60-653: The De Beers Centenary Diamond is, at 273.85 carats (54.770 g), the third-largest diamond to have been produced in the Premier Mine . Among top-color diamonds, only the Cullinan I and II are larger than the Centenary diamond. The Centenary Diamond is rated in color as grade D color by the Gemological Institute of America , which is the highest grade of colourless diamond and is internally and externally flawless. It
120-480: A micron deep. This inscription helps distinguish Forevermark diamonds from other natural diamonds though, similarly to when distinguishing natural diamonds from synthetic diamonds , it requires specialist detection equipment to view. The inscription also helps maintain scarcity: the Forevermark website boasts that only a tiny percentage of diamonds qualify for the Forevermark brand. De Beers Diamond Jewellers (DBDJ)
180-560: A South African farm named Vooruitzicht ( Dutch for "prospect" or "outlook") near Zandfontein in the Boshof District of Orange Free State . After they discovered diamonds on their land, the increasing demands of the British government forced them to sell their farm on 31 July 1871 to merchant Alfred Johnson Ebden (1820–1908) for £6,600. Vooruitzicht would become the site of the Big Hole and
240-469: A compilation album, Diamond Music , released in 1996, which features the 'Palladio' suite. A 2010 commercial for Verizon Wireless parodied the De Beers spots. In May 2018, De Beers introduced a new brand of jewellery called "Lightbox" made with synthetic diamonds . The synthetic stones start at $ 200 for a quarter carat to $ 800 for a full carat diamond. The new lab-grown diamonds retail for about one-tenth
300-626: A considerable investment. Gabi Tolkowsky was chosen to head the team responsible for cutting the Centenary Diamond, along with Geoff Woolett, Jim Nash and Dawie du Plessis, assisted by a specially-picked group of engineers, electricians and security guards to facilitate in the work on Centenary Diamond. There was a special room designed underground in the De Beers Diamond Research Laboratory in Johannesburg , South Africa for
360-520: A gun named Long Cecil in the company workshops. In 1898, diamonds were discovered on farms near Pretoria , Transvaal. One led to the discovery of the Premier Mine . The Premier Mine was registered in 1902 and the Cullinan Diamond , the largest rough diamond ever discovered, was found there in 1905. (The Premier Mine was renamed the Cullinan Mine in 2003.) However, its owner refused to join
420-481: A lab-grown diamond brand to sell jewellery directly to consumers. International Institute of Diamond Valuation Ernest Oppenheimer Sir Ernest Oppenheimer KStJ (22 May 1880 – 25 November 1957), was a diamond and gold mining entrepreneur , financier and philanthropist , who controlled De Beers and founded the Anglo American Corporation of South Africa . Ernest Oppenheimer
480-457: Is a three-year, $ 3 million deal. In September 2017, De Beers partnered with UN Women to help the advancement of women within the company and the countries it operates in. In 2018, the two entities launched a program to support 500 women micro-entrepreneurs in Blouberg and Musina communities, near De Beers's Venetia diamond mine . In May 2018, De Beers's group company Element Six launched
540-503: Is active in open-pit, underground, large-scale alluvial and coastal mining. It operates in 35 countries with mining taking place in Botswana , Namibia , South Africa, and Canada. It also has an artisanal mining business, Gemfair , which operates in Sierra Leone . From its inception in 1888 until the start of the 21st century, De Beers controlled 80% to 85% of rough diamond distribution and
600-563: Is made up of a series of joint ventures and wholly owned operations. The joint ventures are: The wholly owned operations are in southern Africa and Canada. Also wholly owned are Forevermark , De Beers Jewellers, the International Institute of Diamond Valuation, De Beers Ventures, the International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research and Element Six (Umicore has a 40% stake in Element Six's abrasives division). Forevermark
660-526: The 1924 South African general election Oppenheimer stood for, and was elected to, the House of Assembly as the Member for Kimberley. He held the seat until 1938. In 1927, Oppenheimer managed to gain control of the late Cecil Rhodes ' De Beers empire, building and consolidating the company's global monopoly over the world's diamond industry until his retirement. He gained the chairmanship of De Beers in 1929. Over
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#1732845511400720-591: The De Beers cartel. Instead, the mine started selling to a pair of independent dealers named Bernard and Ernest Oppenheimer , thereby weakening the De Beers stronghold. Francis Oats , who became Chairman of De Beers in 1908, was dismissive of the threats from the Premier Mine and the finds in German South West Africa . However, production soon equalled all of the De Beers mines combined. Ernest Oppenheimer
780-588: The Orange River in South Africa. He invested the profits of this operation into buying up claims of small mining operators, with his operations soon expanding into a separate mining company. He soon secured funding from the Rothschild family , who would finance his business expansion. De Beers Consolidated Mines was formed in 1888 by the merger of the companies of Barney Barnato and Cecil Rhodes, by which time
