HRD Antwerp will be certifying all diamonds from the Shape of Antwerp, the new diamond jewellery collection that will be sold exclusively on the Chinese e-tailer Alibaba’s Tmall platform: Belgian Diamond Pavilion, the lab announced yesterday.

The Shape of Antwerp brand is the result of a new partnership between the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) and Alibaba Group and will be showcased to consumers both online as well as at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) this month as well as sold exclusively on Alibaba’s Tmall platform: Belgian Diamond Pavilion.

The jewellery has been designed by a select group of master jewellery designers, and uses HRD certified diamonds from Antwerp in a range of designs.

Each certified diamonds will have a QR code laser engraved onto the girdle before it is set in a Shape of Antwerp design. The tamper-proof QR code is also included on the diamond’s grading report, HRD said.

Scanning the QR code allows the consumer to use the platform’s blockchain technology to follow their diamond’s journey from Antwerp to China. Blockchain technology gives the transaction an extra layer of security and provides consumers with additional peace of mind.

“We want consumers to enjoy their stunning new diamonds instead of worrying about the quality” says Michel Janssens, CEO of HRD Antwerp. “By certifying every stone, HRD Antwerp guarantees the stone’s natural origins as well as the quality of its 4Cs, so consumers receive exactly what they are expecting.”

 “The new Shape of Antwerp collection will bring stunning jewellery from the Diamond Capital of the World to the Pearl of the Orient,” says Ari Epstein, CEO of AWDC. “We are looking forward to seeing the reactions of the Chinese public to Antwerp’s beautiful diamonds.”

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at the Belgian Consulate General’s residence in Shanghai by Nishit Parikh, Chairman of AWDC; Jessica Liu, President of Tmall Fashion and Luxury; and Michel Janssens, CEO of HRD Antwerp; in the presence of Kris Peeters, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Employment; Jet Jing, President of Tmall.

Pic caption: AWDC, HRD and TMall representatives with Belgian government officials at the signing