Diamond prices slashed up to 25% as sales slump

Diamond giant De Beers slashed the price of its precious solitaires amid plunging sales as bargain-hunting fiancées increasingly opt for cheaper lab-grown gems. Among De Beers' larger stones, one category of mined diamonds had its price slashed by as much as 25%, according to Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter. The category, called "select makeables," include big rocks between two and four carats that can be cut into smaller polished stones used in high-quality bridal rings, the outlet reported. The prices within this category were already slashed heavily last year, sources told Bloomberg, as these mined gems took one…