840-1157: The Snap Lake mine in the Northwest Territories , Canada; this was the first De Beers mine outside Africa and was Canada's first completely underground diamond mine. However, production was suspended when the mine was put on care and maintenance in 2015. De Beers opened the Victor mine in Ontario , Canada, the same year, a day after Snap Lake. This was followed by the opening of the company's third mine in Canada, Gahcho Kue , in September 2016. Trading of rough diamonds takes place through two channels – De Beers Global Sightholder Sales (GSS) and De Beers Auction Sales. GSS sells about 90% of De Beers's rough diamonds, by value, and features wholly owned and joint venture operations in South Africa (De Beers Sightholder Sales South Africa), Botswana (DTCB), and Namibia (NDTC). They sort, value and sell 33% (2013) of
900-436: The 'trilogy ring' (meant to represent the past, present, and future of a relationship) and the 'right hand ring' (meant to be bought and worn by women as a symbol of independence). De Beers ran television advertisements featuring silhouettes of people wearing diamonds, set to the music of ' Palladio ' by Karl Jenkins . The campaign, titled "Shadows and Lights" first ran in the first quarter of 1993. The song would later inspire
960-636: The 12,000-tonne, 113-metre-long SS Nujoma, built at a cost of $ 157 million and named after Sam Nujoma, Namibia's founding president. This vessel, the world's most advanced diamond exploration and sampling vessel, began full operations in June 2017. De Beers Consolidated Mines is responsible for the De Beers mining in South Africa . It is 74% owned by De Beers and 26% by a board-based black economic empowerment partner, Ponahalo Investments. There are two mines – Venetia and Voorspoed. In 2008, De Beers began production at
1020-623: The 1980s to 29.5% in 2019. Seeing these developing trends, the Oppenheimer family announced in November 2011 its intention to sell its entire 40% stake in De Beers to Anglo American plc , thereby increasing Anglo American's ownership of the company to 85% (with the remaining 15% owned by the Government of the Republic of Botswana). The transaction was worth £3.2 billion (US$ 5.1 billion) in cash and ended
1080-539: The Centennial Celebration of the De Beers Consolidated Mines. As then-chairman Julian Ogilvie Thompson said, "We have recovered at the Premier Mine a diamond of 599 carats (119.8 g) which is perfect in colour – indeed it is one of the largest top-colour diamonds ever found. Naturally it will be called the Centenary Diamond." Cutting such an immense and valuable diamond required expertise and
1140-477: The De Beers mine, two successful diamond mines. Their name, which was given to one of the mines, subsequently became associated with the company. Cecil Rhodes , the founder of the British South Africa Company , got his start by renting water pumps to miners during the diamond rush that started in 1869, when an 83.5 carat diamond called the ' Star of South Africa ' was found at Hopetown near
1200-553: The Oppenheimer dynasty's 80-year ownership of De Beers. In 2020, the De Beers Company released a statement of a values change, promising the world that it is committed to not using slave labor within the company. De Beers successfully advertised diamonds to manipulate consumer demand. One of the most effective marketing strategies has been the marketing of diamonds as a symbol of love and commitment. Copywriter Frances Gerety (1916–1999) working for N. W. Ayer & Son coined
1260-468: The Oppenheimers' family stake of 40% for US$ 5.1 billion (£3.2 billion) and increasing its stake to 85%, ending the 80-year Oppenheimer control of the company. In May 2024, Anglo American announced its intention to spin off or sell De Beers. The name 'De Beers' was derived from the two Dutch settlers , brothers Diederik Arnoldus de Beer (1825–1878) and Johannes Nicolaas de Beer (1830–1883), who owned
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#17328455114001320-473: The Republic of Botswana. It operates four mines – Jwaneng, Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa, though Damtshaa was put on care and maintenance in 2015. In Namibia, mining is carried out through Namdeb Holdings , a 50–50 joint venture with the Government of the Republic of Namibia. Namdeb Holdings is made up of Debmarine Namibia (covering offshore mining) and Namdeb Diamond Corporation (land-based coastal mining). For offshore mining, motor vessels are used, including
1380-656: The United Nations. The initial focus of the UN's investigation was on Jonas Savimbi 's UNITA movement in Angola, which was found to have bartered uncut diamonds for weaponry despite international economic and diplomatic sanctions being in effect through United Nations Security Council Resolution 1173 . In 1999, De Beers Group stopped all outside buying of diamonds in order to guarantee the conflict-free status of their diamonds effective from 26 March 2000. In December 2000, following
1440-505: The aim of providing a range of services and equipment in the field of diamond verification. It is based in London, Antwerp and, from 2015, in Surat , India . The IIDGR works only on diamonds that meet the requirements of the United Nations' World Diamond Council Kimberley Process . In 1999, a campaign by Global Witness to highlight the role of diamonds in international conflicts led to a review by
