China''s diamond market has been growing by double digits in recent years, and the trend is set to continue, according to South African firm De Beers Group, the world''s largest rough diamond producer.

Last year was an auspicious year for weddings in China. Sales of diamonds in the country reached 13.4 billion yuan, up by 13 percent year-on-year, according to DTC, or the Diamond Trading Company, the sales and marketing arm of De Beers.

Christina Hudson, marketing director of DTC Greater China, said the country''s rapidly growing economy and fast-growing middle class are the backbone of the sector.

Local demand for diamonds is very high. "If you ask a Chinese woman what luxury item she wants the most, the number one answer is diamonds. People own diamond jewelry as equity with their weddings," Hudson said.

DTC recently conducted a survey on the demand for diamonds in China. The result indicates overall ownership of diamond jewelry on the Chinese mainland is only 11 percent, compared to mature markets such as Japan at 68 percent and Hong Kong at 69 percent.

China, as an emerging market, only accounts for 3 percent of the world diamond market, compared with the US market, which accounts for more than half of the world''s total.

Hudson said the firm plans to invest $16 million to further develop the market this year.

China has become one of the biggest locations for diamond processing, with approximately $800 million rough diamonds cut and polished a year, accounting for 7 to 8 percent of worldwide production.

Of DTC''s 92 sightholders firms on its list of authorized bulk purchasers of rough diamonds three are from China. Chow Tai Fook, Chow Seng Seng and Wing Hang have businesses in China ranging from upstream manufacturing to downstream retail. Other global sightholders work with local diamond jewelry brands.

De Beers produces approximately 40 percent of the world''s supply of rough diamonds from its mines in South Africa, in partnership with the governments of Botswana, Namibia and Tanzania.

Domestic jewelry brand Hiersun uses only South African diamonds as it believes the quality of products from the region is guaranteed.

Sun Hongwei, brand director at Hiersun, said South Africa has a reputation for high quality and large diamonds. She said the company also works with a large number of European jewelry designers to ensure its quality and designs lead the industry.  -China Daily