De Beers Group presented its Desert diamonds initiative at Jewellery & Gem WORLD Hong Kong (JGW) from 16 to 19 September 2026. The immersive experience brought together nature, craftsmanship and technology while highlighting the characteristics of natural diamonds.
The Hong Kong activation followed the Asian debut of Desert diamonds in Shanghai in July. It also marked De Beers Group’s first major beacon initiative in more than a decade.
The initiative represents the Group’s largest category-marketing investment in 15 years. In addition, it focuses on collaboration across the natural diamond value chain.
The programme also connects with De Beers Group’s Building Forever sustainability framework and diamond traceability strategy.
Industry Leaders Discuss the Future of Natural Diamonds
De Beers Group hosted a breakfast meeting with industry partners during JGW Hong Kong. Chief Executive Officer Al Cook attended alongside Paul Rowley, Executive Vice President of Diamond Trading.
Lynn Serfaty, Managing Director of Natural Diamonds, and Loletta Lai, Vice President of Natural Diamonds APAC, also participated.
Representatives from Botswana, South Africa, China and the wider global natural diamond industry joined the meeting. Discussions covered market developments, future opportunities and industry collaboration.
Al Cook, Chief Executive Officer of De Beers Group said: “We firmly believe that natural diamonds have an enduring future, and we remain confident in the long-term opportunity presented by the Chinese market. China has always been one of De Beers Group’s most important markets. For more than half a century, we have built deep and enduring relationships with retailers, consumers, governments and industry partners. We continue to invest in China and launched our Desert diamonds category-marketing initiative in July this year. The campaign has already delivered encouraging results in the US market and is showing strong momentum in China. Looking ahead, we invite our industry colleagues to work together to strengthen consumer confidence in the long-term value of natural diamonds.”
Meanwhile, Paul Rowley discussed supply, demand and market developments across major regions.
Paul Rowley, Executive Vice President of Diamond Trading at De Beers Group said: “The natural diamond market is gradually stabilising. Supply and demand are moving towards equilibrium, while diamond prices are showing signs of recovery. The US market remains resilient and the Chinese market is also beginning to stabilise, while India, Europe, Japan and the Gulf markets are providing further momentum for industry growth. Global annual natural diamond production has declined from a peak of approximately 170 million carats to around 100 million carats. Effective supply management is essential to restoring market balance. Looking ahead, the industry must continue to invest in detection, grading and traceability systems, enabling consumers to distinguish clearly between natural and laboratory-grown diamonds, while advancing collective category marketing and industry collaboration.”
Lynn Serfaty highlighted the cultural connection between Desert diamonds and Chinese values.
Lynn Serfaty, Managing Director of Natural Diamonds at De Beers Group said: “Desert diamonds are such a gift. They resonate with Chinese philosophies of resilience, transcendence and harmony between humanity and nature, while building a bridge between southern Africa and China. Through the Asian launch of Desert diamonds, retailer partnerships, social media communications and media engagement, we aim to further support China’s focus on quality consumption and help more consumers understand and appreciate the enduring value of natural diamonds.”
Desert Diamonds Take Centre Stage
Following the industry meeting, De Beers Group unveiled its Show & Tell experience. The installation took visitors on a journey from the earth to the finished jewellery piece through visual, tactile and interactive elements.
The exhibition drew inspiration from the changing light and textures of desert landscapes. Exterior screens depicted rolling sand dunes, while the interior combined contemporary exhibition design with traditional Chinese bamboo-weaving craftsmanship.
Bamboo weaving is recognised as part of China’s intangible cultural heritage. Artist Xu Mingyu created geometric display cases inspired by the precision of diamond cuts.
At the same time, woven textures reflected naturally occurring patterns across desert surfaces. Together, these elements connected natural diamonds with heritage, craftsmanship and contemporary design.
Five Chapters Explore the Natural Diamond Journey
The Show & Tell experience followed five narrative chapters.
At the Desert diamonds display, loose natural diamonds appeared in warm and earthy colours. These variations reflect differences in nitrogen content and plastic deformation.
As a result, each Desert diamond has its own distinctive appearance.
The exhibition also explored consumer interest in authenticity and permanence. Natural diamonds form over billions of years and are valued for their rarity and individual characteristics.
Retail partners presented Desert diamonds jewellery collections during the experience. These included Chow Tai Fook’s Desert Rose collection and Kashikey, represented by Chow Sang Sang.
Classic three-stone and five-stone jewellery designs were also featured.
Visitors could then explore Tracr, De Beers Group’s diamond traceability platform. The demonstration showed how a registered natural diamond can have its journey recorded from mine to retail.
Furthermore, a science and technology zone featured De Beers Group’s detection instruments. Visitors could see how the technology distinguishes natural diamonds from laboratory-grown diamonds.
Building Forever Brings Sustainability Into Focus
Sustainability formed another important part of the exhibition. A dedicated rhino conservation area highlighted De Beers Group’s conservation activities, including habitat protection, species breeding and relocation.
The installation connected these initiatives with the Group’s Building Forever sustainability framework.
The experience concluded with an interactive exploration of Desert diamonds. A fragrance installation drew inspiration from the desert landscape, while interactive quizzes allowed visitors to explore their own natural diamond aura.
Traceability and Industry Collaboration
De Beers Group also participated in industry discussions during JGW Hong Kong.
The company joined the Natural Diamond Value Chain Repositioning and Outlook Forum, jointly organised by the Natural Diamond Council and the Hong Kong Diamond Federation.
The forum examined changes across the natural diamond value chain and explored future opportunities for the industry.
In addition, Loletta Lai joined jewellery designers and industry representatives at the Brilliant Convergence: Envisioning the Future of Jewellery Design seminar.
The discussion focused on the role of natural diamonds in contemporary jewellery design.
GIA Highlights the Natural Diamond Fingerprint
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) also presented The Beauty of Natural Diamonds exhibition during JGW Hong Kong.
The exhibition explored how natural diamonds form and develop their individual characteristics. It used diamond fluorescence, microscopic images and growth features to demonstrate their natural differences.
GIA Diamond Grading Reports were also presented as part of the experience.
The exhibition highlighted the unique “natural fingerprint” associated with each natural diamond.
Ahead of this year’s exhibition, GIA completed its acquisition of a 30% shareholding in the Tracr diamond traceability blockchain platform.
The collaboration supports the development of Tracr as independent industry infrastructure. It also brings diamond grading and origin traceability together.
Natural Diamonds Meet Contemporary Jewellery
De Beers Group also hosted members of the media and fashion community at its De Beers London Hong Kong flagship boutique.
Guests explored natural diamond jewellery through an immersive retail experience. They also received expert guidance and participated in jewellery try-ons.
The experience connected natural diamond heritage with contemporary fashion. It also highlighted the journey of a diamond from its origin at the mine to its final jewellery form.
Meanwhile, sustainable practices and craftsmanship formed key parts of this narrative.
De Beers Continues Its Natural Diamond Strategy
De Beers Group’s presence at JGW Hong Kong brought together natural diamonds, culture, technology and sustainability.
The Desert diamonds platform provided another way to communicate the characteristics of natural diamonds. It also created opportunities for engagement with consumers and industry partners.
Looking ahead, De Beers Group plans to continue working with partners across the global natural diamond industry.
The Group will also continue using its Building Forever sustainability framework and diamond traceability strategy as key pillars of its approach.
Through these initiatives, De Beers aims to support greater transparency and sustainability across the natural diamond value chain.