1500-690: The approach in 2008 when it broke with 44 years of direct sales to hold the diamond industry's first online international auction sale. It is now the world's leader in this kind of auction sale. De Beers employs more than 30,000 people around the globe on five continents, with more than 17,000 employees in Africa. Almost 8,000 people are employed in Botswana, around 6,200 in South Africa, nearly 2,900 in Namibia, some 1,260 in Canada and about 320 in exploration. In February 2020, De Beers reported its worst set of earnings since
1560-523: The chairman and director of Anglo-American and De Beers in December 1982. During the 20th century, De Beers used several methods to leverage its dominant position to influence the international diamond market. First, it attempted to convince independent producers to join its single channel monopoly. When that did not work, it flooded the market with diamonds similar to those of producers who refused to join in, depressing their price and undermining return for
1620-469: The closure of this office, the company was reclassified as De Beers plc in 2017, with its head office now in Jersey. It is made up of two shareholdings: Anglo American plc has an 85% shareholding and the Government of the Republic of Botswana owns 15% directly. De Beers plc is the holding company of The De Beers Group of Companies. It is involved in many parts of the diamond value chain, from mining to sales, and
1680-454: The company was bought by miner Anglo American in 2012. On 4 November 2011, Anglo American plc and CHL Holdings announced their agreement for Anglo American to acquire an incremental interest in De Beers, increasing Anglo American's 45% shareholding in the world's leading diamond company to 85%. De Beers plc was originally incorporated as De Beers Société Anonyme in 2000 in Luxembourg. Following
1740-478: The company was the sole owner of all diamond mining operations in the country. In 1889, Rhodes negotiated a strategic agreement with the London-based Diamond Syndicate, which agreed to purchase a fixed quantity of diamonds at an agreed price, thereby regulating output and maintaining prices. The agreement soon proved to be very successful – for example, during the trade slump of 1891–1892, supply
1800-437: The company's valuable mines. Rhodes personally moved into the city at the onset of the siege in order to put political pressure on the British government to divert military resources towards relieving the siege rather than more strategic war objectives. Despite being at odds with the military, Rhodes placed the full resources of the company at the disposal of the defenders, manufacturing shells , defences, an armoured train and
1860-455: The cost of naturally occurring diamonds. The new brand began selling in September 2018 and the stones are produced in Gresham, Oregon , a $ 94 million facility using the region's cheap electricity, which opened in 2018 with the capacity for 500,000 rough carats of diamonds per year. Mining in Botswana takes place through the mining company Debswana , a 50–50 joint venture with the Government of
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1920-441: The country's war effort during World War II. During the early 1930s, the company conducted experimental work which in large part pioneered the use of diamond drills . This was highly preferable to more expensive and rarer carbons previously in use. The Free State Gold Rush was made possible in part due to this innovation, as the fields required deep drilling to reach gold-bearing reefs . In May 1955, Ernest Oppenheimer opened
1980-799: The course of his chairmanship, Oppenheimer was involved in a number of controversies, including price fixing, antitrust behaviour, and an allegation of not releasing industrial diamonds for the U.S. war effort during the Second World War . In 1952, he was appointed as a Knight of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem . Ernest Oppenheimer married Mary Lina Pollak in 1906 and had two sons. She died in 1934. In 1935, he married Caroline Magdalen Oppenheimer (née Harvey), widow of Sir Michael, 2nd Baronet Oppenheimer of Stoke Poges. He died in Johannesburg in 1957. Although he
2040-535: The crown of an Indian Maharaja." The Centenary was completed in February 1991, weighing 273.85 carats (54.770 g) with its dimensions measuring 39.90 × 50.50 × 24.55 mm. The final gem had 247 facets: 164 on the pavilion and crown, and 83 on the girdle. While the stone has never been publicly appraised for value, it is known to have been insured at over US$ 100 million at the time of its unveiling in May 1991. The stone
2100-477: The decision by producers in Canada and Australia to distribute diamonds outside the De Beers channel, as well as increasingly negative publicity surrounding blood diamonds , which forced De Beers to protect its image by limiting sales to its own mined products. The combination of a more fragmented and thus more competitive diamond market, increased transparency, and greater liquidity , caused De Beers's market share of rough diamonds to fall from as high as 90% in
2160-452: The famous advertising slogan, 'A Diamond is Forever', in 1947. In 2000, Advertising Age magazine named 'A Diamond is Forever' the best advertising slogan of the 20th century. The slogan may have inspired the James Bond book, film and song title Diamonds Are Forever . Other successful campaigns include the ' eternity ring ' (meant as a symbol of continuing affection and appreciation),
