2004

Diamond Registry Awards For the Year 2003

Feb. 2004

The Organization of the Year award goes to the World Diamond Council and its chairman, Eli Izhakoff, who was helped by Cecilia Gardner of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee and Matt Runci of Jewelers of America.

This year, the Council helped bring about the Kimberley Process, which will assure consumers their diamonds are conflict-free. This issue once threatened to destroy this industry. There was the specter of demonstrations on 47th Street and a consumer boycott. Now, this threat is much more remote, and that is because our industry did the right thing. We can all be proud of our industry’s role in eliminating this problem and of the role played by the World Diamond Council.

Product of the year goes to Asscher and Cushion cuts, old favorites that have come from nowhere to become a consumer favorite. In general, people seem to be going for nostalgic looks recently.

Honorable mention goes to right hand rings and the very smart J. Walter Thompson/De Beers advertising campaign behind it. The rings aren’t doing big business yet, but the advertising is so well-done we can’t imagine it not catching on.