The leaders of the major American diamond industry and trade organizations, the Diamond Dealers Club of New York (DDC) and the Diamond Manufacturers & Importers Association of America (DMIA), pledged their support to the goals and the programme of the World Diamond Mark (WDM).

During his visit to New York, Alex Popov, Chairman of the World Diamond Mark Foundation (WDMF), met with DDC president Reuven Kaufman and DMIA president Ronnie VanderLinden earlier this week and briefed them on the WDM's progress. Both Kaufman and VanderLinden pledged their organizations' support to the WDM's objectives.

"The American diamond and diamond jewelry industry caters to the world's largest, most sophisticated and most demanding consumer market. We are convinced that the WDM program and in particular the Authorized Diamond Dealer® concept will be instrumental in boosting consumer confidence in diamonds and diamond jewelry, and, not less important, improve our industry's competitive position in the luxury consumer product market," Popov said.DDC president Kaufman was positive about the WDM's chances of success. "We've seen a flurry of efforts to install alternative, generic diamond advertising and marketing campaigns that all have failed. The World Diamond Mark, we believe, will succeed!"DMIA's Ronnie VanderLinden emphasized the need for across-the-board consensus on an all-encompassing generic marketing and advertising campaign for diamond jewelry in the major consumer markets. "Here in the USA, we certainly have felt the lack of a generic, coordinated, consensual consumer campaign for diamond jewelry. We are certain that the WDM programme, including the Authorized Diamond Dealer concept®, constitutes a solid business plan," he stated.

WDM's global objective is to ensure the health and future growth of the diamond and jewellery industry in the luxury market sector. It is based on three fundamental principles: the education of the jewellery retail business community about diamonds; confidence building with the consumer public with the WDM accreditation programme and the creation of a generic marketing programme to promote diamonds and diamond jewellery, based on the Authorized Diamond Dealer concept®.

The Authorized Diamond Dealer® concept is the cornerstone of the WDM programme. The international diamond business community, represented by the WFDB, will accredit jewellery retailers as Authorized Diamond Dealers. This will lead to greater and wider brand recognition of diamonds as a luxury product and to the increased visibility of diamonds in jewellery shops and outlets. Worldwide marketing campaigns will add to greater consumer confidence and enlarge the slice of diamonds in the luxury spending pie