2220-458: The industry, as well as eliminating sources of excess supply. In 2018, De Beers used blockchain technology to successfully track 100 high-value diamonds. The diamonds were tracked through the manufacturing process from the mine to the retailer in order to ensure their quality and conflict-free status. In 2019, they launched their own end-to-end traceability platform called Tracr to enable all diamonds to be identified and traced as they move from
2280-479: The mayor from 1912 to 1915. In this role, he helped raise the manpower for the Kimberley Regiment for service during World War I . He became great friends with William Lincoln Honnold , an American engineer and chairman of Transvaal Coal Trust, Brakpan Mines, Springs Mines and The New Era Company. In 1917, they launched the Anglo American Corporation with financial assistance from J. P. Morgan . He
2340-528: The mine to the store. Signet and the Russian-based Alrosa are using the technology. In August 2017, De Beers partnered with the Stanford Graduate School of Business to accelerate business ventures to market in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. As part of two programs, the partnership is set to help teach early entrepreneurs how to commercialize their business ideas. The partnership
2400-524: The new headquarters which combined the operations of Anglo American and the De Beers group. After Ernest died in November 1957, operation of Anglo and De Beers were passed on to his son, Harry Oppenheimer . Under Harry, the company expanded to several different countries around the globe, including Canada, Australia , Malaysia , Portugal , Zambia , and Tanzania . In South Africa, Harry opposed apartheid , arguing that it hindered economic growth. Despite this, De Beers has been criticized for profiting from
2460-567: The recommendations of the Fowler Report , the UN adopted the landmark General Assembly Resolution A/RES/55/56 supporting the creation of an international certification scheme for rough diamonds. By November 2002, negotiations between governments, the international diamond industry, led by De Beers, and civil society organisations resulted in the creation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), which sets out
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2520-482: The requirements for controlling rough diamond production and trade and became effective in 2003. De Beers states that 100% of the diamonds it now sells are conflict-free and that all De Beers diamonds are purchased in compliance with national law, the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme and its own Diamond Best Practice Principles. The Kimberley process has helped restore the reputation of
2580-458: The resistant. It also purchased and stockpiled diamonds produced by other manufacturers as well as surplus diamonds in order to control prices by limiting supply . Finally, it bought diamonds when prices fell considerably naturally, to constrict supply and drive their value back up, such as during the Great Depression. In 2000, the De Beers business model changed because of factors such as
2640-462: The sole purpose of working on the Centenary Diamond with design specifications including strength and stability so as to preclude mechanical vibration and temperature variation to minimise any factor that might interfere with the cutting of the Centenary Diamond. The initial efforts were done by hand rather than with a laser or saw so as not to heat or vibrate the diamond. After cutting and removing 50 carats (10 g) of cracked material over 154 days,
2700-472: The system during the apartheid period. By 1973, Anglo and De Beers accounted for 10 percent of South Africa's gross national product and 30 percent of the country's exports. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, De Beers attempted to secretly enter the United States' diamond market, being forced to divest its American assets in 1975 to avoid the risk of violating anti-trust laws. Harry Oppenheimer stepped down as
2760-421: The team was left with an egg-shaped gem of approximately 500 carats (100 g). Thirteen different designs were presented to the De Beers board, with a strong recommendation for what became the eventual modified heart-shaped design. The shape was described as, "Effectively, the Centenary Diamond is shaped like a heart-shape, but it does not have a groove. The image the team had in mind was a shape which would adorn
2820-540: The world's diamond production. Ernest Oppenheimer took over the chairmanship of the company in 1929, after buying shares and being appointed to the board in 1926. Oppenheimer was very concerned about the discovery of diamonds in 1908 in German South West Africa , fearing that the increased supply would swamp the market and force prices down. Former CIA chief Admiral Stansfield Turner claimed that De Beers restricted US access to industrial diamonds needed for
2880-444: The world's rough diamonds by value. There are two main types of customers for rough diamonds – Sightholders and Accredited Buyers. Sightholders have a term contract. Accredited Buyer status, introduced in 2015, allows companies that are not traditional Sightholders to access diamonds that were not allocated to existing Sightholders. De Beers also sells about 10% of its rough diamonds through online auction sales. The company pioneered
