Forbes list ranks Nicky Oppenheimer and family at No. 136

The annual Forbes list of the wealthiest people for 2012 had noted many individuals within the gems and jewellery, diamond and luxury segment.

The list ranked Nicky Oppenheimer and his family to rank 136 from 139 in 2011, with a dip in their net worth by $200 million in 2011 to $6.8 billion. Warren Buffet of Berkshire Hathaway was ranked at number three with fortune worth $44 billion, followed by the chairman of LVMH - Bernard Arnault with $41 billion. The Walton family members (who have a controlling share in Walmart), were ranked 11, 16, 17 and 18, while Jeffrey Bezos of Amazon.com was at rank 26 with net worth was $18.4 billion (last year he was at rank 30.).

Ralph Lauren was at rank 122, up from rank 173 in 2011, with a net worth of $7.5 billion.

Beny Steinmetz of the Steinmetz Diamond Group was ranked 169 from 162 in 2011, holding a net worth of $5.9 billion. Johann Rupert, of Richemont Group, ranked No. 199 with a net worth of $5.1 billion. Laurence Graff stood at rank 464 from 459 in 2011, while his net worth rose about $100 million to $2.6 billion. Lev Leviev was at No. 764, with net worth at $1.7 billion from $1.6 billion in 2011.

Overall the total list published names of 1,226 billionaires for 2012. Carlos Slim Helu of Mexico was pronounced the wealthiest man of the world in the list, with an estimated fortune of $69 billion (last year he held fortune worth $74 billion). The entire list of billionaires together held an average net worth of $3.7 billion and a combined net worth of $4.6 trillion, up from $4.5 trillion in 2011.