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Industry News: AGS Names Circle Of Distinction Honorees; Fiera di Vicenza in Dubai; More May 14, 2014 (0 comments)
Lee Berg, Joel Schechter, Doug Hucker In AGS Circle of Distinction
Las Vegas, NV—The American Gem Society has announced its 2014 Circle of Distinction Honorees, who will be recognized at the Society’s Circle of Distinction dinner July 29 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.
The recipient of the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award is Lee Berg (left), CEO of Louisiana-based Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry, will be presented with AGS’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The Triple Zero Award recipients this year are Douglas Hucker, CEO of the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) and Joel Schechter, CEO of Honora, a division of Richline Group.
“The 2014 recipients are outstanding professionals and individuals, and are well-deserving of this honor,” said Ruth Batson, CEO of the American Gem Society and AGS Laboratories. “The contribution they have made throughout their career to the jewelry industry is significant. We are proud to recognize their accomplishments.”
The event will begin at 6:00pm with cocktails, followed by dinner and the awards presentation at 7:30pm. To order tickets or advertise in the Circle of Distinction Tribute Book, contact Lauren Ruggeroli, (866) 805-6500, x1005, or email lruggeroli@ags.org.
Fiera di Vicenza and Dubai World Trade Centre To Host New Show in Dubai
Vicenza, Italy—DV Global Link, a new joint company formed by Fiera di Vicenza SpA and the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), was announced this week at the spring VicenzaOro fair. The new entity is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
DV Global Link plans an April 2015 launch of a new international jewelry trade fair in Dubai, managed by Fiera di Vicenza. Organizers say it will fill a trade void in a region that two-thirds of the world's population can access within a six-hour flight. They expect the event to become the point of reference for Arabic-speaking countries in the Middle East, Africa, and some countries in Central and Eastern Europe, and the major economies of South East Asia, and consolidate Dubai as the undisputed jewelry capital of the Middle East.
Announcing the launch were Matteo Marzotto and Corrado Facco, president and managing director, respectively, of Fiera di Vicenza; and his excellency Helal Saeed Al Marri, director general of Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, and CEO of DWTC, plus Trixie LohMirmand, senior vice president of exhibition and event management of DWTC.
The agreement is another step in a global expansion plan to project Fiera di Vicenza as an authoritative and recognized event producer in luxury goods. Other major alliances and partnerships have delivered global luxury strategic markets from the United States, Brazil, China and India. Now Fiera di Vicenza seeks to become the main point of reference for the region spanning the Gulf nations, India, Africa, and Russian-speaking states.
Marzotto commented, “Presence in the United Arab Emirates significantly strengthens our role as a global event show producer, in accordance with the new Fiera di Vicenza identity; no longer [is it] just a container of [exhibition] spaces, but a company that promotes and generates top quality content, exporting its innovative format and know-how of excellence all over the world.”
Al Marri added that business tourism is a vital contributor to Dubai’s economy, and the new event will now offer the Italian and international luxury jewelry community entry into one of the world's most vibrant emerging business districts.
In 2013 the UAE became the first destination for Italian jewelry exports, with a market share of 20.7%, and an increase of 30% compared with 2012.
Separately, Fiera di Vicenza announced that its Vioro International magazine has debuted a new look for its 30th anniversary. This month the traditional quarterly magazine is being rebranded VO+. “VO” already is the nickname by which it’s known; the “+” sign is to confirm the magazine’s status as a top trade publication, say its publishers.
“Our aim is to strategically export our Fiera di Vicenza format through both print and digital media, thus creating new business opportunities in the global marketplace,” said Matteo Marzotta. “We are especially pleased with VO+. It enhances the strength of our publishing division.”
“We are committed to supporting VO+ as the most important reference for the jewelry industry, in line with developments in the market, technology, and information,” states publisher Diego Valisi.
The print magazine will be published every four months and Roberto Rossi Gandolfi will remain its editor. Online, it will have the same aesthetic layout as the print edition and will be organized to offer fluid navigation and easily accessible content. It can be accessed in digital format with a brand new app for Apple and Android.
Edward Asscher Voted President Of World Diamond Council
Antwerp, Belgium--The Board of Directors of the World Diamond Council have elected Edward Asscher, a fifth generation diamantaire who heads the Royal Asscher Diamond Company of the Netherlands, as president. Andrew Bone, head of government and industry relations of the De Beers Group was elected as vice president, and Ronnie VanderLinden, representative of the U.S. Coalition and president of the Diamond Manufacturers and Importers Association of America (DMIA), was elected treasurer.
The vote took place April 28. Asscher will serve a single two-year term, and will be succeeded by the sitting vice president.
Edward Asscher
Asscher served as president of the International Diamond Council from 1990 to 2008, is a past president of the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA), and is vice president of the European Council of Diamond Manufacturers. Outside of the diamond industry, he is a past president of the Dutch Liberal Party and served as a Senator in the Dutch parliament from 2007 to 2011.
HRD Antwerp, Rapaport Announce Lab Take-In Service
New York, NY and Antwerp, Belgium—HRD Antwerp and the Rapaport Group announce an agreement for Rapaport to provide global access to HRD diamond grading laboratories in Antwerp and Mumbai, India. The service will include everything necessary for clients to have their diamonds graded by HRD laboratories and will be initially provided to clients in New York, Ramat Gan, Mumbai, Surat, Dubai, and Hong Kong.
Serge Couvreur, CEO of HRD Antwerp, said, “This new cooperative venture with Rapaport will enable HRD Antwerp to significantly expand its global reach. Customers in major diamond centers will now have fast and easy access to international HRD Antwerp laboratories.”
Martin Rapaport, chairman of the Rapaport Group, said the agreement can help U.S. diamond companies obtain easier access to European and Arab markets.