DiamondID®.com Set to Launch
Consumer site will be comprehensive guide to diamonds

So much more than just a registry to identify GCAL Certified Diamonds, our new DiamondID®.com website will actually be a full-service portal for all of the consumer’s questions about securing, buying and understanding diamonds. Now in the final stages of preparation and launching in October, DiamondID®.com will not only promote GCAL as the premiere independent certification authority, but will make your job of selling GCAL Certified Diamonds even easier at the counter. As explained in the last newsletter, the site will be, first and foremost, a registry based on the Gemprint® and DID® international database. This will allow your customers a sense of peace of mind that their stone is further protected from swapping, and has a greater chance of recovery if lost or stolen. With the ability to log on independently and easily, the consumer is put in control of their important purchase.

But beyond the Gemprint®/ DiamondID® registry portion of the site, it will also offer six other sections that will educate the consumer, about both the diamond industry and GCAL’s unmatched grading certificates and services.

“While DiamondID®.com is all about security, we saw it as a chance to create something even more valuable to the consumer: An all-inclusive website that demystifies the industry and makes buying and certifying clear and concise,” explains Donald A. Palmieri, GCAL President. “The more educated and informed the consumer is, the more our industry will benefit by living up to those higher standards.”

The first section will be a Learning Center that explains diamonds from mine to marketplace. From the 4Cs to diamond fashion, and augmented with a glossary of terms, this portion of the site is a great roundup for novice consumers or those who want to brush up on the basics. In “Understanding Value”, questions about grading and quality are answered. An interactive price range calculator based on budget and shape is one great feature of this section. The Diamond Purchase Planning Center gives concrete tips on how to buy diamonds, including a printable Buying Survival Guide and answers to engagement dilemmas.

We’re also offering the consumer both a “Find a Jeweler” and “Find a [CDE] Diamond” feature; a comprehensive list of lab services, and a “Why GCAL” section that explains the advantages of choosing a GCAL Certified Diamond. This will be the one consumer site where consumers can get accurate facts on how to protect their investments, and it will also dispel all the myths associated with the diamond buying process.

For more info on Gemprint®, log on to www.gemprint.com. Check www.gemfacts.com often to confirm the exact launch date of DiamondID.com.
 

Ring My Bell

Michael Haynes, Chief Executive Officer of Collectors Universe, Inc. (CLCT) rang the NASDAQ Closing Bell on July 28, 2008. Held at the NASDAQ MarketSite at 4 Times Square in Manhattan, the Bell ceremony was followed by a cocktail party for GCAL customers.

GCAL is the only diamond grading company that is owned through the NASDAQ as a part of publicly-traded Collectors Universe. Any sight-holder, dealer, retailer or even retail customer has the opportunity to own publicly traded shares that represent part ownership of GCAL.

Look Who's Branding With GCAL

More Sources for GCAL Certified Diamonds
There is no doubt that GCAL Certified Diamonds are a great selling tool at the counter. Beyond guaranteed grading and the bonus of our Gemprint® Registry, customers know that they are getting exactly what they pay for.

Want to expand your inventory of GCAL Certified Diamonds? Look no further than these four exceptional companies that pride themselves on quality and service.

The FireMark™ is a Princess Cut Diamond that rivals an Ideal Round in fire, brilliance and light performance. The patent pending FireMark™ Princess Cut from Hasenfeld-Stein, features a unique “Double Crown” (with additional facets and distinctive angles), smaller table, shallower depth (so consumers aren’t paying for weight they can’t see), and chamfered corners (invisible to the naked eye). All FireMark™ Princess Cut Diamonds come with a GCAL Certificate, and must achieve GCAL’s grade of “Excellent” for Light Performance. FireMark™ is only available to independent retail jewelers (not sold to chains, on the internet, or found on any diamond listing). Included is a full marketing support program, limited geographic exclusivity, sales training, and more.

To find out how to become a FireMark™ retailer, please contact: Steve Feldman at Hasenfeld-Stein, 212.575.0290, ext. 145, or email sfeldman@hasenfeld-stein.com.

Cushette® a creation of Vision Cut’s Michael Schachter, is a patented 77 facet diamond that offers the classical properties of a cushion shape, with the brilliance and fire of the best cut round diamonds. All Cushette® diamonds come with a GCAL Guaranteed Diamond Grading Certificate and are sold only through authorized retailers (not sold to chains, on the internet, or found on any diamond listing service). Additional marketing and incentive programs are available.

