Israeli company launches Canadian diamond brand

The allure of ice from icy parts continues to grow, as Waldman Diamond Co. announced the upcoming launch of a new Canadian diamond brand, "Arctic Love Diamonds."

The Israel-based diamond manufacturing and trading firm plans to unveil the new brand next month in Vancouver, British Columbia. Waldman developed the new brand to market its allocation from the Diavik Mine in Canada's Northwest Territories.

"We're absolutely thrilled to contribute to enhancing Vancouver's status as a diamond trading center for the sale of Canadian-sourced diamonds to the Canadian retail market," Alexander Waldman, Waldman's founder and CEO, said in a release. "As a core client of Rio Tinto and Aber, the two companies that jointly own the Diavik Mine, we are committed to preserving the Canadian origin of the stones we produce. This we will do by marketing these gem-quality diamonds to the Canadian consumer."

Arctic Love Diamonds will be cut and polished at Waldman's Israeli facilities, and will be accompanied by diamond grading reports from either the Gem Trade Laboratory of the Gemological Institute of America or the American Gem Society Laboratory. Additionally, they each will have their own unique "Certificate of Origin."

As part of a larger effort to target the Canadian retail jewelry market, the company opened a Vancouver office last year. Each with more than 20 years of experience in the Canadian diamond industry, Craig de Gruchy and Neil Matkin are heading the office.

"Our company is one of only three diamond companies that have been asked by Rio Tinto to take part in a pilot project to supply polished diamonds originating in the Diavik Mine to the Canadian and North American retail jewelry markets," Waldman said in the statement, adding that the Vancouver office will help WDC upgrade its marketing efforts across Canada.

"Our group's jewelry manufacturing and marketing arm, Waldman Diamonds Complete, will also begin operating from our new office in Vancouver," he said. "Waldman Diamonds Complete will market diamond jewelry set with both Canadian and non-Canadian stones throughout Canada."

The new initiatives further the company's goals of developing an integrated marketing body that accompanies the diamond product from mine to market, and becoming a preferred supplier of loose diamonds and finished diamond jewelry.