Despite weak trends in the global polished diamond market, the Diamond Trading Company's (DTC) sightholders were clearly interested to buy rough diamonds as DTC's June sight is estimated to have reached $425 million – clearly the largest sight so far in 2009, Rapaport News reported.



DTC spokesperson Louise Prior, said that the demand is being driven by trends in the polished diamond market as well as in production of rough diamonds. “We see a pull-through of polished in the pipeline where retailers are replacing depleted stock,” she said. “There is also the aspect of less rough on the market as a contributing factor.”



One sightholder told Rapaport news that he was unclear as to the motives of the sight's buyers since many dealers had come back from JCK Las Vegas with the impression that the U.S. market hasn't made any comeback to justify such a high level of buying.



Others in the industry said that the lack of rough diamonds from Russian and Angolan diamond mining giants Alrosa and Endiama, has increased the demand for rough goods through De Beers and DTC, and such a high June sight.