The Diamond Industry In the Media
I am so excited to have recently had the privilege of being featured on-air for interviews with The Street, NASDAQ and Bold TV to discuss the diamond industry, using my unique perspective as a third-party observer from Gemological Science International (GSI) to speak to some of the latest retail and shopping trends, and having a great time doing it! The best part, of course, was blinging out the hosts and seeing their eyes light up when I came to the studio with an array of jewels!
Fashion is a huge passion of mine, and lately I have been obsessed with colored gemstones. Especially when worn as Cocktail rings with big colored gemstones such as blue sapphires, green emeralds, citrines, and blue topaz. These colors are very popular this season. I love how they look paired with white diamonds—and if you really love color, you can certainly mix and match different colored gemstones together. Personally, I love how blues and greens look together, reminiscent of the colors of the ocean.
Colored gemstones chosen as engagement ring centers has also increased in popularity. Originally, this look began to trend in the 80s when Princess Diana was engaged and photographed sporting that famous blue sapphire ring surrounded with diamonds. This ring style had a renaissance when Prince William proposed to Princess Catherine (Kate) with the very same ring, which always manages to look elegant and timeless no matter what outfit she pairs it with.
Color is so fresh and engaging right now that it’s hard to get it wrong—when it’s done tastefully, even playfully, then the sky is truly the limit!
For those who would prefer to go with traditional white diamond engagement rings, fancy shape diamonds are extremely popular right now. Ovals and Marquise are beautiful and elongate your fingers in a graceful way, and I love how cushion cuts, radiant cuts, and princess cuts look in a halo setting.
Another thing that we are starting to notice is celebrities are not just wearing the tried-and-true brands anymore—many of them now have their own jewelry lines which are expanding beyond traditional bridal styles. There are many great brands, like Serena Williams Jewelry, or Vera Wang Love, that focus on fashion and appeal to
today’s powerful and self-purchasing woman who wants to wear jewelry that she’s chosen for herself and loves.
These designers are really making fashion and luxury a lot more accessible because people trust their names and what they stand for.
Before and after some of my recent TV interviews, I was surprised to learn how many misconceptions there are about the diamond industry in mainstream media.
This is why I think it is important that we align and use our platforms as gemological companies to communicate all the good that we are doing all over the world, collectively discussing our shared values instead of just focusing on ourselves as separate entities. We have come a long way, but we still have progress to make. I feel that most organizations are taking responsibility in trying to make the world a better place in terms of sustainability, and we will continue our fight in this endeavor.
In particular, I was shocked to hear that media and consumers perceive conflict diamonds to be an issue that our industry is still grappling with. As a proud member of the diamond industry and various industry organizations tasked with implementing regulations and high industry standards, I know without a doubt that this is not an issue the public should worry about. Because of the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme and the hard work of industry members, together with NGO’s—an independent analysis conducted by the Diamond Producers Association (DPA), the data shows that 99.8% of all diamonds are conflict-free. This is a pretty amazing place to be, considering the historical significance of the multi-leveled structural changes required to get here.
Additionally, the diamond industry creates strong economic foundations in regions and countries where we operate, sustaining local communities by providing social and economic benefits, which many people outside our industry don’t necessarily realize. For example, Botswana and Namibia are two countries in Africa where diamonds are mined and polished, and they have the most stable governments in all of Africa because of the economic stability our industry provides.
I encourage everyone—consumers included—to continue to share stories about all of the good that diamonds do everywhere around the world. There needs to be an increased overall awareness of the positive experiences, when historically there has been much focus on the negative aspects.
It’s so rewarding to be able to share this information on such major media platforms as television. Moreover, today’s consumer really just wants transparency, and they feel a sense of accountability to know that their purchase ultimately has a positive impact instead of a negative one. We all have a responsibility as gemological companies to share this message so that we better educate the consumer about the millions of people around the world that rely on our industry for jobs, education, healthcare, clean water, and for their children’s and grandchildren’s generations. We have come a long way, but we still have room for more positive growth. It’s a wonderful time for the gemological industry!
About The Author
Debbie Azar is the Co-Founder and President of Gemological Science International (GSI), one of the largest gemological organizations in the world, and a distinguished leader in the global diamond and jewelry industry. As an executive with extensive knowledge of the jewelry and gem lab industries, her entrepreneurial skills and vision have helped GSI achieve rapid and continuous growth worldwide, establishing 13 leading-edge gemological facilities on four continents. She currently serves on the boards of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, Responsible Jewellery Council, and Jewelers for Children, and is a member of the 24 Karat Club of New York. She has been featured in Forbes, Daily Mail, Good Morning America, Bloomberg, Bloomberg Businessweek, Fox Business, Fox5, CBS2, BOLDTV, Varney&Co, The Street, and NASDAQ, among others.
