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De Beers sees India, SE Asia as future demand drivers

Shining stars: Botswana plays an increasingly important role in diamond cutting and polishing PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO
Shining stars: Botswana plays an increasingly important role in diamond cutting and polishing PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

India, the country where value was first attached to diamonds 6,000 years ago, has overtaken China as their second biggest market and could even, someday, pass the United States, says De Beers CEO, Al Cook. He also tells MBONGENI MGUNI South East Asia is another rising centre of demand

De Beers, the company most responsible for the value assigned to natural diamonds and boasting the most diamond discoveries ever on Earth, has become almost preternaturally adept at forecasting where demand for the stones will come from in the future.

In fact, its very existence is based on being able to look into the future, spot trends around demographics, geology, tastes and biases well in advance, then attune itself well in advance to meet the opportunity.

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