Diamond sales prompt certification in Arabic

Authentication certificates for diamonds are being issued in Arabic for the first time as demand for the precious stones in the UAE soars. Documents setting out the colour, weight and quality of precious stones have traditionally been supplied in other languages by international certification firms.

Now the Arabic versions are being made available for clients in the region and across the world by International Diamond Laboratories (IDL), an initiative of the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre.

And the move has been welcomed by traders and jewellers who say it will help boost their business further. There is a growing trend for jewellers to provide certificates with their products and a number of local organisations, including the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE), have started to issue the documents.

“The Middle East is the third-largest consumer of diamond jewellery in the world and the demand is growing at a rapid pace,” said Tamjid Abdullah, Deputy Managing Director of Damas. “Arabic diamond certification services provided by IDL will prove useful to traders and buyers alike in establishing the true value of a diamond.”

Joy Alukkas, Chairman of Joy Alukkas Jewellery, said: “With the business increasing by more than 40 per cent in the last two to three years, it is a welcome idea to have international quality assurance certificates for diamonds sold in the market.”

DDE chief Yori Steverlynck said: “The only way to grow the market consistently is to build and retain consumer confidence by ensuring the quality of products sold to them.

“The Middle East has a higher percentage of certified diamonds than many other markets in the world, so the issue is more about creating consumer awareness about quality than concern over fraudulent practices in the market.”