Solitaire International - November 2017

The worldwide effort to revive the diamond story finally seems to have gathered steam, picking up from where De Beers had left off. After launching the ‘Real is Rare’ generic campaign in the US last year, the Diamond Producers Association (DPA) is poised to unleash its promotions in India. Unlike previous one-off attempts at generic marketing in India by trade bodies over the years, this time around a hefty annual budget of $7 million (Rs. 44.8 crore) will ensure that diamonds stay on top of consumers’ minds. DPA’s Jean-Marc Lieberherr outlines the strategy for the next few months. Turn to the Cover Story for more details.

The who’s who of the coloured gemstone industry converged in Jaipur for the 17th edition of the ICA Congress on October 21st to 24th. Transparency, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability were among the main themes evoked by a number of speakers at the Congress. US-based veteran journalist Cynthia Unninayar gives a low-down of the four-day conference in In Focus. Auction house Saffronart held its first jewellery conference, The Timeless Legacy of Indian Jewels, in early October with much fanfare. The event, which was curated by jewellery historian Dr. Usha Balakrishnan, was attended by many luminaries from across the jewellery world, who shared interesting anecdotes about the famous Jacob diamond, the Golconda mines, and the legacy of royal jewels among several other interesting topics. Read more about the event in Spotlight. Our guest writer Vivek Shah of Karma Enterprise highlights the trends in silver jewellery for 2018 in Industry Insight.