Solitaire Gemmological Laboratories opens new Mumbai lab, an “experience center”
July 8, 2017 – SGL’s proprietary technology helps in detecting lab grown diamonds in loose as well as set jewellery, director Chirag Soni tells Jewellery Outlook Editor David Brough.
Chirag, what advantages does SGL have in terms of the technology it uses to detect synthetics in loose diamonds and set jewellery?
Global synthetic diamond production is growing rapidly fuelled by the high demand and low cost of manufacturing gem quality synthetic diamonds.
SGL’s proprietary technology helps in detecting lab grown diamonds in loose as well as set jewellery and all our labs worldwide carry the same tech to offer our customers the absolute peace of mind by confirming the nature of origin.
You will be opening a major new lab in Mumbai, not far from the Bharat Diamond Bourse, in July 2017. What are your plans for this lab in terms of reaching out to the local market for certification of diamonds, and why that location?
Our new lab is definitely a milestone and we call it an ‘experience center’ more than just a lab, the key reason being our open door policy for the members of the trade to be our guest and view our technology to better understand how SGL is efficiently delivering the promise of ‘certifying with integrity and commitment’.
SGL has always promoted best business practices of certification. Opening up a laboratory so close to Bharat Diamond Bourse will facilitate easy access and a faster turnaround time for the mainstream diamond industry in Mumbai with a focus on screening and certifying loose diamonds.
What sort of courses is SGL offering in India, and what impact is this educational approach having for SGL?
SGL’s gemmological courses can termed ‘fairly intense’ as far as the core educational material as well as the practicals are concerned. Our aim is to impart enough knowledge to the students so that they can face the real world where diamonds and gemstones have to be graded/identified in a daily market scenario.
We offer a wide variety of samples in our courses which provide a wealth of resources dedicated to their success using real gemstones and state-of-the-art equipment.
SGL has two labs in Saudi Arabia? How is the Saudi market?
Yes, SGL has laboratories in Riyadh and Jeddah which are the major diamond and jewellery centers in the country and which cater to the local retailers and traders.
We are also the only lab appointed by the Ministry of Commerce and Industries of Saudi Arabia to provide authentication and certification services to Saudi customs for all the precious goods that enter the country through Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam airports.
The Saudi market represents about 60% of the jewellery demand in the Middle East. Its unrivalled spending power makes it a magnet for the major international jewellery brands who want a slice of the pie.
