Industry initiatives in responsible sourcing and supply chain integrity were put in the spotlight at the JCK Las Vegas show on Thursday, June The conclusion was the same in many sessions.the problem is that the public is not aware of the great advances made by the industry in this regard.
This came out very clearly in one of the ‘JCK Talks’ workshops, which discussed whether lab-grown diamonds are ‘ a threat or an opportunity ‘ to the natural diamond market. By presenting itself as an ethical alternative to natural diamonds, the laboratory diamond industry would imply that the market for natural diamonds is not ethical.
Maarten De Witte, master cutter at Diamond Foundry, a Californian producer of lab-grown diamonds, pointed out that consumers have a negative feeling about the natural diamond industry, because of conflict diamonds and the damage caused by mines on the environment. It is for this reason, he explained, that millennials in particular are interested in Foundry, for which, currently, “ the demand greatly exceeds the supply ”.
When they buy a diamond, they don’t necessarily ask questions about conflict diamonds. But, since they are aware of it, they are very interested in the history of laboratory diamonds, he explained.
Jean Marc Lieberherr, President and CEO of the Diamond Producers Association (DPA), insisted on the ethical aspect of the natural diamond market. He stressed that mining companies work alongside the communities affected by their activities to create jobs and social assistance programs, but also to minimize damage to the environment.
According to him, lab-grown (synthetic) diamonds are no more ethical, in terms of business proposition, than natural diamonds. Instead, consumers choose them because of their price, he said. Maarten De Witte countered that the lab-grown diamond industry can pride itself on responsible production, unlike the natural diamond industry.
Stanley Zale, vice president for diamonds and gemstones at Stuller Inc., a jewelry maker that uses both natural and synthetic diamonds, pointed out that the diamond industry is doing a lot of good, but ” the he story deserved to be told better . »
The following session, entitled “ Sustainability and Responsibility ”, tackled this difficult task. Sponsored by the Jewelry Summit as a follow-up to its inaugural assembly in March, the workshop highlighted 11 initiatives committed to advancing the goals of the summit. Among these is the ” Project Megaphone ” which aims to make beautiful stories known on a content platform, currently under development, and using the hashtag #responsiblejewelry . Organizers were handing out pins to wear during the JCK show, in support of the summit, to ” create a movement, not a moment explained coordinator Cecilia Gardner, CEO of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee.
Similarly, the Responsible Jewelery Council (RJC) said it would engage in an awareness campaign over the coming year to educate consumers about its members’ commitment to the code of practice. of the RJC . A discussion, hosted by Signet Jewelers, highlighted the work the retailer is doing to ensure its suppliers stand behind their diamonds, through the Signet Responsible Sourcing Protocol for Diamonds (D-SRSP), launched earlier this year . During the workshop, a representative of the Diamond Empowerment Fund (DEF) explained that its website was created to highlight the impact diamonds have on communities around the world. ” We have to get the
The “JCK Talks” preceded the opening of the JCK Las Vegas show, which was held from Friday June 3 to Monday June 6. JCK Luxury opened on Tuesday, May 31, while Couture Salon and Las Vegas Jewelry and Watch Salon respectively opened on Thursday, June 2. Attendance was quite good for a few hours after the watch and jewelry show opened, specializing in branded antiques and estate jewelry.
