In February, the International Grown Diamond Association (IGDA) has lived to be exactly one year old. However, there is no much fanfare audible – this modest jubilee has been slipped over by the industry media, regrettably. Because the birth of the IGDA has undoubtedly opened a new chapter in the history of the traditional diamond market. Maybe – the last chapter.
It is highly unlikely that today we can have doubts about the objectives set by this organization. The IGDA’s website in its “Education” section tells the visitor – with disarming candor of an old soldier – that natural diamonds (as opposed to synthetic) mean destroyed environment, child and slave labor, blood diamonds, etc. Ah, you say the Kimberley Process? Please be so kind to view this link: “The Kimberley Process is a ‘perfect cover story’ for blood diamonds”…
So, it can be said that the IGDA’s marketing experts have set themselves a well-defined task aimed at destroying the positive informational shell surrounding natural diamonds. We better be under no illusions – it is not about dividing the “spheres of influence” and not about creating any special market niche for synthetic diamonds, but it is about imparting a negative consumption value to natural diamonds. The consumer must feel aversion to natural diamonds and prefer synthetics instead. This is it – nothing personal, just business.
Almost simultaneously with the IGDA creation, there occurred a mutiny in the ranks of the traditional diamond industry. The Civil Society Coalition (CSC) headed by Partnership Africa Canada decided to boycott the Kimberley Process because of its inefficiency, that is its inability to deal with conflict diamonds, child and slave labor, environmental destruction, etc. Wow, what an amusing coincidence!
