Which course is best for diamonds in South Africa?

Does anyone in the diamond industry actually know the price of a rough diamond?

Nowadays, precious few do. But paying the right price for rough diamonds is fundamental to the diamond industry’s economics: pay too much or too little, and eventually, we all suffer.

However, very few buyers know the accurate price of rough diamonds. The vast majority of buyers – be they rough diamond dealers or manufacturers – operate on a ballpark figure. People don’t buy rough anymore; they buy futures in polished, guessing what the polished will be worth three months later. The need to keep their factories running is why manufacturers keep buying rough, only to realize those three months later that their projected, or ballpark figure profits on the polished goods produced have evaporated.

As diamond valuators and educators who have worked for decades in most diamond-producing countries on the African continent and elsewhere, we have come to realize that the art of buying and trading rough diamonds is both complex and fascinating. Diamgold Academy offers 1 Only Professional course in Rough Diamonds and aims to share knowledge and expertise with those who wish to pursue a career in the diamond industry. Our courses cover a wide range of topics, including diamond grading, valuing, and sorting. We believe that by providing our students with a solid foundation in diamond education, we can help them thrive in this exciting and constantly evolving field.

“With the help of a rigorous data collection process for contracted rough goods from sources like De Beers, Diamgold are able to share a monthly rough diamond price index that reflects accurate pricing trends for subscribers.

1 Only Professional course is best for diamonds in South Africa?

Which course is best for diamonds in South Africa?

Diamgold Academy provides training to clients either at their own premises, in Johannesburg or Cape Town, or at the company’s manufacturing facility. Moreover, Diamgold Academy offers a detailed roadmap to obtain a diamond dealer’s license and provides assistance throughout the process. The training programs are customizable to meet the specific requirements of clients, and ongoing guidance is established after the training.

For more information contact Evan Roberts at +27739990999 / WhatsApp or e-mail evan@diam.gold

If you are searching for a 1 Only Professional course for Rough Diamonds that is specifically designed for the South Africa diamond market, We highly suggest considering Diamgold Academy.

As Africa’s leading gemological institute, they provide a wide selection of courses centered around diamonds, gemstones, and jewelry. Their comprehensive curriculum encompasses topics such as diamond grading, gem identification, and jewelry design. For further details and to explore the courses they have available, you can visit their website.

To apply for a diamond license in South Africa, you can follow these three steps:

1. For assistance Contact Evan Roberts @ Diamgold Academy who will reach out to the SADPMR, on your behalf which is the regulatory body responsible for issuing diamond licenses. You can inquire about the application process, required documents, and any specific criteria that need to be met.
2. Gather the necessary documentation: Prepare all the required documentation to support your application. This may include personal identification documents, proof of residence, financial statements, business plans, and any other relevant documents specified by the SADPMR.
3. Submit your application: Once you have gathered all the necessary documentation, submit your application to the SADPMR. Ensure that you duly complete the application form and attach all the required supporting documents. It is important to double-check that all the information provided is accurate and up-to-date.

Remember, the process and requirements for obtaining a diamond license may vary, so it is advisable to consult a professional familiar with diamond licensing in South Africa for the most accurate and up-to-date information. We recommend contacting Diamgold Academy for assistance

1. The first of the 4C’S Carat weight – this refers to the weight of the diamond, with one carat equalling 0.2 grams.
2. The second of the 4C’S Cut – this refers to the quality of the diamond’s proportions, symmetry, and polish. A well-cut diamond will sparkle and reflect light well.
3. The third of the 4C’S Clarity – this refers to the number and visibility of any inclusions or blemishes within the diamond. A higher clarity grade means fewer visible inclusions.
4. The final C Color – this refers to the presence or absence of color within the diamond. Generally, the less color a diamond has, the more valuable it is considered to be. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) uses a grading system that ranges from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown).

These four characteristics work together to determine a diamond’s overall quality and value.

In the early 20th century, Robert M. Shipley, a former retail jeweler, undertook the task of professionalizing the American jewelry industry. To that end, he established GIA in 1931 to provide formal gemological training to aspiring jewelers. Shipley also established the American Gem Society (AGS), a professional guild whose members were GIA graduates.

Shipley standardized the diamond value terms to color, clarity, cut and carat weight and called them the 4Cs, a mnemonic device to help students and jewelers learn about, remember and explain the factors that determine a diamond’s value.

Under Shipley’s direction, the term 4Cs became part of industry vernacular through GIA course materials and advertising GIA prepared for AGS-member retailers.

