DMIA members meet-and-greet and hear updates from GIA, NDC

The Diamond Manufacturers and Importers Association of America (DMIA) held its first annual member “meet-and-greet-and inform” cocktail reception on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. A well-attended DMIA membership meeting followed the reception.

DMIA had invited representatives of GIA (the Gemological Institute of America), the Natural Diamond Council (NDC), the International Gemological Institute (IGI), De Beers, and the U.S. Department of State to attend the gathering.

After welcoming guests and offering introductory remarks, DMIA President Stuart Samuels introduced the NDC’s CEO, David Kellie, who reported on the organization’s work promoting natural diamonds worldwide. Kellie concluded with a delightful video highlighting the NDC’s current promotional advertising and public relations efforts.

The next speaker was Ricard Pesqueira, GIA’s Vice President for Global Market Development. He updated the DMIA membership on GIA’s digital grading reports that it is currently rolling out. Eventually, the new E-Reports will fully replace the current paper-based GIA diamond grading reports. Instead of the printed reports, GIA will return graded diamonds to its clientele accompanied by a QR code. Users can access and download the digital grading report by scanning the QR code or entering the inscription number into the GIA’s online report check.

Together with his colleagues Tom Moses, Executive Vice President and Chief Laboratory and Research Officer, and Anna Martin, Senior Vice President of Institute and Industry Relations, the GIA team fielded a barrage of questions during a lively Q&A session. Among the questions and issues raised were the industry’s concerns about the digital reports’ security, fraud prevention, and the protection of intellectual property rights. Pesqueira acknowledged that some of the issues surrounding the digital reports need further attention and that GIA is diligently working on a plan to address industry concerns.

Samuels also welcomed to the meeting a number of guests, including Feriel Zerouki, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs of the De Beers Group; Ivette Stephanopolous, De Beers Vice President of Code of Origin; Edward Asscher, President of the World Diamond Council; David Bonaparte, President and CEO of Jewelers of America; Elliot Krischer, DMIA member and President of the New York Diamond Dealers Club: Shailesh Jhalani, President of the Indian Diamond and Colorstone Association; Ronald Lorier, CEO of IGI, and Avi Levy, President of IGI North America.

Last but not least, the DMIA president acknowledged representatives from the U.S. State Department who were in New York to discuss U.S. sanctions on Russian diamonds with members of the diamond industry.