2940-481: Was appointed the local agent for the powerful London Syndicate, rising to the position of mayor of Kimberley within 10 years. He understood the core principle that underpinned De Beers's success, stating in 1910 that "common sense tells us that the only way to increase the value of diamonds is to make them scarce, that is to reduce production". During World War I, the Premier Mine was finally absorbed into De Beers. When Rhodes died in 1902, De Beers controlled 90% of
3000-587: Was born in Friedberg , German Empire , the son of Edward Oppenheimer, a cigar merchant, and his wife, Nanette (née Hirschhorn) Oppenheimer. He began his working life at 17, when he entered Dunkelsbuhler & Company, a diamond brokerage in London . His efforts impressed his employer and in 1902, at the age of 22, he was sent to South Africa to represent the company as a buyer in Kimberley , of which he went on to become
3060-464: Was born into a Jewish family, he converted to Anglicanism in adulthood. His ashes were interred in a niche of the columbarium at Parktown St George's Church, Parktown . He was succeeded in the business by his son, Harry Oppenheimer . Oppenheimer's brother, Sir Bernard Oppenheimer , was also heavily involved in the diamond industry, himself dying in 1921. In 1964, the Oppenheimer Diamond
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#17328455114003120-598: Was considered a monopoly . By 2000, the company's control of the world diamond supply decreased to 63%. The company was founded in 1888 by British businessman Cecil Rhodes , who was financed by the South African diamond magnate Alfred Beit and the London-based N M Rothschild & Sons bank. In 1926, Ernest Oppenheimer , a German immigrant to Britain and later South Africa who had earlier founded mining company Anglo American with American financier J. P. Morgan ,
3180-460: Was elected to the board of De Beers. He built and consolidated the company's global monopoly over the diamond industry until his death in 1957. During this time, he was involved in several controversies, including price fixing and trust behaviour, and was accused of not releasing industrial diamonds for the US war effort during World War II. In 2011, Anglo American took control of De Beers after buying
3240-519: Was established in 2001 as a 50:50 joint venture between The De Beers Group of Companies and LVMH , the French luxury goods company. The first De Beers boutique opened in 2002 on London's Old Bond Street as the brand's flagship store. Since then, stores have opened in various cities around the world. In March 2017, The De Beers Group of Companies acquired LVMH's 50% shareholding in DBDJ and new name De Beers Jewellers
3300-531: Was knighted in 1921. The initial capital was £1 million. Half of the capital was subscribed in the United States and half in the United Kingdom and South Africa. He would remain as a permanent director and its chairman until 1953. In 1919, two years after its launch, Anglo American purchased diamond mines in South West Africa , which would pose a challenge to the De Beers diamond business monopoly. In
3360-403: Was launched in 2008 as one of the two diamond brands from The De Beers Group of Companies. According to the company website, "Each Forevermark diamond is inscribed with a promise: that it is beautiful, rare and responsibly sourced." Forevermark diamonds are inscribed with an icon and unique identification number, albeit invisibly to the naked eye: the Forevermark inscription is 1 ⁄ 20 th of
3420-528: Was loaned to the Tower of London , where it was displayed for a number of years. It is believed that De Beers no longer owns the Centenary, but the current owner is unknown. De Beers declines to comment, citing its anonymity policy. De Beers The De Beers Group is a South African–British corporation that specializes in the diamond industry, including mining, exploration, retail, inscription, grading, trading and industrial diamond manufacturing. The company
3480-401: Was named the Centenary Diamond as it was presented in the rough for the Centennial Celebration of De Beers Consolidated Mines on 11 May 1988. The Centenary Diamond was unveiled in final form in May 1991. The Centenary Diamond was discovered in the Premier Mine on 17 July 1986 using their X-ray imaging system. The original rough was 599 carats (119.8 g) and it was presented on 11 May 1988 in
3540-419: Was simply curtailed to maintain the price. Rhodes was concerned about the break-up of the new monopoly, stating to shareholders in 1896 that the company's "only risk is the sudden discovery of new mines, which human nature will work recklessly to the detriment of us all". The Second Boer War proved to be a challenging time for the company. Kimberley was besieged as soon as war broke out, thereby threatening
3600-427: Was unveiled. De Beers Ventures De Beers Ventures was established by De Beers Group in June 2017 to consider minority stake investments in start-ups and growth companies that could be of benefit to De Beers Group or the broader diamond sector. The International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research The International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research (IIDGR) was set up by De Beers in 2008, with
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