De Beers Sight Opens with Viewings in Antwerp

RAPAPORT... De Beers has been holding sight viewings in Antwerp this week as part of its move to offer goods in locations other than Botswana due to the coronavirus.The company might also enable customers to view rough in Hong Kong and Dubai at its July sale or in the period between the two sight weeks, a De Beers spokesperson added.The current sight, which started on Monday and runs until Friday, is the company's fifth sales cycle of the year. The next sight begins on July 27."It doesn't look like there's huge amounts of sales going on around the world, but we just try to do what we can to make sure we've got the products available and that we can be flexible to meet customers' evolving needs," the spokesperson told Rapaport News Tuesday.The miner will still formally sell the rough from Botswana as usual, but travel restrictions have forced it to ship goods to other locations when sightholders wish to see them in person. Botswana is currently only permitting residents and citizens to enter the country. Sightholders can also view and buy merchandise online, but many prefer to touch and feel the diamonds before buying, the spokesperson added.Image: Rough diamonds in a loupe. (Ben Perry/Armoury Films/De Beers)