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Edahn Golan is a veteran of the diamond industry, researching and writing about it since 2001.
He specializes in a wide range of topics relating to this unique industry, including the way it operates, wholesale and retail polished diamond prices, the rough diamond sector of the diamond pipeline, and investment in diamonds.
Edahn Golan Diamond Research, Analysis & Data was formed to provide research analysis and consultancy services for the global diamond industry.
His sphere of activities ranges from in-depth data analysis based on his own detailed data, research of the diamond mining, wholesale and retail markets, rough and polished price analysis, and more.
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Question #1 – Edahn, you’re a recognized independent global expert in the research and analysis of the diamond markets. You’ve earned your B.A. in Communication Arts from San Francisco State University where you focused on television and video directing and producing. So how did you make the transition from television producing to doing research on the global diamond trade? Timestamp: [4:00]
Question #2 – The article was written by Rob Bates, the JCK News Director on May 29th, 2018 titled, “De Beers: Why We’re Going Into Lab-Grown Diamonds” signaled a radical departure from the staunch, formerly held De Beers company line that essentially said, “Lab-grown diamonds aren’t the real thing.” The question that so many are asking is, “Why did De Beers change their stance, and why now?” Obviously, this is a business decision, but are there other factors in play as well in your opinion? Timestamp: [7:57]
Question #3 – On May 30th you published an article titled, “Lightbox: Disrupting the Disrupters and Evolving. In the article, one of my favorite lines you wrote was, “LG growers disrupted the diamond industry. De Beers’ answer is to disrupt the LG market.” There were so many great points you brought up in that article. Could you take a few minutes to share the highlights and the point you were trying to make? Timestamp: [17:05]
Question #4 – One of the most intriguing stories of 2017 was that a billionaire diamond dealer had been linked with a $1.8 billion fraud as reported by one of India’s biggest banks. With that story as the backdrop, can the Indian diamond cutter industry take another hit this year with De Beer’s jump into the lab-grown diamond market? What effect does these two development have on an already shaky diamond supply chain? Timestamp: [23:44]
Question #5 – Edahn one of your articles that really caught my eye was the one titled, “U.S. Diamond Trade: The Figures Reveal Oddities” published on February 12t,h 2018. In the article, you wrote, and I quote, “Good stories start with facts that raise questions. In this case, the question is why a consumer market would import eight times the number of diamonds it consumes. Or how a country with no diamond mining might export more rough than it imports” end of quote. I may simply be naive here but where is all the diamond rough coming from, and why isn’t someone looking into this? Timestamp: [31:48]
Question #6 – On April 4t,h 2018 you published a great article titled, “Baselworld 2018 and the Marginalization of Diamonds.” You wrote and I quote, “, even if all the marketing efforts were working well and diamond sales were on the rise, the diamond industry would still not catch up with the luxury market and would continue to lose market share to it” end of quote. Can you give us your perspective on Basel this year, and do you feel the diamond industry can catch up to the luxury market? Timestamp: [38:14]
Question #7 – Recently De Beers has announced it has successfully developed blockchain technology to track its diamonds. Could you briefly explain how blockchain technology works in this situation and in your opinion, why De Beers is using it and what impact it might have on the diamond industry? Timestamp: [47:02]
Question #8 – You created a successful business called, “Edahn Golan Diamond Research & Data” to provide research analysis and consultancy services for the global diamond industry. Can you explain some of the important services your firm provides? Timestamp: [1:04:17]
Question #9 – The future is always in flux, especially with the backdrop of emerging technological advances, but for many in the jewelry trade this announcement by DeBeers initially seems like a game-changer. How do you see the jewelry trade changing over the next five years, and what steps should vendors in the diamond pipeline and jewelry retailers be taking now to change as well? Timestamp: [1:10:43]
Contact Information
- LindedIn: Edahn Golan
- Website: Edahn Golan Diamond Research, Analysis & Data
- Email: eg@edahngolan.com
- Twitter: Edahn
Our “Inside the Jewelry Trade” Radio Show Episodes
The host of “Inside the Jewelry Trade” Radio Show – Jewelry Business Strategist – President of Four Grainer LLC. Author of the business books “A Reason To Chant,” and “A Reason to Chant – Jewelry Trade Edition.” Rod lives in Atlanta with his wife and two almost-human cats.