International · Remote · Direct from the manufacturer
Buy your diamond directly from the bench that cut it.
Most international buyers who reach a South African cutting house find us by accident, a referral, a search query, an AI engine that knew where to look. The reason it is worth the journey: the chain between rough and your finger is shorter from a Bedfordview cutting bench than from any American or European online retailer, and the price reflects it. This is how it works.
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Only natural diamonds
Mined-Earth, never lab-grown. Kimberley Process documented from the mine of origin.
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GIA & EGL certified
Every loose stone certified by the GIA or EGL. Cert PDF supplied per stone.
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Insured overnight delivery
Brink’s, G4S or our nominated jewellery courier across South Africa. Ferrari Group / FedEx Custom Critical international.
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Twenty-five years on the desk
Director-led from 2001. Co-director Letsiki, chairman of the SA bourse, on the manufacturing entity since 2019.
Why a SA cutting house, not a US online retailer
A typical engagement-grade GIA-Excellent round brilliant bought from a major US online retailer in 2026 has passed through three to five hands between the mine and the checkout: producer, rough buyer, cutter, polished wholesaler, US importer, online retailer. Each hand takes a margin. The cumulative markup over polished wholesale cost commonly falls within published international chain-and-boutique retail bands (60-120% chain, 80-150% boutique, per Bain & Company, JCK, McKinsey).
The same stone bought directly from a South African cutting house that holds a De Beers DBCM Emerging Beneficiation Customer contract has passed through fewer intermediaries: producer (DBCM), distributor (DBSSSA), insured courier, the cutter (us), GIA, then the buyer. The cumulative bench-and-cost margin is 8-15%. The wholesale-vs-retail pricing guide sets out the arithmetic in detail.
Provenance also flows differently. Every Prodiam stone is traceable to a specific De Beers Johannesburg viewing or a SADPMR-licensed SA tender house, polished at our Bedfordview cutting works under SA Diamonds Act licence AP5057/3 (valid through 2029), and certified by GIA in the same building. The SA beneficiation explainer walks the chain end to end.
The remote-buying process, step by step
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Brief
Email, WhatsApp or a structured form. Tell us shape, carat range, colour range, clarity range, budget, and any deadline. The more specific the brief, the faster the answer. Most international briefs return a shortlist within 48-72 hours.
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Shortlist with GIA reports
You receive three to five matching stones from current Procut DCW inventory or coming up at the next De Beers DBCM viewing. Each shortlist entry includes the GIA Diamond Grading Report PDF, full measured proportions, high-resolution loupe photography, and 360° video.
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Live video viewing
On Zoom or WhatsApp video, with stones on a black tray under microscope and gem-grade lighting. You see each candidate face-up, side-up, and through the pavilion; we walk through the certificate, the inclusion plot, and the proportion read; you ask the questions a buyer asks at any viewing room. Allow 30-45 minutes.
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Settle
SWIFT international wire in USD, GBP, EUR or CHF; international card via Yoco or PayFast under USD 30,000. Cross-rate disclosed in writing before settlement. Funds clear typically within one business day of the wire.
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Inscription match & export documentation
On settlement, the cert is signed across with the stone. The GIA-inscribed report number on the girdle is checked against the report and against GIA Report Check. Customs documentation is prepared via the Diamond Exchange and Export Centre (DEEC) per SA regulation, with the SA Diamonds Act licence number on the invoice.
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Insured dispatch
Jewellery-grade insured via Ferrari Group (the global jewellery courier of record) or FedEx Custom Critical for high-value parcels. Transit typically 2-5 working days. Live tracking; signature on delivery. Optional additional insurance cover above invoice value available on request before dispatch.
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Verification on arrival, then a 7-day window
On arrival you check the inscription against the certificate and GIA Report Check yourself. Under the SA Consumer Protection Act, an unset, unworn stone in its original sealed parcel may be returned for a full refund within 7 days less return shipping. After that the standard manufacturing guarantees apply.
Shipping, customs and settlement, in numbers
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Couriers | Ferrari Group (default for jewellery), FedEx Custom Critical (high-value alternative) |
| Insurance | Jewellery-grade to invoice value, included; optional additional cover on request |
| Transit time | USA / UK / EU: 2-5 working days; UAE / Singapore: 3-5; Australia: 4-6; Canada: 3-5 |
| SA export | Via Diamond Exchange and Export Centre (DEEC) under Diamonds Act 1986 |
| SA VAT | Zero-rated for export to a buyer outside the SA tax jurisdiction |
| Destination duties | Buyer's responsibility; commercial invoice prepared for clean customs clearance |
| Settlement currencies | USD, GBP, EUR, CHF (SWIFT); ZAR (EFT); international card under USD 30,000 (Yoco / PayFast) |
| FICA / KYC | SA passport copy or equivalent, recent proof of address; encrypted storage; POPIA-compliant |
Who this works for
- Diaspora South Africans commissioning engagement and heirloom pieces from abroad. The combination of SA pricing, GIA certification and insured international dispatch has been our largest remote segment for over a decade.
