RAPAPORT… The French Association of Gemmology (AFG) will hold a
conference in Paris on the state of the diamond industry, it said Monday.
The 18th Paris Gemmological Rendez Vous — which
will take place on September 9 — will cover topics including diamond
mining, the current state of the market, colored diamonds, and the gemological
and historical aspects of natural diamonds. Martin Rapaport, Chairman of Rapaport Group, will be a speaker at the event.
“This year’s symposium will be taking a comprehensive look
at diamonds,” said AFG president Didier Giard, referencing the many challenges
the natural-diamond industry faces, including synthetics and a volatile
international market. “[Our speakers] will be giving us their considered views,
backed by years of experience, on the diamond industry, from many different
angles.”
Speakers at the event will be:
Alan Bronstein, president of the Natural Color Diamond
Association
Aurélien Delaunay, director of the French Laboratory of
Gemmology
Richard Duffy, CEO of Petra Diamonds
David Fisher, principal scientist, De Beers Technology
Stephane Fischler, president of the World Diamond Council
Peter Karakchiev, head of the international relations
department at Alrosa
Jim Pounds, executive vice president of diamonds at Dominion
Diamond Mines
Martin Rapaport, Chairman, Rapaport Group
Eddy Vleeschdraeger, director at the Scientific and
Technical Research Center for Diamond, and author of Hardness 10
Feriel Zerouki, senior vice president of international
relations and ethical initiatives for De Beers
Image: Didier Giard. (AFG)
