Only Natural Diamonds (OND), the digital platform powered by the Natural Diamond Council, launched its inaugural print magazine, under Editor In Chief Sam Broekema. NDC said the magazine will complement its digital presence on naturaldiamonds.com. The bi-annual magazine will cover the Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter seasons, delivering captivating content to diamond enthusiasts worldwide.
Gracing the cover of the first-ever Spring/Summer print issue is the talented actress Gabrielle Union. In an exclusive inside cover story penned by Christine Whitney, Union shares her personal diamond moments, insights into her acting career, anecdotes about her family, and her vision for the future of Hollywood.
Sam Broekema stated, “The decision to move into print was a collaborative one. It is the culmination of how far we have come editorially in such a short period. The magazine is a love letter to natural diamonds. We have the opportunity to share them with the world in all of their sparkling glory in a legacy medium. From glamorous shoots to real life accounts of how natural diamonds affect the livelihood of 10 million people globally, the magazine has something for everyone.”
Leveraging OND’s editorial expertise, the magazine highlights diamond jewellery trends that seamlessly integrate with the fashion zeitgeist. Noteworthy editorials include “Second Skin Bangles” captured by Jennifer Livingston, as well as a whimsical story by Mark Lim featuring Akimbo Engagement Rings, a term coined to describe the centre diamond set askew. Accompanied by the delicate beauty of natural diamonds, actress Keirnan Shipka takes centre stage in an inside feature shot by Alexander Saladrigas, channelling the allure of a Hollywood starlet from the noir era.
Kristina Buckley Kayel, NDC’s Managing Director and CMO, said, “In only three years as the NDC, our Only Natural Diamonds consumer-facing digital editorial and advertising platform, the hub of which is naturaldiamonds.com, succeeds in engaging the next generation luxury customer. The response to our impact led us to the progression of tangibly presenting the incredible and integrous world of natural diamonds with a biannual print publication. Being not-for-profit and brand agnostic has enabled us to be limitless in capturing the dynamism of this industry, from designers to rangers in Botswana! Having installed our own in- house editorial and content production team under Sam Broekema’s leadership over the last year, coupled with diamond demand still strong in the US and growing abroad, the timing to do so now was just right.”
The magazine’s cover was shot in Malibu by Shaniqwa Jarvis and styled by Thomas Christos Kikis. Additional contents include a fascinating exploration of the history of engagement rings, profiles of influential designers making waves in the industry, and a captivating journey with NDC Global Ambassador Lily James to Botswana, where she visited the Karowe mine and experienced the vibrant diamond community first-hand.
Debuting during Couture in Las Vegas, the magazine will enjoy global distribution on newsstands in New York, Los Angeles, London, and Paris.