De Beers to open IIDGR facility in Surat

India will be home to De Beers’ first Asian state-of-the-art International Institute of Diamond Grading and Research (IIDGR) facility, when it will be inaugurated on March 31, reports say. The facility will be the second such by De Beers, globally.

This new institute would serve to issue comprehensive analysis on diamonds in their grading report. This would enable the diamantaire to have information and thus authenticate the diamond and its awarded grade. Also, inscription of the 'forevermark' by De Beers, working with the country’s diamond industry to tackle detection of synthetic diamonds as one of the key measures to enhance consumer confidence in diamonds, will be undertaken at the institute, reports say.

The facility will be inaugurated in Surat at the International Business Centre in Piplod, with an attendance of De Beers Group CEO, Philippe Mellier, leading dignitaries of the Indian diamond industry expected to participate, reports add.

In recent times, there has been a growing concern of synthetic diamonds and equally the need to maintain consumer confidence. This has led to a preference for grading reports from reputed labs, be it from consumers or the clients of De Beers who have been seeking IIDGR grading of their diamonds, reports say. Also, as Surat is a major centre for diamond cutting and polishing, and home to many De Beers’ clients, as such it makes an advantageous location for IIDGR to open in India, reports say.