(IDEX Online) - The GIA has announced that Chinese retailer LAELIM Jewelry and Belgian diamond manufacturer IGC Group will pilot GIA's M2M program that allows for complete transparency and traceability of diamonds along the value chain.
It is one of the first instances where a manufacturer and retailer have implemented the M2M program in partnership, the GIA said.
A select number of GIA-graded stones from LAELIM Jewelry have been added to the M2M program, recording each stone's story as it moves from the mine to the consumer. IGC sources and polishes the rough diamonds, which then move to LAELIM Jewelry where consumers have the opportunity to experience their story.
"The M2M platform allows us, as a Belgian manufacturer of diamonds, to share our 106 years of heritage and excellent craftsmanship with the consumer," said Hans Clement, sales director and partner at IGC Group. "Not only are we happy to be in this project with such reputable collaborators, such as GIA and LAELIM Jewelry, but we are convinced that this digital platform creates transparency and will excite the Chinese consumer."
"LAELIM Jewelry is proud to be - in cooperation with the Belgian IGC Group - the very first Chinese retailer to offer diamonds that have been evaluated by GIA for its M2M program," said Lin Xiang, CEO of LAELIM Jewelry. "The LAELIM brand will touch the Chinese consumer's heart as the GIA M2M will give consumers a unique buying and exclusive owner experience in a way that has never been seen before. The digital journey from mining, through Belgian excellence in diamond cutting to the creation of the jewelry piece will create a more profound understanding of the beauty of the LAELIM brand."
M2M is a digital story telling platform that brings together GIA's unique ability to scientifically match rough diamonds to the resulting polished gems with information that tells the compelling story of a diamond's journey.
"Since launching in 2017 we have seen an increase in the interest of the program" said Tom Moses, executive vice president and chief laboratory and research officer. "Consumer demands are shifting and provenance is becoming an important topic in the buying process."