More on the Forevermark
The "Forevermark" seems to be assuming a greater and greater importance in De Beers-land. An alert correspondent noted some interesting points in this release, about the 42-carat Forevermarked stone Rosy Blue is displaying in Basel:
- First, these sentences: "De Beers Group Marketing focuses on three core activities. The division’s main mission is to build and develop the FOREVERMARK."
So the Forevermark is now the main mission of De Beers marketing? Wow.
- There is also this: “FOREVERMARK currently is only available at exclusive retailers in Hong Kong, Japan, China and India.”
That’s basically every place where De Beers actively markets, except, of course, for the U.S. And we all know why they aren’t doing it here. Yet.
The release says that each Forevermarked stone is "genuine, natural and untreated," and since the inscription is "invisible to the naked eye" it is "the diamond owner’s secret." (Kind of an odd angle to take.) Some sightholders are convinced that De Beers will have to open up a lab to expand what the Forevermark stands for. Not everyone associated with the DTC agrees with that, however; it would certainly shake things up.
From everything I’ve heard, the Mark so far is only a big success in Hong Kong. Still, it’s early for the other markets. And clearly something big is brewing …
Sushil Choksey commented:
DTC "Forever" et al and an average peron like me take on it..DTC is
"Forever" evolving and over the past ten years it has changed at a
pace faster than the industry itself. Strategically moving away
from Arygle..(smaller diamonds, champagne diamonds and as some
allege it is because of the continuous drubbing the English have
taken from the Australians in the "Ashes" cricket series!!)The
Australians were astute enough to realize that in the long term
plans of DTC there were well expendable. They refused to toe the
line be cow towed in accepting lower prices and forged an alliance
with the Indian Diamond Industry that benefited both. The model
developed, supported and benefited both partners. DTC introduced
and promoted the three stone "Past, Present and Future" which
breathed some life in our moribund trade..we all rode it.. They
then initiated the "SOC" and we all know how that has panned out...
and simultaneously introduced the "RHR" concept which again made an
attempt to create and revive interest in the consumer mind and
again changing to the realities of a world in flux.. moving their
headquarters from London to Botswana..(sight allocations) and
making their foray into retail. They also gave the industry the
Journey Concept which we promptly commoditized it.. Once again DTC
transformed and again initiated change... which would have been
considered heresy a few years ago.. cutting advertising and funding
in the US.. DTC is "Forever Changing" and now they have learnt from
all these exercises and know that where it counts "Forever" is in
the mind of the consumer…maybe we in trade might have an
answer why they need to keep raising prices. We need to appreciate
what the DTC has given the trade for so many years.. and so
‘thank you” and understand it is strictly business. The
more important lesson is we need to borrow from them is to change,
evolve and continue to make our products and services relevant with
the consumer. The trade should work on setting up a corpus for
picking up where the DTC will pull out.. Keep the message of
Diamonds… FOREVER in the minds of all US Consumers.
Gillan Arnold commented:
I was headhunted in 2006 for the position of Managing Director,
Value Added Services, a division to be newly created by the DTC. I
was requested by the Executive Search firm to prepare a strategy
for the new division. A part of my strategy was to create DTC-owned
diamond testing labs in order to create and substantiate Forever
Mark Certification of De Beers’ diamonds which while creating
additional income for the DTC, would increase consumer confidence.
I strongly believe this is a step necessary to validate the
Forevermarked stones.
