The Executive Briefing was led by Howard Davies, Head of Commercial Development for De Beers, who noted: “The demand for diamonds will continue to grow in real value terms driven by the effect of the US economic recovery and the continued growth of emerging markets, in particular China. In addition, the digital space is increasingly becoming an essential channel for both research and sales of diamond jewellery to consumers. Dubai has already cemented its position as a leading global diamond hub at the centre of the trade and as a high end jewellery consumer market – now is the time for banks and financial institutions to further invest in the appropriate financing structures that will enable further growth”. “Recently marked an important milestone for the diamond industry in Dubai as it brought global industry leaders and the financial institutions of the future together to address requirements for funding but also to highlight how traders and financiers can further collaborate to ensure continuous growth”, Sonu Parikh, CEO, Diarough, added.

The brand also brought in the Pele Limited Edition pen to the fair, displayed in the Pari Gallery stand. Other brands that showcased their latest collection in the Pari Gallery stand were Shenoy Jewellers, the main highlight being their fancy cut diamond sets and the famous watch brands Marben, Davidoff and Zasper. In addition, Domasco presented the latest novelties of Raymond Weil that included the Jasmine Collection, Freelancer and the popular sports line from the Nabucco collection; Al Muftah revealed the new timepiece from Century, Crescendo which is a part of the Master Imperial collection dedicated to the House's prestigious creations; Al Zain showed of their eclectic jewellery pieces made of natural pearls from Bahrain. Brands that participated for the first time in the exhibition like Al Bidaa and Blue Diamond did not fail to surprise visitors. The Sword of Qatar by Al Bidaa made of 21-karat gold with 200 pieces of small precious stones and the Tour Eiffel timepiece of Saint Honore which is a collector’s timepiece that marks the brand’s 130th anniversary, caught the eye of the Qatari collector. Mounted on an elegant brown “croco design” leather strap, the Tour Eiffel timepiece has been manufactured in a limited series of 1,885 pieces in steel (in homage to the year the watch making house was established), offering a unique opportunity to wear on one’s wrist an exceptional symbol of France and the technological genius of Gustave Eiffel.

The DDE, by providing the diamond industry with world - class infrastructure, products and services required to trade with confidence, has quickly emerged as a key hub for the diamond industry globally. “It is a combination of the global shift in the flow of diamonds and Dubai’s foresight to build the infrastructure and the business friendly environment needed for the diamond industry to succeed, that has led to the thriving global marketplace we see in Dubai today. “With the recent shifts in the set of key players that have traditionally financed the diamond industry, we see an opportunity for local and regional banks and financial institutions to provide liquidity to this industry. We therefore very much welcome that De Beers are providing guidance to local and regional institutions. Financing to the industry needs to evolve towards more transparent and securitised methods of financing”, said Franco Bosoni, Director – Commodity Services, DMCC.