Can This Bond Girl Shake (or Stir) Holiday Diamond Sales

RUSSELL SHOR

There’s no doubt that Ana de Armas is gorgeous. And although the label “Bond-Girl” seems so “pre-me-too,” she’s also been handed the task of boosting holiday diamond jewelry sales in a 30-second spot created by the Natural Diamond Council. 

The aim of this short video is to is to connect diamond jewelry with the important relationships in our lives, so the spot, tagged “For Moments Like No Other” begins with Ms de Arms displaying a diamond circle pendant then rushes though moments with friends, lover, family, another brief look at the diamond piece before signing off with the line “only natural diamonds.” 

I ran this by some colleagues whose opinion I respect and received mixed reviews — both reflecting my feeling on this spot. Ms de Arma is an exceptional beauty, the diamond jewelry less so— the design certainly doesn’t seem to want to inspire many people to own it. And the relationships - friend, lover, family — pass so quickly that it’s difficult to make the connection as is the further connection to natural diamonds (Or, perhaps, diamonds by nature). Right track, wrong speed. 

https://moments.naturaldiamonds.com

Still, it’s an improvement on “real is rare” but let’s not forget that by “real” and “natural” mean they come from Earth - Our Earth, which is perhaps our ultimate connection. I have always thought this is what makes diamonds, and other gemstones, so special and it’s why I have related to them.

Using this spot as a jumping off point , CIBJO recently sponsored a high-level webinar featuring David Kellie, the new CEO of the Natural Diamond Council; Stephen Lussier, CEO of De Beers’ ForeverMark; Carol Capeci, CEO of Chow Tai Fook and diamond industry consultant Edahn Golan on how to build demand for natural diamond jewelry. 

Not surprisingly their main point is that a concerted effort is required to be effective and that will require input and funds from ALL players in the diamond pipeline, not just the producers. 

Golan cited reports that diamond jewelry sales have been trending slowly downward since 2004 , five years before De Beers stopped its traditional “Diamonds Are Forever” generic advertising. And since then, the industry has been hit with periodic oversupply crises which have sent sapped profits, raised debts and caused bankruptcies. 

In addition, Capaci, whose brand includes Hearts on Fire, noted that younger people are turning to other gems, or other type of rings to mark their engagement - something that was pretty much a lock for diamonds until recently. 

This is because of a fundamental shift in thinking among younger consumers, said Golan. “Before consumers wanted the same rings only better. Now they want something completely different.”

Clearly a major effort is needed. Usually in such circumstances, all eyes are on De Beers. But Lussier wants the industry to look somewhere else. The company I no longer the industry’s rich uncle and It’s time for the entire trade to pitch in with creative suggestions as well as money., he noted. 

David Kellie isn’t looking for retail miracles from this spot, yet. It’s still below the scale needed to make a huge impact, but grow it must because growing demand bring growing margins for diamonds throughout the diamond pipeline.

All agreed, however, that despite COVID, and the economic uncertainties surrounding it, there are reasons to be optimistic about holiday sales this year. 

Some of this reasons? Consumers haven’t taken vacations this year. And they’ve dined out much less often. There is no “must-have” electronic gadget debuting this fall. So put the word out to threat yourself tor your spouse o a diamond. 

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