Botswana has been hailed for its instrumental role in the resuscitation of diamond mining in Swaziland through provision of support for the enactment of key legislation and benchmarking.

      Swazi government mining engineer, Sam Ntshalintshali said that Botswana played a key role in the formulation of his country’s Diamond Act last month, and Swaziland’s admission into the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. Membership of the Scheme is a prerequisite for a country’s success in diamond trade as the Kimberley Process represents all diamond producing and consuming countries and civil society monitors.

      Last month, Ntshalintshali led a four-member Swazi government delegation in Gaborone to gather more information on diamond value addition. The visit capped a long bilateral effort starting at ministerial level. “We consulted with Botswana because we know that this country is one that is moving and developing its mining in a way unlike the rest of Africa where resources are simply shipped out,” he said. “Botswana helped in the drafting of the legislation and policies for diamond mining. We invited Botswana as one of the stakeholders we consulted with in the process of updating our policy framework.”

      Ntshalintshali explained that until 1997, Swaziland used to have an open cast diamond mine, which closed when its operator found the costs of going underground unviable. The regulatory framework and KPCS membership are designed to pave way for the revival of diamond mining activities, said the report. “We had laws but they became outdated and did not take the prevailing environment and international trends into account,” explained the engineer. “We thus had to review these, starting with consultations with the various stakeholders from the public to the industry and others. Botswana came October 2012 Bangkok Gems & Jewellery 25 in during these consultations.”

      China-born designer Wallace Chan was exhibiting his high jewellery creations at the 26th Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris last month.

      Chan’s collection, titled “The Path to Enlightenment – Art & Zen” and largely inspired by nature — was represented at the fair by an exhibit of jewellery creations ranging from necklaces to brooches. Valued at $297 million, the collection featured creations such as the dragon-inspired
Inheritance brooch and ‘Whimsical Blue’, featuring a 16.17-carat tanzanite centre stone and embellished with Kashmir sapphire, lapis lazuli,
jadeite, diamonds and sapphires.

      This was the first time an Asian jeweller has been invited to exhibit jewellery designs alongside traditional Place Vendome names such as Chaumet and Van Cleef & Arpels.

      Christie’s offer a selection of jewels by Marina B, granddaughter of Sottiro Bulgari. Known for her keen sense of design, proportion and scale, Marina B’s signature brand of jewellery has been worn by the world’s most glamorous celebrity collectors, including Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, and Princess Grace of Monaco. The upcoming sale features a number of her most iconic designs accompanied by their original renderings, including a ruby and gold “Simona” bangle set with a shield-shaped fancy yellow diamond (estimate: $50,000-70,000), a stunning “Georgina” ring featuring an oval-cut ruby of 10.54 carats (estimate: $200,000-300,000) and a red-carpet worthy pair of diamond, amethyst and pink tourmaline “MBC” ear pendants (estimate: $25,000- 35,000).

      One-of-a-kind creations by the Indian designer Viren Bhagat are among the most coveted of contemporary jewellery designs on the auction market today. As a special fundraising item within the sale, Christie’s offer a pair of exquisite “flower blossom” pearl and diamond ear clips by Bhagat (estimate: $30,000-50,000). The sale will benefit the Salaam Bombay Children’s Fund, a decade-old organization that works with disadvantaged children across India to empower them with opportunities and skills that enable them to make the right choices for their health, education and livelihood.