Diamond Education Courses in China
IIDGR TO PARTNER WITH NGTC TO EXTEND DIAMOND EDUCATION COURSES OFFERING IN CHINA
The International Institute of Diamond Grading and Research (IIDGR), part of De Beers Group, is pleased to announce that it will partner with the National Gemstone Testing Centre (NGTC), China’s leading authority in the testing and inspection of gems and jewellery, to extend the accessibility of IIDGR’s diamond education courses to students in China.
The partnership will officially launch in early 2019 with students being able to undertake IIDGR’s education courses via a mix of online training, as well as laboratory-based workshops. Courses will be delivered by local tutors in the local language, in partnership with IIDGR’s diamond education experts.
Teaching subjects will include:
- Understanding the diamond pipeline from start to finish to allow participants to enhance sales presentations in a retail environment
- Lab courses to examine how to grade polished diamonds in a professional standard
- Synthetic diamond detection techniques so that students can effectively identify synthetic stones.
Jonathan Kendall (above left), President, IIDGR, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with NGTC, which has a long and highly respected track record as a leader in China’s diamond industry, to make our proprietary education courses more accessible to students in one of the world’s most important diamond markets.
“The introduction of IIDGR’s education service offering last year was met with great excitement from the diamond industry, and our passion to drive continuous professional development across all levels of experience and types of job roles and ability that people in the industry may occupy is deeply grounded in over 130 years of De Beers Group diamond expertise.”
Jodine Perrin, Director of Education, IIDGR, said: “There are growing demands from consumers to understand much more about the world of diamonds than ever before, so those working within the industry must be able to demonstrate their expertise in a confident and clear manner. Our education courses are focused on the science, history and beauty held within diamonds and our approach to learning ensures a modern and innovative experience, designed to promote confidence in all our students, whatever their role within the industry.”
Mr Sun Fengmin (above right), Vice Director of National Gems & Jewelry Technology Administrative Center, said: “As the most authoritative comprehensive management institution in China’s jewellery industry, NGTC has taken the lead in formulating the National Standard for Diamond Classification, which has played an important role in the regulation and rapid development of the Chinese diamond market. As the most well-known diamond company in the world, De Beers Group has played an important role in the promotion of diamond mining, diamond trade and diamond culture around the world, including in China.
“China is the second largest consumer market for global diamond jewellery demand and given the market’s huge growth potential, we look forward to partnering with De Beers Group to support our mutual goals in ensuring that those working in China’s diamond industry have access to IIDGR’s industry-recognised education courses. We believe that the partnership will create a bright future based on shared trust, sincere cooperation and mutual benefit.”
The IIDGR’s mission is to promote consumer confidence across the diamond pipeline through a variety of services, from equipment sales and grading services to melee and jewellery testing. The education services business launched last year complements the organisation’s growing list of services.
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Notes to Editors
A high resolution image of IIDGR President, Jonathan Kendall and NGTC Vice Director, Mr Sun Fengmin signing the partnership agreement in Shenzen is available for download here.
Contact
De Beers Group press office
+44 (0) 20 7430 3434
pressoffice@debeersgroup.com
About the International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research
The International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research has been established by De Beers Group to provide a premium service and proprietary equipment to the diamond industry. Based in the UK, Belgium and India, and run by the world’s top diamond experts, the International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research offers a range of expert services. The International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research works only on diamonds that meet the requirements of the United Nations’ mandated World Diamond Council Kimberley Process. For more information, visit www.iidgr.com.
About De Beers Group
De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining and marketing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. As part of the company’s operating philosophy, the people of De Beers Group are committed to ‘Building Forever’ by making a lasting contribution to the communities in which they live and work, and transforming natural resources into shared national wealth. For further information about De Beers Group, visit www.debeersgroup.com.
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