Quality diamonds still in demand - Oppenheimer

But, because of the disproportionate volume of lower-quality, cheaper diamonds sold there, the subprime crisis is obviously a worry, Oppenheimer says in an exclusive Mining Weekly interview. "America remains about 50 percent of the diamond jewellery worldwide offtake and, in that 50 percent, America has a disproportionate element of the somewhat lower-quality, cheaper diamonds, so that's a real worry there.

"The balance is the better-quality diamonds which seem to be remaining in demand and thats obviously helped by the very strong growing demand in Asia he adds.