To find out how to become a Cushette® authorized retailer, please contact: Jason or Michael Schachter at Vision Cut, 212.730.2724, or email info@visioncut.com.

Julius Klein Group, a multi-national manufacturer and sightholder, has a high quality inventory ranging from thirds to 50 + carats and everything in between in round and fancy shapes.

For more information, please contact: Isaac Fisch 212.719.1811

Esskay Gems has been in business for more than 50 years and offers reliably manufactured high quality goods ranging from thirds to 10+ carats and everything in between in round and fancy shapes.

For more information, please contact: Benjamin Krischer 212.719.1722

CDE Adds Jewelry to Site
Expansion to offers certified diamond jewelry to members

Exciting news from Certified Diamond Exchange: In late September, finished jewelry will be added to the site , so now you can find the solitaires, studs, pendants and journey diamond jewelry you need quickly and easily. All of the pieces will feature GCAL Certified Diamonds, so making the sale will put both you and your customer’s mind at ease. Be sure to check out all of the new listings in time for the upcoming holiday season. CDE is also proud to announce the following new sellers: A.S. Diamonds: Alain Spira, 212.221.9751 Aura International Inc.: Joel Rosenfeld, 212.944.8491 KGK Diamonds: Alan Bloom, 212.893.8080 Moshe Namdar: Raizee Friedman, 212.759.0500 Ovadia Diamonds: Guy Yosef, 212.319.8840 R & R Grosbard: Jinish Shah, 917.548.7424 Signature Diamond: Jeremy Hill, 212.869.5115

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New Product Spotlight
Diamond ID® Specialized Cert

DiamondID® is a patented process that positively identifies a diamond, backed by our Gemprint® optical fingerprint of the diamond. This Cert gives customers a 10% discount on insurance, and there is an inventory program for bulk clients. This service can be performed in our lab or remotely in a dealer’s office or a jewelry store. In Lab Service. .$25 per diamond* (includes weight and measurement of unmounted diamonds)

Safety First
JSA’s John J. Kennedy wants to protect your business

Recently awarded AGS’ Lifetime Achievement Award, John J. Kennedy has been working to prevent crime in our industry as the President of the Jewelers Security Alliance since 1993. This non-profit trade association not only informs and alerts jewelers about crime, but also deals directly with the FBI and local law enforcement. This past April, GCAL President Donald A. Palmieri spoke at JSA’s annual conference in Ft. Lauderdale, FL about Gemprint®, the unique optical fingerprint of a diamond. This patented technology is particularly useful not only to consumers, but to agencies like JSA and the FBI if they need to identify stolen goods. Gemprint® further prevents the sale of stolen diamonds by notifying auction houses and retailers of the DiamondID® Registry. GCAL now catches up with Kennedy to discuss the state of jewelry crime, how to protect one’s business and employees, and new projects on the horizon.

 DiamondProfile®: Looking at the differences between 2007 and 2006 in dollar losses and number of criminal events, it seems like we’re making progress. Is that true?

John J. Kennedy: Yes, definitely. In the immediate past, we’ve made very good progress. But if you compare that to five, six or seven years ago, we’re made tremendous progress. Compared to 10 years ago, the industry’s inflation-adjusted dollar losses are about half of what they were, and homicide losses have gone down from 15-16 a year to one or two.

DP: What is the best way to educate yourself and your staff about jewelry crime?

JJK: The best source of comprehensive information is our 137-page manual on security. We give procedures to avoiding crimes, and it really is a vital tool. To stay up to date, our website is a great place to go. We alert the industry on suspects and scams, and even post video of actual crimes. One of our member benefits is our weekly email alert that will keep you completely up-to-date.

DP: Traveling salespeople have a dangerous job. How can they protect themselves?

JJK: When leaving a sales call, home or office, they should assume they are being followed. Use evasive driving action–ride around the block slowly; pull into a bank or fast-food restaurant, or just drive slowly to see if someone is following. Park as close as possible to the store, and ask someone from the store to keep an eye on you as you leave. This can highly reduce the risks.

DP: What are your most important current projects?

JJK: Just this year we’ve launched local crime prevention networks, which are extremely important in reducing crime. Since we’re a national organization, we can’t always be on top of every city. By helping local jewelers and police come together to share information, we can crack down on the criminals who frequently commit crimes in the same town or region around the same period of time. This program raises security awareness and raises arrests, and we’ve [along with partners Jewelers Mutual and JA] raised $1.25 million from 49 different industry sources thus far.

To visit JSA’s website or become a member, log on to www.jewelerssecurity.org, or email jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org. To find out more information on how Gemprint® can protect your inventory, go to www.gemfacts.com.

