Diamond miner De Beers has partnered with the Jewellery Council of South Africa to serve as the main headline sponsor of this year’s ShopJewellex, a newly launched retail-consumer jewellery showcase to be held at Montecasino over the Black Friday weekend.

ShopJewellex will showcase the latest collections, designs and jewellery trends from some of South Africa’s favourite jewellery retailers and designers, as well as an array of emerging designers.

Some of the companies to exhibit are part of the De Beers Group beneficiation interventions, which include the De Beers Enterprise Development project, De Beers Group Young Designers initiative and the De Beers Small Beneficiators project.

The entities exhibiting include Molefi Letsiki Diamonds, Sunrise Gem Stones, Isabella Jewellers, Irresistible Diamonds, Lilja Hastie Jewellery, Caliente Designs, Lurozzia Jewellers, House of Phoenix and Vivid Gems.

The event will also include a fashion show by fashion designer Abigail Betz.

Partnering in this initiative forms part of De Beers’ beneficiation strategy, which aims to empower local beneficiators through access to rough diamonds, consumer markets and funding.

“At De Beers Group, the concept of Building Forever describes our commitment to creating a lasting positive legacy, both through our own interventions and by working in partnership with others to find solutions to the most significant challenges that we face collectively.

“Our aim is to assist with the growth and transformation of the diamond industry in South Africa and we look forward to continuing working with government and industry stakeholders to achieve this,” says De Beers sightholder sales senior VP Peter Phemelo Moeti.

He believes that, with constructive collaborations and partnerships with all industry stakeholders, including government, a vibrant diamond industry can be built and upheld.  

De Beers sightholder sales beneficiation manager for South Africa Kagiso Fredericks adds that facilitating access to local and international diamond consuming markets is core to the growth and transformation of the local diamond jewellery industry.

“As industry stakeholders it is important that we collaborate with the aim of creating an environment that will allow our local diamond and jewellery beneficiation business to thrive.”