19 Aug 2019

DeBeers Botswana last week  hosted Forevermark USA Carat Club members with a view to enhance their appreciation the journey of a diamond from mine to finger.

The objective was also to appreciate the socio-economic impact of each diamond mined in improving the livelihoods of communities in producer countries.

Thus, while in Botswana, Forevermark USA Carat Club members toured Jwaneng mine, De Beers global sightholder sales and KGK diamond cutting and polishing factory.  

“You coming here means a lot because we know that you interact with our customers and this personalises the relationship because now that you have been here, you are not just going to sell the diamond as a beautiful stone, you are selling the beauty of where it comes from,” noted DeBeers vice president of corporate affairs and government relations, Ms Pat Dambe.

 The First lady, Ms Neo Masisi applauded Botswana for her prudent diamond management policy and good governance, which paved way for sustainable mining of the country’s diamonds, ensuring citizens benefit as a result.  “For some of us it is thanks to the enduring desire for diamonds and the revenues that each one of you have contributed to, that Botswana has subsequently been able to use diamond revenues for development,” she noted.  

Ms Masisi who is a diamond ambassador, shared her personal diamond story of how she benefitted from a Debswana -funded scholarship, which guaranteed a position for her with the company upon completion of her studies. 

She therefore urged the group to appreciate aspects of Botswana’s development that they were contributing toward.

The visit to Botswana left a profound impression on some of the carat club members who noted that they had gained an enriched perspective and appreciation on how diamonds were mined. President of Morton & Rudolph Jewelers in New Jersey, Mr Jack DeAngelis said that the personal experience would make selling Botswana’s diamonds more reliable

“It is more than taking a product to a counter. It is bringing the true story of its intrinsic value and the journey that it goes through from the beginning until it is polished to bring out its beauty.

So I will do my best to share this in a personal way and I believe it will bring trememndous value to us,” reflected Mr DeAngelis.

Forevermark is a diamond brand of De Beers Group, which has a long history of diamond expertise spanning more than 130 years and priding itself in selling responsibly sourced diamonds. ENDS