MOSCOW, February 2 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's largest diamond producer Alrosa intends to step up quality diamond sales as a saving instrument amid the ongoing global financial crisis, a business paper reported on Monday.
"Before the crisis, we launched a new brand and are developing it now... The brand holds a specific niche involving quality diamonds with color characteristics. The gems are intended not only for corporate but also large private clients," Alrosa President Sergei Vybornov told Vedomosti.
Vybornov said the sale of quality diamonds was so far a pilot project worth $10-15 million, adding that the idea had been put forward by Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin as a risk hedging measure.
