Diamond Shavings: Friday Web Roundup

I'll probably post this every Friday at about 2 - 2:30 …

- LID New York files for Chapter 11. Some figures here; creditor list here.

- Retail market grew at Christmas. Incidentally, the net gain came even though number of pieces sold fell; it’s just the average price went up. A (small) Blood Diamond effect? Just asking …

- As most of us know, ultra-important diamond bank ABN-AMRO might merge with Barclays. But the latest is that Citigroup’s interested.

- Alyce Alston to leave De Beers LV, North American division, and returning to publishing.

- Edmund Goldstein, former World Federation president, dies.

- A well done article on the Antwerp diamond theft.

- Kind of weird: The Sicilian Mafia – meaning the real actual Mafia – could be linked to the diamond trade in Namibia.

- Could new technology revolutionize diamond exploration?

- Ken Gassman: Jewelry sales up in February.

- Chaim on Botswana and the games beneficators play.

- Bank of India opens in Antwerp.

THIS JUST IN: Rapper makes history with world's largest diamond pendant.

Media Watch:
-CNBC recommends diamonds as an investment. When did that whole thing start up again? The financial channels are all over it. Better than blood diamonds, I guess.
-A new spin on female self purchase: Women helping to pay for their engagement rings
-Martin Rapaport appears in subway commuter fave AM New York.Saw this speech; it was very interesting.

And the following blog posts:

-LID talks to JCK
-Jayam vs. DTC: The Juicy Parts. “Heads, they win. Tails I lose.”

Feel free to comment on any of the above with the little button below (or by email at rbates –at- reedbusiness.com), and of course, have a great weekend.