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Industry News: IAC To Award Zerouki At Gold Conference; JA To Offer Diamond Detection Lab; More April 03, 2019 (0 comments)
IAC Gold Conference To Focus On Sustainability; Present Award To Feriel Zerouki
New York, NY--Feriel Zerouki (left), De Beers Group senior vice president of international relations and ethical initiatives, will be presented with the Initiatives in Art and Culture’s 2019 Award for Leadership in Responsible Practice in Jewelry during IAC’s “Gold: Legacy, Leadership, Luminescence,” conference, which opens Thursday at Bohemian National Hall in New York City. The conference will run April 4 and 5; click here for more information.
IAC’s Award for Leadership in Responsible Practice in Jewelry is presented annually to a recipient that is a member of the jewelry industry or part of a jewelry-focused organization and who has made a transformational contribution to ethical sourcing and responsible practices in the worldwide gem and jewelry trade. Zerouki is being honored for elevating the conversation on sustainability through the De Beers Best Practice Principles, and providing working solutions to help track responsible-sourced diamonds in the Sierra Leone.
Zerouki joined De Beers’ Diamond Trading Company as a supply chain analyst in 2005, where she gained expertise in pricing rough diamonds and forecasting mine production. She was then appointed best practice principles manager for De Beers Group in 2009, tasked with embedding the Group’s sustainability program, and then promoted to her current position.
In 2018, De Beers Group partnered with the Diamond Development Initiative (DDI) to launch GemFair, a pilot program that aims to create a secure and transparent route to market for ethically-source artisanal and small-scale mined (ASM) diamonds. The initiative combines on the ground training and engagement with miners on ethical standards with a digital solution to support the traceability of the product. Each site adheres to standards that are aligned with the OECD due diligence guidelines and GemFair’s own set of rigorous standards. Zerouki’s pioneering work in developing this initiative is part of her work as GemFair’s general manager and she also sits on the boards of the World Diamond Council and the Responsible Jewellery Council.
“I am honored to receive this award from the IAC, an organization that raises the profile of positive work in a range of fields, and all of us at De Beers Group are proud to receive recognition for our work on responsible practices in the jewelry industry. We believe programs such as our Best Practice Principles play a key role in setting standards across the sector,” she says.
Lisa Koenigsberg, president and founder of Initiatives in Art and Culture, added, “Both personally and professionally, Feriel embodies all the attributes that we seek in an honoree, and this award is so well-deserved for all that she has done to champion and further responsible practice and ethical supply chains worldwide.”
JA National Convention to Feature Diamond Detection Lab
New York, NY—The first annual Jewelers of America National Convention, an education-focused executive forum set for July 28-29 at the InterContinental New York Barclay, will feature an interactive Diamond Detection Lab.
The lab, sponsored by De Beers Group Industry Services, will feature a range of diamond detection technology. It will be open during both days of the convention and attendees will be able to see advancements made in detection technology and test equipment from De Beers Group Industry Services, Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Taidiam Technology, Yehuda Diamond Company, and others.
De Beers Group's Diamond View testing machine.
“We are carefully crafting our education and content to address the needs of our members. Diamond detection is incredibly important and this lab will ensure attendees have the knowledge about detection and access to the right technology,” says JA president and CEO David J. Bonaparte. “De Beers Group Industry Services’ mission to grow and strengthen confidence across the diamond industry is closely aligned with JA’s mission and they are a natural partner for the Diamond Detection Lab.”
“Customers, suppliers, financiers and end consumers all increasingly demand assurance when it comes to diamonds. With a range of instruments and services that provide confidence in product integrity, product knowledge and product assessment, we bring the benefit of more than 125 years of De Beers experience to help our customers with the most important C of all: Confidence,” says De Beers Group industry services president Jonathan Kendall.
The JA National Convention kickstarts July Jewelry Week in New York. Convention attendees can obtain discounts on tickets to the Women’s Jewelry Association Awards for Excellence (July 29) and American Gem Society’s Circle of Distinction (July 30) galas as well. Discounted tickets are available at Convention registration.
Register by April 30 for $200 off the regular registration rate. Convention attendees receive a special room rate at the Convention venue, InterContinental New York Barclay. To learn more, visit www.jewelers.org/convention.
OROAREZZO Kicks Off Saturday
Arezzo, Italy—OROAREZZO, promoting the best of ‘Made in Italy’ jewelry, is scheduled to take place April 6-9 at Arezzo Exhibition Centre in the heart of Tuscany. The show is organized by Italian Exhibition Group and will be hosting more than 450 targeted top international buyers. Planned events include:
- A welcome cocktail on April 6, sponsored by UNO AERRE Spa, in the prestigious historic Palazzo Lombardi, transformed by Beppe Angiolini into an international concept store for fashion.
- A “City of Gold” guided tour on Monday evening, April 8, including the Ivan Bruschi Casa Museo Antiques Museum, which houses an eclectic collection of ten thousand Arezzo antiques, and the “Arezzo Treasures” itinerary (Palazzo di Fraternità dei Laici), which includes a selection of over 100 pieces of jewelry in the Gold Art Collection created over the years by Oroarezzo exhibitors and designed by famous designers, architects and stylists.
- Visitors will receive a “gold card” valid for obtaining special offers and exclusive discounts at Arezzo city stores.