The International Colored Gemstone Association announced the appointments of Pavel Sokolov as the new ICA Ambassador to Russia and Constantin Janho as the new ICA Ambassador to Lebanon. The establishment of these offices signals the growing importance of these two countries in the international gemstone marketplace, said ICA president Joe Menzie.

“Russia has become not only a gem source but an increasingly important market for gemstone consumption, particularly high quality gems, while Lebanon is part of a growing Middle Eastern market that will be center stage at our 2007 Congress in Dubai,” Menzie said. “Spreading knowledge and appreciation of gemstones in that area is a high priority for us.”

Sokolov is president and owner of Sokolov Co., Ltd., one of Russia’s three largest gemstone companies. It specializes in the wholesale market of cut and rough stones and it also has its own cutting factory that facets exclusive stones. Prior to founding the company in 1991, Sokolov worked as a senior geology researcher at St. Petersburg State University.

“I will have the opportunity to share information on the Russian market with ICA members and to promote the colored gemstone trade in the region,” Sokolov said.

Janho is the owner of Tia Jewellery, a Lebanese wholesale and retail colored gemstone business established by his father in 1950. Over the past two decades, Janho has extended his company’s operations to the entire Persian Gulf region. In 2003, he became a member of the Dubai Gold & Jewellery Group. With his vast knowledge of colored stone market trends and worldwide sourcing, he has served as a consultant to many in the Dubai jewelry trade.

“With the 2007 ICA Congress coming to Dubai, I have a powerful opportunity to lead ICA’s mission to continue educating the Gulf region about gemstones and the colored stone industry,” Janho said.

ICA now has 37 ambassadors worldwide.

JCK