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Press Release: The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) along with the Indian Diamond Institute (IDI) launched the Diamond Detection and Resource Center (DDRC) on April 3, 2015 at the Indian Diamond Institute (IDI) in Surat.
The facility was inaugurated by the chief guest, Saurabhbhai Patel, the Minster of Finance, Energy, Petro Chemicals & Mines, Tourism, Cottage & Salt Industry for Gujarat, and the guest of honor, Nanubhai Vanani, the honorable Minister of Sports, Youth Culture Activities, Water & Education of Gujarat. The ceremonial lamp was lit and officially opened the center by its vice chairman, Pankaj Parekh, and regional chairman, Chandrakant Sanghavi. Parekh said, "A center like the DDRC at Surat, was an absolute necessity as its the hub for cut and polished diamonds. The facility will enable fast detection of synthetic diamonds in the natural diamond parcels. The small trading firms that cannot afford the machine, can get their parcels tested at an affordable cost. The state-of-the-art Automated Melee Sorting (AMS) machines at DDRC can rapidly detect synthetic stones in parcels of small diamonds ranging from 0.01 to 0.20 carats in a cost effective manner." The DDRC aims to identify and certify synthetic diamonds and assist the industry with the required information to promote fair trade with full disclosure. The center will prove to be a great resource to aid companies in detecting synthetic diamonds. The facility will enable the entrepreneurs with the means to eradicate the issue, while it is still at an early stage, thereby ensuring the purity of the diamond pipeline. The vital machines installed at DDRC are: AMS machine, Diamond Check, Diamond Sure, Diamond View, Diamond Plus, Diamond Spotter, FTIR Spectroscopy, Raman spectrometer and D Screen.
The AMS machine, manufactured by De Beers, is a useful and pivotal instrument for recognizing even minute-size diamonds. The AMS machine can swiftly identify synthetic stones in parcels of small diamonds ranging from 0.01 to 0.20 carats in an affordable manner. The machine aims to address the market requirement for fast and cost-effective detection equipment for smaller sized diamonds, which will prove to be advantageous to India. With these testing facilities, consumers can be assured that they will never be misled. Parekh requested the ministers to introduce differential VAT for synthetic diamonds in Gujarat to differentiate them from natural diamonds. Patel said that mixing of synthetic diamonds with natural diamonds is like a disease for the diamond trade of Surat and India. "When we are promoting 'Make In India,' such mixing is damaging the image of industry and country in the world. To stop the disease from becoming an epidemic, GJEPC and IDI together took the very timely steps of setting up IDI-DDRC. This center will certainly help to continue with the confidence of the consumers on the industry," he added.
He also emphasized setting up jewelry units with necessary supporting infrastructure -- banking, air connectivity, SNZ in Surat -- to make the diamond bourse an international trading facility. Such activities not only boost the particular trade but also amplify other service industries like tourism, hotel, transport, etc. He assured all his support to the industry in this regard and to introduce of VAT on synthetic diamonds. The DDRC wants to assist small and medium enterprises in the city to detect cases of concealed mixes of lab-grown diamonds with the natural diamonds. It is set to follow the footsteps of the DDRC in Mumbai. The center will also offer services to diamond companies that offer technical and on-the-job training to their staff in the testing methods. Sanghavi presented thanks and appreciation with respect to the policy on a Special Notified Zone for the Diamond Industry. The DDRC project was conceptualized by the Natural Diamond Monitoring Committee (NDMC), launched jointly by the GJEPC, Mumbai Diamond Merchant
Association (MDMA), Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB) and Gems & Jewellery Trade
Federation (GJF). Collectively, the groups want to find solutions that will ensure that the consumer faith in the industry is maintained via segregation of the natural and man-made diamonds. About Indian Diamond Institute:
Established in 1978, IDI is the most coveted institute in the field of diamonds, gems and jewelry in India and is a state-of-art school for learning with everything on campus, under one roof. Recognizing the Indian diamond industry as a major source of employment in a priority sector with a scope for substantial value-addition for the country, the establishment of the IDI was conceptualized and later put into effect. The IDI is a society, registered under Societies Registration Act, 1860 and also under the Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950. About GJEPC:
The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) was created by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India in 1966. It was one of several Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) launched to boost the country's exports, when India's post-independence economy began making forays in the international markets. Since 1998, the GJEPC has been granted autonomous status. Rapaport News is not responsible for, and does not endorse, the content of any third-party press release. This is not a Rapaport Press Release. It has been provided as additional information for our clients.
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