The three-day 10th annual forum of De Beers Forevermark held in Mumbai from 24th to 26th August 2021 concluded successfully having reached 8 lakh partners, diamantaires, manufacturers and patrons through a hybrid in-person and virtual event.
At a post-event press conference, Sachin Jain, Managing Director, De Beers Forevermark, spoke about a number of exciting initiatives that will push the demand for diamonds in the near future. He also stated that demand for diamonds had seen good growth this year, noting that the current $5.5-6 billion Indian diamond market had the ability to reach $17 billion by 2030. “Our country has the potential and fuel to impact the global diamond business. If we tap this opportunity well with transparency, keeping our consumers in the forefront, the possibility to grow the natural diamond business is huge. We, at De Beers, are taking some important steps to harness this opportunity.”
The central theme for this year’s Forum was Make Life Brilliant reflecting De Beers’ purpose and belief that its diamonds have the power to make life brilliant for its customers, communities, and the planet, from its commitment to Building Forever and its bold and ambitious 2030 sustainability goals to its timeless jewellery designs.
Among the significant announcements, Jain noted that Forevermark™ will be renamed De Beers Forevermark. The name change, is part of De Beers’ wider brand transformation, focused on connecting consumers to the significant social, environmental and responsible sourcing benefits the company creates for the people and places where it discovers diamonds, will create a closer connection between Forevermark and the iconic De Beers brand, De Beers Group’s Building Forever sustainability commitments, and the company’s more than 130 years of diamond expertise. “De Beers means a lot in the hearts and the minds of our consumers, and we are certain that the impact will be positive,” Jain said.
The name change will also deliver important benefits for retail partners, enabling greater storytelling about the positive impact De Beers Forevermark diamonds support throughout the value chain. The name change will apply across all the Forevermark channels, with guests having the opportunity to experience the new De Beers Forevermark brand environment.
De Beers’ new trusted source programme, Code of Origin is being launched as a pilot in India, and it will cover a range of diamonds from 0.08 carat and below. Each piece of jewellery that is accompanied by a Code of Origin certificate will provide the consumer with the assurance that the diamonds contained within it are natural and conflict-free, and were discovered by De Beers in Botswana, Canada, Namibia, or South Africa. Moreover, it lets the consumer know that the Code of Origin diamonds in their jewellery have had a positive impact on the people and places where they were found, helping to provide jobs, education, healthcare and wildlife conservation. The Code of Origin programme is currently running with a limited number of development partners ahead of it being scaled up in 2022.
Additionally, the jewellery house has released its new De Beers Forevermark Diamond Jewellery Verification Report that will authenticate the entire product and not just the diamond a consumer purchases.
Nancy Liu, the outgoing CEO of De Beers Forevermark, in a statement said, “Over the past decade, we have seen the evolution and development of the diamond industry, along with shifting consumer behaviours. Consumers are increasingly demanding that the brands they purchase reflect their values and inspire trust. A Forevermark diamond has always stood for the highest standards of beauty and responsible sourcing and by aligning Forevermark more closely with the De Beers name, we can directly connect the Forevermark promise with the values and expertise signified by De Beers.”
De Beers Forevermark will be launching its new jewellery campaign Avaanti on 10th September in India that will resonate with the generation of today. Inspired by the concept of a ripple, the 36 contemporary pieces are fashioned with 18-karat rose, yellow and white gold. The clean circular lines sparkle with pave diamonds and a rare Forevermark diamond that stands out in each and every design.
Displaying the latest technologies in retail to its partners, the jewellery house also presented its new virtual store, which will provide consumers with an exclusive first look at the Forevermark Avaanti collection ahead of its launch in India in September. Immersing themselves in the 3D experience, consumers will have the opportunity to explore the collection to find their favourite products alongside the collection’s campaign. They will also be able to sign-up for email and WhatsApp updates, allowing them to be the first to shop the collection as soon as it is available.
Also announced during the event was the launch of Okavango Eternal, a strategic partnership between De Beers and National Geographic to address one of the most critical conservation challenges in Africa: protecting the source waters of the Okavango Delta and the lives and livelihoods they support.
“We’ve aptly themed this year’s forum Make Life Brilliant. Today more than ever, we are aware of our ability to connect to an even wider range of consumers with our social purpose and to make life brilliant not just for this generation, but for future generations. This year’s forum is a momentous occasion for us where we adapted both virtually and physically to the new normal. It is an opportunity for us to bring our partners together, to interact and transact over three days, and we have made several new and exciting announcements including, our De Beers Forevermark rebrand, the launch of the Forevermark Avaanti collection, and our new Code of Origin programme as well as our motivating new partnership with National Geographic,” said Jain.
Jain noted that the brand currently has 13 exclusive stores in India, and by the end of the calendar year it will take the total to 16.
The on-ground event was conducted keeping in place all the safety and precautionary measures, including the rapid antigen test on entry, checking vaccination certificates, temperature screening and mandatory masks. Apart from this, the brand also implemented the Predictmedix Safe Entry Stations, an AI-powered product that used non-invasive technology to determine if individuals were displaying any symptoms of infectious disease.