Rapaport to Present 'State of the Diamond Industry'

RAPAPORT... The annual Rapaport Breakfast this Thursday will explore what's next for the diamond industry as it navigates the economic crisis resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. "This will be one of the most important presentations I have ever made," said Martin Rapaport, chairman of the Rapaport Group, who will make his "State of the Diamond Industry" presentation online on June 4 at 12 p.m. EDT. Registration is open at www.rapaport.com/webinar."We are in the very early stages of economic reactivation. Many are thinking about what to do," Rapaport noted. "We are sure that things will not be the same as they were. We are not sure about what our future holds. Before we were scared, now we are uncertain. Thinking. Questioning."Rapaport will assess the outlook for diamond demand, how the trade can create and capture value in the new normal of the post-coronavirus environment, and whether jewelers can add value by humanizing the digital experience. The annual Rapaport Breakfast, which usually takes place during the JCK Las Vegas show, will include a discussion with Tracey Ellison, whose Instagram account, TheDiamondsGirl, has more than 719,000 followers. In the run-up to the breakfast, Rapaport Group has launched a campaign to raise up to $100,000 for the Jewelers for Children charity. The company will match the first $50,000 of any donations to the charity in the "Double Down for the Kids" campaign. Donors can pledge at www.Rapaport.com/community"This initiative is a great opportunity for members of the jewelry trade to have their donations doubled," said Debra Puzio, board chair of Jewelers for Children. "While we recognize these are challenging times for the industry, they are even more challenging for children at risk."Main image: Martin Rapaport at the Rapaport Breakfast in Las Vegas in 2019. Inset: Tracey Ellison.