De Beers hosted the 11th edition of its Annual Forum

Mumbai: July 1, 2022 – The De Beers Group, the world’s leading diamond company, held its annual Forum this week. The Forum brought together all its authorized partners, diamantaires, and manufacturers from across the country as well as key decision-makers from the De Beers global team.

The idea behind the three-day Forum was to facilitate a common platform for members of the diamond industry to interact, network and spark insightful conversations around the growth and vision of the brand as well as for the natural diamond industry at large.

This year the theme encapsulated De Beers’ most historic tagline, ‘A Diamond Is Forever’ which galvanized the brand’s legacy as the storyteller of forever. This year marks the 75th anniversary of this iconic tagline.

The attendees of the Forum experienced interesting retail technology innovations which demonstrated the brand’s unique aspects. Bringing gamification to the forefront interactive games using various elements of the brand was displayed. The diamond journey was demonstrated using advanced projection mapping technology.  Another fascinating creation was a special dark room that brought the sounds of the Okavango Delta in Botswana to Mumbai using the light and beauty of a De Beers diamond. Highlighting De Beers’ sustainability goals for 2030, there was a series of interactive animations designed, and through light projections, it made each initiative come to life.

Marc Jacheet, CEO De Beers Brands said, “India has played a crucial role in the diamond industry globally and the Forum helps us further connect with our authorised partners.  Today’s clients are increasingly looking for brands that reflect their values and inspire trust. A diamond from the De Beers group holds the inherent value of preciousness and reflects the strength of the Building Forever 2030 sustainability goals.”

At the Forum, the brand also announced the launch of new designs in the Forevermark Avaanti Collection. Adding a fresh, contemporary chapter to the evolution of the modern collection, the latest designs embody a spirit of possibility, inspiring the wearer to realise their power and make a lasting statement every day. The new rings, pendants, and earrings all feature a beautiful, rare, and responsibly sourced De Beers Forevermark diamond, set in 18K yellow, white or rose gold. The clean, dynamic designs are also available with the added radiance of pavé-set diamonds.

The special ‘Knowledge Series’ brought together eminent speakers from across industries including Mr. Harsh Mariwala, Founder & Chairman of Marico who spoke about his entrepreneurial journey giving a fresh perspective to the jewellery industry. His Excellency Mr. Gilbert S. Mangole, High Commissioner of Botswana to India highlighted the partnership between De Beers and Botswana speaking on how diamonds do good for the community along with India’s importance to the diamond industry. As well as Namrata Singh, Head-Metaverse & Digital, Sony Entertainment Talent Ventures India (SETVI) who opened doors to exploring brands in the metaverse universe.

“Over the years, the De Beers group have continued to draw inspiration from the iconic line, ‘A Diamond Is Forever’ through all the highs and lows, as well as through changing circumstances. Through it all, De Beers has steered through changing market dynamics, including even the most recent pandemic. Our perseverance has seen phenomenal business growth over the past year. We continue to focus on agility, quick adaption and being connected to the emotional quotient of our consumers across the board. Each year the Forum is an opportunity for us to bring our partners together, to network and transact over three days, and this year they even had the opportunity to interact with our global team who have visited India after a two-year hiatus. We are looking forward to an extremely positive season ahead,” said Sachin Jain, Managing Director, De Beers India.

The De Beers Forum has marked a success displaying over 3000 designs from 16 manufacturers with over 500 attendees each day. The brand is now geared up for the upcoming season.