The fourth edition of the Dubai Diamond Conference (DDC) will take place on 26 September 2019 at the Almas Conference Centre, Almas Tower, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This one-day conference will bring together professionals from the global diamond industry to discuss the impact of technological innovation on the sector, its supply chain and its future prospects.
Panel 1 of the Dubai Diamond Conference
Technological disruption: How will increased production automation affect our supply chain?
Technological advances in diamond production processes have led to greater automation. Some even predict that fully automated production could take place in less than ten years. This would mean a much less labour-intensive work process, in which we could move from a raw product to a finished product with a minimum of intervention. A handful of technology companies are pursuing this objective. At the same time, the automatic sorting of cut products is developing. This implies a transition from a human assessment of product quality to a technological assessment. This group of experts wants to study the implications of these developments.
Panel 2 of the Dubai Diamond Conference
Market disruptions: The arrival of laboratory diamonds – What does it mean for the diamond industry?
Technology now makes it possible to produce quality gemstone diamonds under laboratory and/or factory conditions, which are considered physically equivalent to their mined counterparts. The method of creation is at the heart of the distinction between the two. The technologies used to produce laboratory-grown diamonds (LGDs), namely CVDs and HPHTs, continue to improve and become more cost-effective at a time when mining costs are rising. The main question is how natural diamonds and diamonds grown in laboratories will interact in consumer markets.
Panel 3 of the Dubai Diamond Conference
The diamantaire’s perspective: how to make positive changes in light of current market conditions and disruptions?
The diamond industry has recently experienced difficulties with profitability, which is compressed between rough and polished, while financial risks and market uncertainty are increasing. In addition, diamond companies face major disruptions that present both challenges and opportunities. The key question is what diamond firms can do to improve their chances of success. What are the best response strategies and how can people take charge of their own destiny?
