JCK Take 3: De Beers, Traveling With Jewelry, India-U.K. Trade

By JCK News Desk | July 16, 2026

Angola Seeks Strategic Stake in De Beers

Angola is still in discussions about investing in De Beers and wants a stake large enough to influence the diamond company’s strategic direction, according to a Bloomberg report.

The country’s minister of petroleum and mineral resources, Diamantino Azevedo, said Angola seeks a shareholding that would allow it to participate at the executive level, rather than a controlling interest.

At a business conference in Lisbon, Azevedo said Angola wants “to sit at the table” as De Beers charts its next chapter. De Beers is more than a mining company, said Azevedo, noting its role in technology, distribution, consumer markets, and geopolitics.

Angola’s negotiations to acquire a stake are ongoing, according to the minister. Other African diamond-producing nations have expressed interest since Anglo American put De Beers up for sale, after several years of weak performance.

Bloomberg reported last month that a group of investors led by former De Beers CEO Gareth Penny was “leading the race” to acquire the company. Penny’s consortium, which is backed by major gem traders, plans to refocus De Beers on natural diamonds.

Travelers More Likely to Lose Jewelry While Wearing It Than When It’s Packed

A new study from Jewelers Mutual found that jewelry losses during travel are nearly 2.5 times more likely to happen while jewelry is worn than while it’s packed.

“Jewelry loss while traveling is more common than most people expect, and it rarely happens the way they think it will,” said Howard Stone, vice president, global asset protection and claims at Jewelers Mutual. “The ring left on a poolside table, the necklace worn through a busy airport—these are the moments that matter, and they’re entirely preventable with the right habits.”

Jewelers Mutual’s study also found that travelers ages 18 to 34 experienced jewelry losses at rates two to three times higher than older consumers, a trend the insurance company attributed to younger consumers wearing jewelry more frequently and viewing it primarily as a fashion accessory.

Some 40% of all survey respondents had purchased jewelry while traveling in the past year, and nearly 60% of those buyers wore their new purchase home. According to Jewelers Mutual, many travelers do so without obtaining documentation for the jewelry piece or ensuring insurance coverage is in place.

Findings are based on an online survey of more than 1,500 U.S. adults conducted in February 2026 through Qualtrics.

India Ships First Jewelry Exports to U.K. Under New Trade Agreement

Ceremonies were held this week in Mumbai to mark shipment of India’s first jewelry export consignments to the U.K. under the new Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the two countries.

The trade deal provides Indian gem and jewelry exporters with zero-duty access to the British market, eliminating U.K. import tariffs of as much as 4%. This change gives Indian suppliers a competitive advantage in the U.K.’s approximately $4 billion jewelry import market and could help stimulate additional exports, investment, and employment, according to India’s Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC).

The Mumbai ceremonies were held at two major export hubs in the city: Bharat Diamond Bourse’s customs facilities and the SEEPZ special economic zone. Government trade and customs officials attended, and participating exporters included Malabar Gold & Diamonds, Shree Ramkrishna Exports, and Venkatesh Jewellers, along with several manufacturers operating in the SEEPZ.

GJEPC said additional commemorative events are taking place in other major Indian jewelry centers, including Delhi, Surat, Jaipur, Chennai, and Kolkata.

The JCK News Desk uses AI to help research and produce the first draft of articles. This story was then reviewed by staff writer David Blomquist.

(Photo: Getty Images)