HRD Antwerp and HKIDA sign agreement

During the 2016 March Hong Kong Diamond, Gem and Pearl show, HRD Antwerp and Hong Kong Indian Diamond Association (HKIDA) signed an agreement concerning an exclusive melee diamond screening service using the M-Screen, the world’s fastest melee screening device available today. The new service will offer the screening of parcels of minimum 10ct melee size diamonds from 1 to 20 points, colour D-J.

From April 1, 2016, HRD Antwerp Hong Kong will move its operations to a new location sharing the premises as HKIDA.

The Hong Kong Indian Diamond Association (HKIDA) is an industry-wide association aimed at protecting and promoting the natural diamond trade. The HKIDA has 35 founding members, including the largest Indian diamond traders and jewellery manufacturers in Hong Kong.

“As HKIDA’s aim is to safeguard consumer confidence throughout the diamond industry while protecting the natural diamond trade, the service agreement concerning the use of the M-Screen is a great step forward in offering our members the tool they need to make absolutely sure their melee diamond parcels are free of lab-grown diamonds” said Mr Ramesh Virani, chairman of the Hong Kong Indian Diamond Association (HKIDA).

“In order to address the many challenges the diamond industry is facing these days, taking into account the increasing amount of lab-grown diamonds on the market, a trustworthy melee diamond screening service will undoubtedly contribute to establishing more trust throughout the diamond pipeline, both with suppliers as well as retailers catering to the end consumer. We’re therefore very happy to have established such a screening service here in Hong Kong, one of the major diamond trading hubs” says Mr Peter Macken, CEO HRD Antwerp. He also noted that the relocation os HRD Antwerp “is a sound move forward towards strengthening our local presence.”