Finestar Diamonds and Jewellery has opened an additional diamond manufacturing facility in South Africa while Ankit Gems has tripled the capacity of its factory in Namibia.

Finestar told JNA that its new factory in Johannesburg’s Jewellery Manufacturing Precinct within the OR Tambo Special Economic Zone will concentrate on producing diamonds of 5 carats and above in all shapes. 

The investment strengthens South Africa’s beneficiation agenda, advancing local diamond processing, job creation, and skills development. Since entering South Africa in 2022, Finestar has created 46 jobs – over half of which are held by women – and aims to employ a total of 90 people. 

Finestar has manufacturing facilities in India, Botswana and Namibia. According to the company, its South African factory broadens its capabilities by enabling the processing a wider range of rough assortments, increasing production volumes, reducing turnaround times and reinforcing value addition at origin. 

“When properly supported, beneficiation is not just about polishing diamonds, it is about unearthing/unleashing potential,” said Finestar Chief Operating Officer Nilesh Chhabria.

For its part, Ankit Gems has expanded operations at its cutting and polishing facility in Windhoek. The manufacturing centre can now process up to 10,000 carats of rough diamonds per month, nearly tripling its previous output.

Now spanning 300 square metres, the new multimillion-dollar facility has the capacity to employ 400 to 450 employees, up from its current 148 workers. According to Ankit Gems, 75 per cent of its current employees are women. 

“Events of the past few years taught us the importance of diversification,” said Ankit Shah, director of Ankit Gems. “Expanding our Namibia facility strengthens our resilience, ensures supply continuity and allows us to bring craftsmanship closer to origin. It is a long-term investment in transparency, origin assurance and local empowerment.”

By manufacturing directly in Namibia, Ankit Gems ensures single-origin traceability, with diamonds mined, cut and polished entirely within the country. This approach aligns with growing global demand for ethically sourced and transparently documented natural diamonds, the company noted.