Colored-Diamond Group Expands into Asia

RAPAPORT… The Natural Color Diamond Association (NCDIA) has formed an
affiliation with an Asian gemological organization in an attempt to extend its
support and educational services to the region.



The trade body will establish NCDIA Asia by partnering with
the Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences (AIGS), it announced recently. AIGS
president Barbara Wheat (pictured), who moved from NCDIA to the Bangkok-based organization
in March, will lead the affiliation.


“Through this collaboration, AIGS will be our hub in Asia
for expanding our education and relationships with wholesalers, retailers and
consumers,” said NCDIA president Alan Bronstein. “Our headquarters will remain
in New York, but our goal is to provide local support to our members in
strategic areas of the world that offer great potential in expanding consumer
interest in natural-color diamonds.”


AIGS will support NCDIA in creating online educational courses,
which will be available from early 2018.