ICA Newsletter - July 2020

Special ICA President's Interview CIBJO Webinar on Traceability

An Interview with Clement Sabbagh, ICA President CIBJO Webinar Gemstone traceability: Viable objective or unrealistic challenge? Thursday June 18th The following questions were asked of the panelists during a recent CIBJO webinar, June 18th, 2020. Click through to see the entire webinar. CIBJO 1.   Is it possible to source responsibly without having a fully traceable supply chain?   ICA CS: "Yes, it is possible to source responsibly as long as we understand the particularities of the business and don’t try to trace physically every single stone."    "This is ICA’s position: 'ICA believes in a practical and reasonable approach to traceability. We can only ask participants to make their best efforts to conduct due diligence in the knowledge that traceability is very limited for the vast majority of the volumes, sources and varieties of gemstones.' " Read more

UPDATED Trade Shows Rescheduled, & Cancelled BASELWORLD - rescheduled for Jan. 28 - Feb. 2, 2021 - CANCELLED JCK 2020 Las Vegas - rescheduled for Aug. 10-14, 2020 - A Virtual Show!  HKTDC March HK Show - rescheduled for Aug. 3-6, 2020 - CANCELLED Informa June HK Show - rescheduled for Nov. 26-29, 2020 - CANCELLED Informa September HK Show - rescheduled for Nov. 9-13, 2020 - NEW DATES 

ICA Congress September 2021 in Shenzhen China! 

Ambassador's Report Fujio Takada, Japan The Japan gemstone market is completely dead. Because of COVID, most of our Department stores and big shopping centers remain closed, and had been closed since mid-March to the end of May. Re-opening began just at the start of June, but consumer demand for colored gems and jewelry is weak. However, large size diamonds have been selling -- in a very small market (maybe because the prices have become more reasonable). We hope that the gems and jewelry market returns to normal soon, and without a second wave of COVID.                              Best regards to all from Japan, Ambassador Fujio TAKADA

InColor Magazine Online NOW! T he Spring/Summer issue of InColor Magazine, just now released, is online! Our Online Flipping Book is an easy way to take your magazines with you. You even have the ability to print pages, or download as well. As you may have read, our Spring issue was postponed due to trade show cancellations and Covid-19 complications. Because of the global pandemic and challenging global economies, we are certain you can appreciate that ICA is being fiscally responsible, so this issue, the Spring/Summer magazine is online only . We do anticipate that the Fall issue will be back in print as well as online. Go to InColor Magazine

ICA has recently revitalized its Instagram account! Introducing: "Member Tuesdays!" If you want to be featured in ICA's Instagram, please send us photos, your head-shot or logo and text including hashtags.   @icagemstone   Please follow us! Send us your Instagram handle so we can follow you as well!    Share something about your company, what you love about the industry, memorable moments, best-selling stones, ideas, etc. No re-posting allowed.   Please send us the images and text.   Contact Cecilia  here  emailing her the info above so you gain more brand exposure!   Don't wait! See Our New Insta!

Recently Updated!

For our m embers, the ICA has put together this small compendium of resources related to COVID-19, its challenges and opportunities. https://www.gemstone.org/members/ica-covid-19-resources 

ICA Committees hold Zoom meetings! The Shows Committee, Memberships Committee, and Communications Committee all met last month in online zoom meetings, working on future plans to help support ICA members and the International Colored Gemstone Industry. The Shows Committee, chaired by Saurabh Bansal, and working closely with Maggie in our Hong Kong office, is carefully watching and evaluating JCK's new Virtual show coming up in August, as well as next year's Tucson and March Hong Kong shows.

The Memberships Committee, headed up by Captain Ramji Sharma, and working closely with Claudiu in our New York office, is introducing a new membership category. In an effort to bring in more young members, ICA is now offering a "Student Membership." You can find this new category and its requirements online in our Members menu. They also want to remind those of you who have not yet renewed for 2020, to do please do so if you are able. The Communications Committee, chaired by Ioannis Alexandris, and working closely with Cecilia in our New York office, helped us in revitalizing our Instagram page, as well as examined several proposals to help get the ICA's mission greater reach.   See our ICA Committees here

