De Beers’  International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research (IIDGR) will  launch  its “low cost, high volume melee testing service” in Surat, India, on October 26, 2015; and a similar service in  Antwerp, Belgium, on   November 12,  2015, the Company announced recently.

IIDGR had recently launched its proprietary technology which enabled companies to check whether diamonds in   melee parcels were natural or not.  The IIDGR assured the trade that the goods would be returned in “sealed, tamper-proof IIDGR packages, with the content of each clearly labelled”.

“This service will play an important role in supporting both trade and consumer confidence,” commented Jonathan Kendall, President of IIDGR. “Sellers will be able to provide potential buyers with pre-checked goods in sealed IIDGR packages, removing any potential concerns around disclosure. As more and more diamond businesses seek greater levels of assurance about the content of the melee they are purchasing, this service will meet an increasing industry need.”

In India, De Beers said, the service “will build on the strategic partnership that has been established by IIDGR and the Gemmological Institute of India (GII) to support confidence in the domestic sector”.

The melee testing service will be offered at an introductory discount in both India and Belgium for any parcels submitted before the end of 2015.

For more information contact IIDGR at testing@iidgr.com; or visit www.iidgr.com.