French Gemological Symposium to Focus on Diamonds

Paris—The French Association of Gemmology has released speaker lineup for its 18th Paris Gemmological Rendez Vous symposium, and it includes some of the diamond industry’s heaviest hitters.

The event is slated for Sept. 9 at L’Asiem on the city’s Rue Albert de Lapparent. It will cover diamond mining news, the current state of the market and colored diamonds, as well as the scientific, gemological and historic features of natural diamonds.

Speakers include Alan Bronstein, president of the Natural Color Diamond Association; Martin Rapaport, chairman of Rapaport Group; Richard Duffy, CEO of Petra Diamonds; and Stéphane Fischler, president of the World Diamond Council.

It also will feature the following:
--Aurélien Delaunay, director of the French Laboratory of Gemmology;
--David Fisher, principal scientist at De Beers Technology;
--Peter Karakchiev, head of the International Relations Department at Alrosa;
--Jim Pounds, executive vice president, diamonds at Dominion Diamond Mines;
--Eddy Vleeschdraeger, director at the Scientific and Technical Research Center for Diamonds and author of “Hardness 10;” and
--Feriel Zerouki, senior vice president of international relations and ethical initiatives at De Beers.

Didier Giard, president of the French Association of Gemmology, will moderate the symposium.

“This year’s symposium will be taking a comprehensive look at diamonds,” Giard said. “During a period of many challenges to the natural diamond industries, including synthetics and a volatile international market, we are very proud to host such distinguished members of the diamond industry.

“They will be giving us their considered views, backed by years of experience, on the diamond industry from many different angles.”

The one-day event will run from 9:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. Seven presentations will be in English and three in French, so the association will have a constant English-French translation all day.

Tickets are priced at €210 (about $234), which includes a lunch buffet. To register, email gemmes7@orange.fr. If registering in the month of August, include giard.didier@gmail.com on the email.