India’s diamond jewelry market continues to expand, according to the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council.​​