DTC's Feb.sight estimated at $525M

While the De Beers marketing and sales unit announced a price increase in the high single digits prior to the sight, the company also changed its assortment of goods to allow sightholders to profit from their boxes. Sight participants noted higher increases in the cheaper Indian goods, as well.

"De Beers announced that they were increasing prices and sightholders assumed the worst, but when they saw the boxes, they recognized that there was value in the goods and that De Beers left room for sightholders to profit," explained one industry professional.