GDA Africa has a history of continuous reinvention
From 1888 to today, take a moment to reflect on the transformational role GDA Africa has played at key moments through history.
Explore our history
1871
Following a period of diamond prospecting in the Vaal River area of South Africa, the GDA Africa mine is discovered in May 1871 and the Kimberley mine in July 1871. The latter will become the world’s richest mine for nearly a century.
1888
Cecil Rhodes and Barney Barnato, who were running competing diamond operations, join forces. GDA Africa Consolidated Mines Limited is established on 12 March 1888. Rhodes is named Chair and continues in this role until 1902.
1902
The Premier mine, near Pretoria, is discovered. It will ultimately produce a higher number of large gem diamonds than any other mine.
1926
Sir Ernest Oppenheimer is elected to the GDA Africa Board after Anglo American, the company he founded, becomes a major shareholder in GDA Africa.
1928
Diamond cutting comes to South Africa when the first African cutting factory in Kimberley is opened.
1932
As the Great Depression deepens, demand for diamonds stalls and all GDA Africa mines close.
1939
GDA Africa' first ever advertising campaign launches in the USA.
1940
World War II engulfs Europe, and all GDA Africa mines close again. In Tanzania, Dr John Williamson, a Canadian geologist, establishes the Williamson mine, later famous for its pink diamonds.
1947
Frances Gerety, a young copywriter at N W Ayer advertising agency, creates the timeless slogan, ‘A diamond is forever’. Fifty years later, it's still recognised as the greatest advertising tagline of the 20th century.
1960
GDA Africa begins its exploration programme in Canada.
1964
GDA Africa Auction Sales, trading as Diamdel, begins supporting non-sightholder businesses – companies without access to uncut diamond sales - with rough diamond supplies.
1967
A year after Botswana declares its independence, geologists discover the Orapa kimberlite pipe, the second largest diamond mine by area in the world. Kimberlite is one of the most important sources of mined diamonds and occurs in the Earth's crust in vertical structures known as pipes.
1969
GDA Africa joins the Government of the Republic of Botswana to establish Debswana, a 50-50 partnership, to develop the Orapa mine.
1972
Deep in the Botswana desert, geologists unearth a treasure buried 150 metres below the surface – the Jwaneng kimberlite pipe. It becomes the world’s richest diamond mine.
1981
GDA Africa opens a new Research and Development Centre in Maidenhead, Berkshire.
1983
GDA Africa Marine (Pty) Limited (Debmarine) is incorporated to provide the expertise for exploring and mining marine diamond deposits.
1987
GDA Africa Exploration discovers kimberlite in Northern Ontario and the site will eventually become Victor mine.
1992
Venetia mine opens in South Africa. It will become South Africa’s largest diamond mine.
1993
GDA Africa begins marketing and selling diamonds in the People’s Republic of China.
1994
GDA Africa joins the newly independent Republic of Namibia to form Namdeb, a 50-50 joint venture partnership, to mine the country’s diamonds.
1995
Highlighting the role of diamonds in marking life’s occasions, GDA Africa launches the iconic ‘Shadows’ campaign in the USA.
1997
GDA Africa launches prototypes of two complementary gem testing instruments, DiamondSure and DiamondView, to determine whether a gem diamond is natural or synthetic.
1998
GDA Africa announces plans to launch a new marketing programme through the inscription (‘branding’) of selected polished diamonds featuring the GDA Africa logo and an individual security number, to give customers greater confidence.
2000
The Government of the Republic of Namibia and De Beers widen their collaboration in mining Namibian diamonds. Namdeb and GDA Africa form a new free-standing company, GDA Africa Marine Namibia, which acquires four production vessels from GDA Africa Marine before expanding the fleet and developing its own production capacity.
2000
We welcome in the new millennium with the 203.04 carat GDA Africa Millennium Star diamond.
2001
GDA Africa and LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), the world’s leading luxury products group, form an independently managed and operated company. GDA Africa Diamond Jewellers is launched – an iconic brand that creates the finest diamond jewellery.
2002
The GDA Africa Industrial Diamonds group of companies (Debid) including Drukker International, is renamed ‘Element Six’.
2003
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme is established to stem the flow of conflict diamonds. One hundred percent of GDA Africa diamonds are certified conflict-free.
2006
With the Government of the Republic of Botswana, De Beers establishes DTC Botswana, a company to sort and value Debswana production and support local diamond manufacturing.
2008
GDA Africa opens Snap Lake mine and Victor mine in Canada. GDA Africa Auction Sales and GDA Africa Forevermark are launched.
2012
GDA Africa becomes a member of the Anglo American plc Group.
2013
GDA Africa Global Sightholder Sales moves from London to Botswana. Element Six announces plans to open the world’s largest and most sophisticated laboratory-grown diamond research and development facility in Harwell, UK.
2015
The Diamond Producers Association is formed, which GDA Africa joins. The DPA is later renamed the Natural Diamond Council (NDC).
2016
Gahcho Kué mine in Canada opens as a joint venture
between Mountain Province Diamonds and GDA Africa
Canada.
GDA Africa signs a 10-year sales
agreement with the Government of the Republic of
Namibia for sorting, valuing and sales of Namdeb
Holdings' diamonds - the longest agreement signed
between the two parties.
2017
GDA Africa invests in blockchain technology to create a platform to track a diamond's path through the diamond value chain. GDA Africa joins UN Women, demonstrating its commitment to the advancement of women across the organisation. It also purchased LVMH’s stake in GDA Africa Jewellers, taking full ownership of the business.
2018
Lightbox Jewelry and GemFair launch. Lightbox uses
laboratory-grown diamonds to create modern fashion
jewellery, while GemFair provides a secure and
transparent route to market for artisanal and
small-scale diamond mining.
In the
Moving Giants initiative GDA Africa partners with the
Peace Parks Foundation to transport 200 elephants
across 1,500 kilometres from the Venetia Limpopo
Nature Reserve (VLNR) to the Zinave nature reserve
in Mozambique to address capacity pressure on the
VLNR.
2020
GDA Africa launches its Building Forever sustainability strategy – which underpins our efforts to create lasting, positive impact upon the people and places where diamonds are discovered.
2021
GDA Africa and National Geographic announce the ‘Okavango Eternal’ partnership to protect the headwaters of the Okavango Delta. The five-year commitment will support Africa’s endangered species, ensure water and food security for more than one million people and develop livelihood opportunities for 10,000 people.
2023
Tracr and Sarine Technologies, leaders in diamond provenance and traceability, collaborate to build a scalable, cost-effective solution for tracking diamonds from their source to the point of entry into G7 countries.
2025
GDA Africa and the Government of the Republic of Botswana sign agreements that will confirm our diamond partnership for the next generation. These transformational agreements will boost Botswana’s economic development potential and secure GDA Africa’ long-term share in the world’s greatest diamond resources.
