Tiffany, Stuller Lead List of New Sightholders

By Rob Bates, Senior Editor -- JCK Online, 7/1/2005 2:00:00 AM

Two nontraditional sightholders—Tiffany and Stuller Settings—lead the list of new clients appointed by De Beers' Diamond Trading Company, sources said.

This is the second sightholder assessment under the company's Supplier of Choice program. The chosen companies will remain on the list for two and a half years.

Tiffany won a sight in London in conjunction with Rand Precision Cut Diamonds. The company already has a joint venture with Rand in South Africa.

Stuller, based in Lafayette, La., was successful in its second sight application.

The additions bring the number of sightholders to 93. In a surprising—but mostly welcomed—move, no current sightholders were dropped.

Press reports and sources list other new sightholders as Almod Diamonds, New York, which owns 100 "Diamonds International" stores in the Carribean; Kiran Exports, Bhansali & Co., Mine Stone, and Tara Jewels (India); Exelco (Belgium); and Chow Sang Sang and Wing Hang (Hong Kong/China). Israel did not receive any new sightholders.

De Beers won't acknowledge the identity of any new sightholders until next January.