I. Hennig & Co., the famed broker for the Diamond
Trading Company, has acquired an equity interest in Verichannel, the two
parties announced June 1.

Verichannel, headed by former Polygon CEO Jacques Voorhees
and GIA president Bill Boyajian, is an online diamond trading platform and
jewelry industry search engine that showcases diamonds online within hours of
when the stones have been graded. The company has established direct computer
links with the primary grading laboratories, including GIA, HRD, IGI, and AGS.

“I. Hennig is an ideal partner for Verichannel,”
said Jacques Voorhees, CEO, in  a
statement.  “While the diamond
industry has been moving online since the early eighties, the business is still
based primarily on people, relationships, and trust. And probably always will
be. These, of course, are Hennig’s strengths.”

Verichannel also provides search engine functionality for
finding companies, products, and other services in the industry, using
Google-based technology combined with its own proprietary software.  

JCK