Mumbai: De Beers Forevermark held its 10th annual forum in Mumbai from 24th to 26th August 2021. Hosting a hybrid virtual and in person event, the diamond brand reached over 8 lac partners, diamantaires, manufacturers and patrons.
This year’s theme ‘Make Life Brilliant’ reflects De Beers’ purpose and belief that its diamonds have the power to Make Life Brilliant for its customers, communities, and the planet, from its commitment to Building Forever and its bold and ambitious 2030 sustainability goals to its timeless jewellery designs.
During the three-day event, De Beers made several exciting and significant announcements, including that Forevermark™ will be renamed De Beers Forevermark. The name change, is part of De Beers’ wider brand transformation, focused on connecting consumers to the significant social, environmental and responsible sourcing benefits the company creates for the people and places where it discovers diamonds, will create a closer connection between Forevermark and the iconic De Beers brand, De Beers Group’s Building Forever sustainability commitments, and the company’s more than 130 years of diamond expertise. The name change will also deliver important benefits for retail partners, enabling greater storytelling about the positive impact De Beers Forevermark diamonds support throughout the value chain. The name change will apply across all the Forevermark channels, with guests having the opportunity to experience the new De Beers Forevermark brand environment. Additionally, the jewellery house has released its new De Beers Forevermark Diamond Jewellery Verification Report that will authenticate the entire product and not just the diamond a consumer purchases.
Ms. Nancy Liu, CEO, De Beers Forevermark said, “We are delighted to welcome our partners to our 10th De Beers Forevermark forum. Over the past decade, we have seen the evolution and development of the diamond industry, along with shifting consumer behaviours. Consumers are increasingly demanding that the brands they purchase reflect their values and inspire trust. A Forevermark diamond has always stood for the highest standards of beauty and responsible sourcing and by aligning Forevermark more closely with the De Beers name, we can directly connect the Forevermark promise with the values and expertise signified by De Beers.”
Adding to its portfolio of designs De Beers Forevermark launched its latest fine jewellery collection, Forevermark Avaanti. Embodying the spirit of possibility, inspiring the wearer to realise their power and make a lasting statement every day – thirty-six stand-out pieces sweep around like a ripple, symbolising the start of something new. Featuring a rare De Beers Forevermark diamond set in 18k yellow, white, or rose gold, the clean, circular designs are also available with the added brilliance of pavé diamonds.
Displaying the latest technologies in retail to its partners, the jewellery house also presented its new virtual store, which will provide consumers with an exclusive first look at the Forevermark Avaanti collection ahead of its launch in India on 10th September. Immersing themselves in the 3D experience, consumers will have the opportunity to explore the collection to find their favourite products alongside the collection’s campaign. They will also be able to sign-up for email and WhatsApp updates, allowing them to be the first to shop the collection as soon as it is available.
Attendees at the forum were introduced to De Beers’ new trusted source program, Code of Origin. In India, the Code of Origin program will cover a range of diamonds from 0.08 carats and below. Each piece of jewellery that is accompanied by a Code of Origin certificate provides the consumer with the assurance that the diamonds contained within it are natural and conflict free, and were discovered by De Beers in Botswana, Canada, Namibia, or South Africa. Moreover, it lets the consumer know that the Code of Origin diamonds in their jewellery have had a positive impact on the people and places where they were found, helping to provide jobs, education, healthcare and wildlife conservation. The Code of Origin programme is currently running with a limited number of development partners ahead of it being scaled up in 2022.
Also announced during the event was the launch of Okavango Eternal, a strategic partnership between De Beers and National Geographic to address one of the most critical conservation challenges in Africa: protecting the source waters of the Okavango Delta and the lives and livelihoods they support. The five-year commitment, which will help protect Africa’s endangered species, ensure water and food security for more than one million people and develop livelihood opportunities for 10,000 people, represents a critical inward investment to underpin the resilience and long-term recovery of the region in the years ahead. The partnership is focused on working hand in hand with communities throughout the Okavango to deliver shared ecological solutions that lead to shared economic opportunity.
“We’ve aptly themed this year’s forum ‘Make Life Brilliant’. Today more than ever, we are aware of our ability to connect to an even wider range of consumers with our social purpose and to make life brilliant not just for this generation, but for future generations. This year’s forum is a momentous occasion for us where we adapted both virtually and physically to the new normal. It is an opportunity for us to bring our partners together, to interact and transact over three days, and we have made several new and exciting announcements including, our De Beers Forevermark rebrand, the launch of the Forevermark Avaanti collection, and our new Code of Origin programme as well as our motivating new partnership with National Geographic,” said Sachin Jain, Managing Director, De Beers India.
The on-ground event was conducted keeping in place, all the safety and precautionary measures including the rapid antigen test on entry, checking vaccination certificates, temperature screening and mandatory masks. Apart this, the brand also implemented the Predictmedix Safe Entry Stations, an AI-powered product that used non-invasive technology to determine if individuals were displaying any symptoms of infectious disease.
The De Beers Forevermark Forum was marked a success both on-ground and virtually. The brand now gears up for the upcoming season.
