NCDIA Opens New Bangkok Office

RAPAPORT... The Natural Color Diamond Association (NCDIA) has opened anew office at the Jewelry Trade Center in Bangkok, bringing it closer to other industry organizations. The location also houses the Bangkok Diamonds and PreciousStones Exchange (BDPE), as well as the Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences(AIGS) laboratory. "NCDIA and the BDPE's board of directors are in alignmentand will speak with 'one voice' to the Thai government [advocating] for lawsthat facilitate and promote the diamond business as a whole," said BarbaraWheat, director of NCDIA Asia and vice president of international relations forthe Ho Group of Companies, which includes AIGS. The new site will be used to hold educational seminars forconsumers on natural colored diamonds. Additionally, the AIGS is working on issuing a "qualitymark" to raise awareness and appreciation of natural colored diamonds, whileNCDIA Asia is working on an exclusive colored-diamond exhibition to be held inChina in 2019.