PARIS, Oct 15 (Reuters) – Swiss luxury group Richemont, owner of Cartier, is in talks to join a consortium to make a bid for diamond miner De Beers, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing five people familiar with the matter.
Reuters could not immediately verify the report.
Richemont did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Acquiring De Beers, one of the world’s biggest diamond miners, would give Richemont more control over a crucial part of its supply chain as the diamond mining industry emerges from a slump.
According to the Bloomberg report, Richemont, which also owns high-end jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels, is discussing joining the Global Diamond Consortium, a group headed by former De Beers Chief Executive Gareth Penny.
Negotiations were advanced but there was no guarantee Richemont would join, it quoted the people as saying.
US jewellery retailer Signet could also join the bid, Bloomberg said.
Signet did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Anuja Mistry, writing by Tassilo Hummel; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
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