International Diamond Laboratories (IDL), a subsidiary of the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), held its first graduation ceremony today where 17 students, who successfully completed its inaugural 8-day course in diamond grading, received IDL Diplomas which qualifies them as Diamond Graduates. The course was offered in association with the Diamond Academy, a division of the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE).
Peter Meeus, Chief Executive Officer of IDL presented the Diplomas. The ceremony was also attended by Eli Izhakoff – President World Diamond Council; Ernie Blom – President World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB); Gaetano Cavalieri – President of Cibjo (World Jewellery Confederation); Ahmed Bin Sulayem – Executive Chairman – DMCC; David Rutledge – Chairman of DDE and Youri Steverlynck, CEO of DDE.
Speaking about IDL’s role in promoting standards in the industry through education, Peter Meeus commented, “We are committed to developing Dubai’s diamond industry and education plays a key role in this. This is the first training programme we conducted and the response from the trade is very encouraging. The course focused on the latest techniques and technologies used in diamond grading; the participants will benefit from the IDL Diploma which acts as a label of quality for their business and will help to advance their career.”
Trade participants included Dwarkesh Diamonds, Sky Jewellery, Dhamani Jewels, Sparklers International, Gem Corp DMCC, Bhansali Diamonds and Damas LLC.
The training programme was conducted by Ann Van Spaendonk, a world renowned diamond expert. She dwelt on the theoretical and practical aspects of diamond grading, helping to upgrade the participants’ knowledge and skills as sharp Diamond Graders.
Hargovinder Singh from Damas who attended the course commented, “The course provided me a unique opportunity to learn more about the science of diamond grading, latest technologies and best practices. I appreciate IDL’s initiative in organizing this course which has definitely helped in improving the participants’ skills to be able to address the increasing market need for accurate and consistent measures in diamond grading.”
Another participant who felt she greatly benefited from the course is Shrishti Dhamani from Dhamani Jewels. “The program was well managed and organized to ensure that every participant gets the maximum benefit. I look forward to participating in future courses by IDL in order to acquire new skills and be able to provide high quality services to my customers, “she commented.
The Polished Diamond Grading courses will be conducted on permanent basis from April onwards in Dubai.
About International Diamond Laboratories (IDL)
IDL is a DMCC initiative and a direct result of the Diamond Master Plan that DMCC adopted in 2007 to further develop services for the diamond trade. IDL provides diamond traders and jewellers with quality reports/certificates of authentication of polished diamonds. These certificates assure customers that the diamond they purchase is of high quality. IDL provides high-quality diamond certification services from its headquarters in the UAE and at branch offices
In Antwerp, Belgium and Mumbai, India.
Employing proprietary technology and with a focus on research and development, IDL is transforming the traditional art of diamond grading into a science, ensuring the highest possible level grading standards along with the greatest level of consumer confidence. IDL's services are additionally customised to best meet the needs of its clients in the region. The company is the only service provider worldwide to issue not only English- but also Arabic-language diamond certificates.
