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Alibaba Strikes Deal with Belgian Trade
Nov 6, 2018 8:07 AM
By Rapaport News
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RAPAPORT... Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba will collaborate with the
Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) to bring Belgian diamonds to Chinese
consumers.
Through the partnership, Shape of Antwerp diamonds will be
sold exclusively on the Chinese retailer’s Tmall online marketplace.
“Chinese consumers love Antwerp diamonds, and China is the
second-largest market in the world for polished diamonds,” the AWDC said
Tuesday.
After selecting a stone, consumers can have the diamond set
into a design of their choice, the AWDC explained.
Diamond lab HRD Antwerp will certify all stones in the Shape
of Antwerp collection, and will also laser-engrave a tamper-proof QR code onto
the girdle of each diamond before it is set. Consumers can scan the QR code to
follow their diamond’s journey from Antwerp to China using the platform’s
blockchain technology.
“We want consumers to enjoy their stunning new diamonds
instead of worrying about the quality,” said HRD Antwerp CEO Michel Janssens.
“By certifying every stone, HRD Antwerp guarantees the stone’s natural origins
as well as the quality of its 4Cs, so consumers receive exactly what they are
expecting.”
Last month, Alibaba also signed an agreement with Richemont,
which will make the Swiss luxury retailer’s Net-a-Porter and Mr Porter
platforms available through Tmall. The Chinese e-commerce group also announced
an expanded collaboration with the Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE) to sell its
loose stones on Alibaba’s Ali Auction site.
Alibaba and the AWDC signed the deal earlier this week at
the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai.
Image: Alibaba and AWDC signing agreement at CIIE in Shanghai. (AWDC)
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Tags:
Ali Auction, alibaba, Antwerp World Diamond Centre, AWDC, China International Import Expo, HRD Antwerp, IDE, Israel Diamond Exchange, Michel Janssens, Mr Porter, net-a-porter, Rapaport News, Richemont, Shape of Antwerp, tmall
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