- International buyers in trade adjacencies, private bankers, jewellery designers, gemmologists, family-office advisors, who buy direct because they understand the chain.
- Investment-grade and matched-pair buyers who need access to specific size / colour / clarity combinations or matched parcels that local markets cannot easily source.
- High-spec engagement commissions where the buyer wants a GIA-Excellent stone of a specific shape and grade at a budget that ordinary retail channels cannot accommodate.
Who this does not work for
- Buyers looking for lab-grown diamonds. We are a natural-only house and will redirect.
- Buyers who prefer to walk a high-street shop on a Saturday and leave with a finished ring. We work by appointment and brief; the value of the model is the chain, not the convenience.
- Buyers in jurisdictions where the import of ethically-sourced rough or polished diamonds is restricted. We comply with all SA export and destination-country import regulations and decline shipments that would breach either.
Frequently asked questions
How does a remote diamond purchase actually work, step by step?
Brief by email or WhatsApp; we assemble three to five matching stones from current Procut DCW inventory or upcoming De Beers DBCM rough; you receive a shortlist with GIA report PDFs, full proportions, high-resolution loupe photography and 360° video; we hold a live video viewing on Zoom or WhatsApp where you see the stones under microscope and can compare them; you select; settlement is by SWIFT or international card; the stone is dispatched jewellery-grade insured via Ferrari Group or FedEx Custom Critical with the GIA-laser-inscribed report number on the girdle and full customs paperwork including the SA Diamonds Act licence reference.
Why buy a diamond from a South African manufacturer rather than a US online retailer?
Three structural reasons. First, price: a stone polished at the cutting bench skips the wholesale-and-retail markup layers that international research (Bain & Company, JCK, McKinsey) has documented at 60-120% chain-retail and 80-150% boutique-retail over wholesale acquisition cost. Second, provenance: South African beneficiation under the Diamonds Act 1986 ties every polished stone to a SADPMR-licensed manufacturer, layered above Kimberley Process compliance. Third, accountability: the same hand cuts the stone, certifies it, packs it and signs the customs paperwork. The chain is short by design.
How do I trust that the stone in the box matches the certificate?
GIA laser-inscribes the report number on the girdle of every polished stone over 0.30 ct. The inscription is invisible to the naked eye but readable at 10× through any loupe. On arrival you confirm the inscription matches the report number on the certificate and the report number on GIA Report Check (gia.edu/report-check). All three should match exactly. If they do, the stone is the stone. If they do not, return it.
What does shipping cost, and how is the stone insured in transit?
International dispatch is via Ferrari Group (the standard global jewellery courier) or FedEx Custom Critical for high-value parcels, jewellery-grade insured to invoice value, with optional additional cover available on request. Transit times are typically 2-5 working days from Bedfordview to most major international cities. Shipping cost varies by destination and value; we quote it transparently before dispatch. Customs duties and import taxes at the destination are the buyer's responsibility.
In which currencies does Prodiam settle?
SWIFT international wire in USD, GBP, EUR or CHF, settled to a ZAR receiving account at the spot rate on the day of receipt, with the cross-rate disclosed in writing before settlement. We can also accept international card payments via Yoco or PayFast for stones under USD 30,000, with the card-processing fee added transparently.
What happens if I am not happy with the stone on arrival?
Distance-sale buyers are entitled to a 7-day inspection period from delivery under the South African Consumer Protection Act, during which an unworn, unset stone in its original sealed parcel may be returned for a full refund less return shipping. For mounted commissions or stones that have been set, the standard manufacturing-defect guarantee applies but the change-of-mind window does not. We will tell you which window applies before settlement.
Can you handle a fully bespoke commission remotely?
Yes. Most of our international engagement-ring commissions begin with a video brief, move through 2D sketches and CAD/3D renders, prototype in resin or wax for fit-check, and complete in 4-8 weeks of bench work. Final dispatch is the same as for loose stones, jewellery-grade insured with full customs paperwork. See /custom-engagement/ for the design process.
What documentation arrives with the stone?
GIA Diamond Grading Report (or Diamond Dossier under 1.00 ct), original signed across with the stone at hand-over; Kimberley Process Certificate reference; commercial invoice quoting the SA Diamonds Act 1986 manufacturing licence number; courier waybill with insurance reference; and where applicable, a hallmarking certificate for the metal. We can also provide a separate appraisal for insurance purposes on request.
How is value-added tax (VAT) handled on an international purchase?
Stones exported from South Africa to a buyer outside the SA tax jurisdiction are zero-rated for SA VAT. The export documentation is prepared via the Diamond Exchange and Export Centre (DEEC) per SA regulation. Import VAT and customs duties at the destination country are the buyer's responsibility; the customs invoice we prepare is structured to support fair valuation and clean clearance.
Send a brief
The fastest path is a single message with shape, carat range, colour range, clarity range, budget, deadline, destination country. We come back within 48-72 hours with a shortlist or a clear timeline.