GCAL Circles The Globe

Here is a roundup of some of our most recent appearances at conferences, training sessions and trade shows around the world.

Donald A. Palmieri led a Bailey Banks & Biddle training on Monday August 4 in Phoenix, Arizona. Attended by over 100 sales associates and managers, the session explained GCAL’s services and certificates, as well as introduced new manuals and CDs. This well-received program is part of ongoing education for Bailey Banks & Biddle around the country.

Lioudmila Tretiakova, Ph.D., G.G., GCAL’s Senior Research Gemologist, was in Frankfurt, Germany at the 9th International Kimberlite Conference from August 10-15. There to discuss her research on “Significance of Spectroscopic Methods for the Identification Defects in Diamonds”, she joined other academic and exploration communities to exchange recent scientific results and experiences and to promote progress. Only held every four or five years, the Conference started in Cape Town, South Africa in 1973.

Dan Gillen, G.G., GCAL’s Laboratory Director, spoke at the 30th NAJA Mid-Year ACE© IT Education Conference in Oak Brook, IL. His presentation on Monday, August 4 was called “Flawless Diamond Grading - All Included!” The Conference is designed for the professional gem and jewelry appraiser and like-minded professionals with similar goals and related business challenges.

Teresa Shannon, GCAL consultant and former Director of Education at MJSA, spoke at the SJTA Atlanta Jewelry Show on August 9. Her presentation, “Boost Diamond Sales Through Greater Consumer Confidence & Differentiation,” educated attendees on selling tactics and better understanding of customers.

Making The Grade
Rule for Grading Feathers

This regular series by Lab Directors Dan Gillen B.Sc.,G.G., and Halina Kaban, G.G., teaches you the tricks of the trade of GCAL’s expert graders.

Feather inclusions that determine a clarity grade are graded by comparing a nature/size grade with the face up appearance grade.

Tip #1
If the face-up grade for a feather is 2 clarities higher than the nature grade, raise the clarity one grade higher than the nature grade.

Here is an example:
I1 feather by nature
SI1 feather in face-up view
Final grade is SI2

Tip #2
Never raise a nature/size grade by more than one grade even if the face up appearance grade would be more than two grades better.

Tip #3
If the face-up grade for a feather is 3 or more clarities higher than the nature grade, raise the clarity only one grade higher than the nature grade.

Here is an example:
I1 feather by nature
VS2 feather in face-up view
Final grade is SI2

Tip #4
Never raise a nature/size grade if the face up appearance grade is the same or only one grade better than the nature grade.

Here is an example:
I1 feather by nature
SI2 feather in face-up view
Final grade is I1

Integrity Guaranteed

As an independent third party, GCAL provides exclusive guaranteed premium diamond certificates, standing behind every diamond that is graded. Every diamond certified comes with a money-backed GCAL Zero Tolerance Consumer Guarantee.

1. Every GCAL Diamond Grading Certificate is a scientific analysis backed by a Zero Tolerance 4Cs Consumer Guarantee.

2. Gemprint®. An optical fingerprint for positive identification.

3. Laser Inscription. Unique identification number is engraved on girdle and captured in a photomicrograph.

4. Carat Weight. Exact measurement of weight. There are 5 carats in one gram.

5. Measurements. Precisely measured in millimeters. There are 25.4mm to one inch.

6. Polish. The quality of the surface, and freeness from scratches.

7. External Symmetry. The quality of the cutters craftsmanship and facet alignment.

8. Color. Graded on a scale from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow). Graded in a standardized lighting environment and compared to a set of precision Master Color diamonds.

9. Fluorescence. An identifying characteristic when exposed to long wave ultraviolet light.

10. Treatments. All diamonds are thoroughly examined to assure they are 100% natural.

11. Clarity. GCAL utilizes consensus grading by experienced diamond experts who examine and grade both color and clarity of every diamond.

12. Comments. Notes any important remarks about the diamond, such as inscriptions on the girdle.

13. Photomicrographs. Photos of the crown and pavilion show internal and external characteristics visible at 10x power magnification.

14. Optical Brilliance Analysis. Brilliance is the overall return of light to the viewer. A digital photograph of the diamond taken in a special lighting environment, illustrates light return (white areas) and light loss (dark blue areas).

15. Optical Symmetry Analysis. A direct assessment of the pattern of light return illustrating the faceting precision.

16. Proportion Diagram. An actual to-scale diagram illustrating all angles and measurements.

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