What is a Sightholder?

• A. A consumer diamond buyer
• B. A jewelry retailer
• C. A buyer admitted by a rough diamond producer as a long-term customer
• D. A broker in the secondary market

Answer: (C)

A Sightholder is a buyer who has been admitted by a rough diamond producer as a long-term customer. In practice, producers run regular allocations of rough diamonds called “sights,” and only trusted, ongoing customers—usually large manufacturers or traders with established credit and business practices—are invited to purchase at these sights. This status reflects a stable, initialized relationship with the producer rather than a general consumer or retailer purchase or a deal in the secondary market. So the best choice describes a buyer granted long-term, ongoing access to rough by the producer, which is the essence of being a Sightholder.