20-Carat Emerald Could Fetch $1.2 Million At Phillips Hong Kong Auction Signed jewels by Harry Winston, Chopard, Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, are among the important pieces being offered at Phillips Hong Kong Jewels and Jadeite July sale. However, like most jewelry auctions, statement colored diamonds, colored gems and white diamonds that are expected to attract the most attention from collectors. The July 8 sale of 131 lots at the JW Marriott Hong Kong is ... Read More

Tanzanite: Tanzanian miner becomes overnight millionaire A small-scale miner in Tanzania has become an overnight millionaire after selling two rough Tanzanite stones - the biggest ever find in the country. Saniniu Laizer earned £2.4m ($3.4m) from the country's mining ministry for the gemstones, which had a combined weight of 15kg (33 lb). "There will be a big party tomorrow," Mr Laizer, a father of more than 30 children, told the BBC. Tanzanite is only found in northern Tanzania and is used to make ornaments. It is one of the rarest gemstones on Earth, and one local geologist estimates its supply may be entirely depleted within the next 20 years. Read More

How Will Jewelers Change How They Operate Post-Pandemic? E-commerce, a cash reserve and social media topped concerns. We ended up adding e-commerce and free shipping/local delivery as an option. This happened due to the pandemic closing our doors. Looking forward, I’d say we are optimized and have a basic knowledge of what it would take to keep business running in the case of a future crisis. — Morgan Bartel, Susan's Custom Jewelers, Corpus Christi, TX. Read More

Hong Kong August Shows Canceled The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) has called off this year’s jewelry fairs, scheduled for August, after quarantine rules made the events inaccessible to overseas participants. The HKTDC initially postponed the Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show and the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show from March to August because of the coronavirus. Read More

Coronavirus Updates: Impact on the Trade Timeline of Covid-19-related news affecting the industry The Covid-19 pandemic that has swept the globe has had a notable impact on the diamond industry, with new developments unfolding every day. Here, we present a one-stop, running news feed on industry events impacted by the virus. Read More

Filling the Generation Gap Teens are looking for ways to mark milestones now that proms, graduations and other seminal events have been canceled. Jewelers should be stepping up to meet that demand. Adolescence is hard enough without having to deal with Covid-19 on top of everything. Read More

Jade mine landslide kills at least 160 in Myanmar, with more people still missing Yangon, Myanmar (CNN) At least 162 people have died and others are feared trapped after a landslide at a jade mine in northern Myanmar's Kachin State, according to officials. The landslide was triggered by heavy rain and swept through the site in the jade-rich area of Hpakant on Thursday morning. Read More

2021 forecast colour palette: Coloured gems to look for in the new decade "Catching a colour trend at the right time could result in greater sales and positively impact your bottom line." What do you see when you view your inventory of beautiful gemstones, waiting to be designed into your latest pieces of jewellery? Do you see gems in a variety of different colours with specific species names—or do you see colour trends radiating from their facets? Read More

MEMBERS ONLY Are you an ICA Accredited Ethical Member? It is fast, quick and easy! It will take you maximum 20 minutes. You just need to agree to some statements, check boxes and sign. That’s all. This is the perfect time to do this! Why become an ICA Accredited Ethical Member? Here are the benefits: 1. Update your knowledge, become more aware of all the requirements for being an ethical and responsible gem supplier. 2. Promote the fact that YOU are accredited by the ICA. 3. Customers and consumers will feel more confident working with you and your company. 4. Your business will grow! Read more

ICA's Gems Keep Giving Fund We want to make a difference by providing timely and effective assistance which will focus on the key areas of concern: safety human rights fair work inclusiveness environmental impact resource sustainability and community amenity There will be no administration costs, so this means 100% of monies raised by the ‘Gems Keep Giving’ fund will be utilized for the defined projects.   Read more

ICA Office Update D ear ICA Members, July, 2020 – Whether you are just heading into Summer or Winter, we can all feel the challenges of a year that will not be easily forgotten. And we are only half way there. As you have read above, the ICA knows of these challenges and our leadership and committees are working to help forge the way through the rest of 2020 and into 2021. Please reach out to fellow ICA members for words of advice, strategy, consolation, and friendship. And as always, if we can help with anything from the office, do not hesitate to contact us directly. On behalf of the President, the Board of Directors, and the ICA office staff (Gary, Claudiu, Cecilia, and Maggie),   Keep healthy and stay safe,

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