De Beers & Diamonds - Jewelry PR
Consumer sales of diamond jewelry so far this year are stronger than in 2005, but the cutting and manufacturing sector is sluggish partly due to a De Beers price hike on rough diamonds in February, officials of the diamond giant said on Tuesday.
The first several "sights" -- sales of rough diamonds to De Beers selected clients -- have been lower than at the same time last year, Managing Director Gareth Penny told one reporter.
"On the sales side, the first three sights have been a bit behind last year," he said in an interview in Botswana as the firm signed a new agreement with the government.
DTC boosted the price of the rough diamonds it sells by just under 2 percent in February and this may have weakened sentiment among cutters and jewelry makers, said Varda Shine, managing director of De Beers marketing arm, the Diamond Trading Company (DTC).


















