De Beers
De Beers is among the world’s largest diamond suppliers by volume. Nearly one hundred percent of the company’s revenue comes from mining and producing diamonds, and today, De Beers engagement rings, wedding rings, tennis bracelets and other pieces are widely admired by jewelry wearers near and far.
De Beers Mining Company was established as such in the 1880s by British businessman Cecil Rhodes. Initially, Rhodes provided water pumping systems to miners in South Africa before he began to purchase mines (by 1888, De Beers Mining Company owned nearly every mine in South Africa). Eventually, De Beers operated distribution and production of diamonds on a massive scale.
German-born industrialist Ernest Oppenheimer — founder of the Anglo American Corporation and a rival of De Beers in the diamond game — began to buy shares of Rhodes’s company as they became available in the early 20th century. Oppenheimer was owner and chairman of De Beers by the late 1920s.
De Beers has played a significant role in all parts of the diamond world over the years. In 1940, for example, the company partnered with the Gemological Institute of America to market the 4Cs. This system — the 4Cs being color, clarity, cut and carat weight — was established by former jeweler and founder of the GIA, Robert M. Shipley, and lays out the guidelines that determine how diamonds are graded. A lecturer with the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based advertising agency that worked with De Beers, N.W. Ayer & Son, traveled around the United States during the early 1940s to share guidance with jewelers on the 4Cs and on how to talk about diamonds with their clientele. The agency would play even a larger role in promoting diamonds in the years that followed.
Postwar engagement rings were intended to be simpler than those that preceded them — after the war, platinum was no longer reserved for military use and the precious stones in engagement rings were larger. In 1947, with the support of N.W. Ayer & Son, De Beers introduced the slogan “A diamond is forever” in a marketing campaign that emphasized a connection between diamonds and romance. This sparkling copy was penned by the agency’s copywriter Frances Gerety.
Newer engagement rings were designed with a focus on the beauty of the diamond, and the sale of diamonds soared. Diamond engagement rings became intertwined with the post–World War II marriage boom, which coincided with the ascension of specific diamond cuts.
Throughout the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s, De Beers expanded operations across the globe. In 1986 in a South African mine, the company unearthed the Centenary Diamond. One of the most famous diamonds in the world, the heart-shaped Centenary Diamond weighs 273 carats. It was unveiled in 1988 for the 100th anniversary of De Beers. Since the 1990s, rumors have swirled that De Beers sold the stone to a private buyer; the company will neither confirm nor deny the claim, citing client confidentiality.
In the early 2000s, De Beers opened stores in London, New York City, Hong Kong and elsewhere. The company is today leading an effort to prioritize philanthropic efforts as well as transparency in diamond origins.
On 1stDibs, find vintage De Beers rings, bracelets, necklaces and more.
| Average Sold Price |
| $792 |
| Styles |
| Related Creators |
21st Century and Contemporary British De Beers
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary De Beers
Diamond, White Gold
2010s Italian Modern De Beers
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary De Beers
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary De Beers
Diamond, Platinum
2010s Unknown De Beers
Diamond, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary British Modern De Beers
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Modern De Beers
Diamond, White Gold
De Beers Sellers
Creators Similar to De Beers
De Beers jewelry & watches for sale on 1stDibs.
- Are De Beers diamonds worth it?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 27, 2024Yes, De Beers diamonds are generally worth it. The luxury jewelry maker has exceptionally high standards for gemstone quality. As a result, jewelry produced by the company only features diamonds with color ratings of D to L, clarity ratings of FL to SI2 and cuts of Excellent and Very Good. On 1stDibs, find a diverse assortment of De Beers diamond jewelry.
- Is De Beers a good brand?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 1, 2024Yes, many people consider De Beers to be a good brand. The company is among the world’s largest diamond suppliers by volume. De Beers engagement rings, wedding rings, tennis bracelets and other pieces are widely admired by jewelry wearers near and far. Additionally, De Beers has played a significant role in the diamond world over the years. In 1940, for example, the company partnered with the Gemological Institute of America to market the 4Cs — cut, color, clarity and carat weight. This system lays out the guidelines that determine how diamonds are graded. On 1stDibs, explore a variety of De Beers jewelry.
- Is De Beers a luxury brand?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Yes, De Beers is genuinely considered to be a luxury brand. Most people define a luxury jewelry brand as one that produces pieces out of high-quality gemstones and precious metals and prices them accordingly. De Beers fits this definition. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of De Beers jewelry.
- Where are De Beers rings made?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022In a recent turn of events, De Beers has opened a factory in Portland, Oregon that has the capacity to produce 400,000 lab-grown diamonds per year. You can shop a selection of De Beers jewelry from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 7, 2024Where De Beers gets its diamonds varies. The diamond supplier operates mines in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. De Beers guarantees that all of its gemstones are ethically sourced and conflict-free, and it employs transparency policies that allow customers to know the origins of the diamonds they purchase. Shop a variety of De Beers diamond jewelry on 1stDibs.
- Is De Beers still a monopoly?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMay 14, 2024No, De Beers is not still a monopoly. Although the South African jewelry maker is still one of the leading suppliers and jewelry houses in the world, it has not been able to largely control diamond prices since the early 2000s due to changes in the market. The shift occurred largely due to an influx of new, smaller suppliers located outside of South Africa. Shop a diverse assortment of De Beers diamond jewelry on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022No, De Beers did not invent the engagement ring. Use of engagement rings date back to at least the time of Ancient Rome. However, in the 20th century, engagement rings began to fall out of style, especially by the time of the Great Depression. In the late 1930’s, De Beers began an advertising campaign that would forever rejuvenate interest in diamond engagement rings. Shop a collection of authentic De Beers jewelry on 1stDibs from some of the world’s top sellers.