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The Rapaport International
Diamond Conference (IDC) brought together the most important players in the diamond
and jewelry industry with business experts, government officials, and civil society
leaders to learn about and discuss the pressing issues of the day.
The IDC morning
session, entitled “Luxury Jewelry,” focused on three hot topics-
today's luxury consumer, the new auction market, and the latest in design and trends.
The morning session featured Sotheby's jewelry experts, Lisa Hubbard, Chairman of
North and South America, and Gary Schuler, Senior Specialist. They discussed how
demand from a changing international clientele is impacting the market
for large diamonds, gemstones and jewelry. Pam Danziger, founder of Unity Marketing
and internationally recognized expert on consumer behavior, motivation and psychology,
discussed changing consumer values and new marketing strategies. A panel discussion
on design highlighted the latest jewelry trends in New York and internationally,
and feature a glimpse into upcoming trends on the horizon.
The afternoon
session, “Diamonds and Social Responsibility- Real Solutions to Real
Problems", discussed ethical sourcing, one of the greatest challenges facing
the diamond and jewelry industry. We discussed real and practical solutions
to the problem of human rights violations in the jewelry supply chain and ongoing
efforts to create legitimate and ethical supply chains. We discussed the establishment
and implementation of industry-wide ethical standards, source certification and
how government and industry can work together to address the needs of the artisanal
mining sector.
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