Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba will collaborate with the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) to bring Belgian diamonds to Chinese consumers, wrote Rapaport in a press release. “Chinese consumers love Antwerp diamonds, and China is the second-largest market in the world for polished diamonds,” the AWDC said.
Shape of Antwerp diamonds will be sold only on the Chinese retailer’s Tmall online marketplace. Consumers can select a stone and have the diamond set into a design of their choice.
All stones in the Shape of Antwerp collection will be certified by HRD Antwerp and laser-engraved a tamper-proof QR code onto the girdle. Consumers can scan the QR code to follow their diamond’s journey from Antwerp to China using the platform’s blockchain technology.
“We want consumers to enjoy their stunning new diamonds instead of worrying about the quality,” said Michel Janssens HRD Antwerp CEO. “By certifying every stone, HRD Antwerp guarantees the stone’s natural origins as well as the quality of its 4Cs, so consumers receive exactly what they are expecting.”
Alibaba also signed an agreement with Richemont, which will make the Swiss luxury retailer’s Net-a-Porter and Mr Porter platforms available through Tmall. Alibaba also announced an expanded collaboration with the Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE) to sell its loose stones on their Ali Auction site.
Source: Rapaport