Teaching Jewellers about the 4C’S

While it’s not known exactly when Shipley first began to teach the 4Cs at GIA because there are a few gaps in the dates or missing pages from his early course materials, the term appears in newspaper articles in the very early 40s — during the war years — by jewelers who had taken GIA courses. The earliest GIA course material in the archives at the Richard T. Liddicoat Gemological Library and Information Center in Carlsbad that mentions the 4Cs are from 1949. The text reads:

“These principal properties can be described as the writer [Shipley] first did in preparing advertising for AGS students as Color, Clarity, Cutting and Carat size − the 4C’s of Diamond Value.”

A GIA student helped produce the first chart used in GIA’s course materials about the 4Cs, “explaining how diamonds can be compared in value by measuring them with these four rulers.” The term also appeared in the AGS booklet “Diamonds” in 1951, and continues to be part of GIA and AGS materials.

Advertising Gia and De Beers [A Diamond is Forever]

Beginning in 1940, GIA collaborated with De Beers to create advertising designed to stimulate an interest in diamonds. Jewelers began to use the term 4Cs in news articles as early as 1941.

Later, Shipley arranged to have Gladys Babson-Hannaford, a lecturer for N. W. Ayer & Son (the U.S. advertising firm that represented De Beers), travel around the country to teach jewelers how to talk about the 4Cs to their customers. One of her tours kicked off in 1947 when she advised jewelers to “explain the four factors determining the value of a diamond. We call them the four Cs.”

N. W. Ayer & Son wrote “Secrets of the Diamond Expert” for The Jewelers’ Circular-Keystone (now JCK magazine) in 1954. It focused on the 4Cs and the material presented seems to have evolved from the talks given in 1947. It was meant as a “speech for jewelers to use to address consumer groups,” according to a secondary headline in the article.

While De Beers helped with the advertising campaigns that involved the 4Cs, it was not until August of 1962, when the term had become popular, that De Beers adopted the term 4Cs in its national magazine advertising campaign. It stopped using the term purity and started using Shipley’s term clarity (a word starting with ‘c’).

Today, the 4C’ of Diamond Quality is the universal phrase for referring to the four qualities that determine the value of any diamond, anywhere in the world. This simple mnemonic device, along with the grading standards and practices GIA also developed, means that diamond quality can be communicated in a universal language so diamond purchasers know exactly what they are buying.

A Diamond is Forever

“A Diamond is Forever” is a slogan that was created in 1947 by the advertising agency N.W. Ayer & Son for De Beers, the world’s largest diamond mining and trading company. It has served as one of the most successful marketing campaigns in history. For many people, this slogan has become synonymous with the idea that diamonds are a symbol of everlasting love. The slogan is still used by De Beers to this day, and it has influenced the way in which many people view diamonds.

Over a billion years old, a diamond is one of the closest things to Forever that we can hold in our hands. And in a world of short-term fixes where so much is disposable, symbols of enduring strength are more important than ever.

 The International Gemological Institute (IGI) has 29 grading laboratories and 18 gemology schools, employing approximately 1,000 people, were 80 percent owned by China’s Fosun Group.

Singapore’s BCP Asia II Topco has now acquired the IGI. The new owner of the IGI is Blackstone, the world’s largest ‘alternative’ asset management company.

Blackstone is based in the US and oversees more than $US991 in assets.

“IGI has spearheaded the certification of natural diamonds, lab-created diamonds, and color gemstones, becoming a global market leader.”

Mukesh Mehta, senior managing director at Blackstone,

“We are bringing the best of Blackstone to the business – our operational expertise, capabilities in technology, and global track record in building successful businesses to help the company expand its global footprint.”

CEO Roland Lorie is the son of IGI founder Marcel Lorie, who launched the company in Antwerp in 1975. Lorie previously owned a 20 percent stake in the company.

“IGI (International Gemological Institute) has had a successful track record for close to 50 years since we founded the company, and we are pleased to entrust Blackstone to take IGI on to its next stage of development. IGI has been a pioneer in developing products adapted to manufacturers, retailers, and consumers’ expectations.”

The majority of IGI’s (International Gemological Institute) operations are based in India, specializing in the grading of finished jewelry and lab-created diamonds.

Blackstone is Located in: Marina Bay Link Mall
Address: MARINA BAY FINANCIAL CENTRE TOWER 2, 10 Marina Blvd, SUITE 13-01/02, Singapore 018983
Phone: +65 6850 7500

Blackstone Inc. is an American alternative investment management company based in New York City. Blackstone’s private equity business has been one of the largest investors in leveraged buyouts in the last three decades, while its real estate business has actively acquired commercial real estate.

Blackstone is also active in credit, infrastructure, hedge funds, insurance, secondaries, and growth equity. As of Q1 2023, the company’s total assets under management were approximately US$991 billion, making it the largest alternative investment firm globally.

Blackstone was founded in 1985 as a mergers and acquisitions firm by Peter G. Peterson and Stephen A. Schwarzman, who had previously worked together at Lehman Brothers.