News from All Diamond

Most people accept that Ian Fleming named the villain in his 1964 James Bond novel after architect Erno Goldfinger, who lived down the street from Fleming. However, a devout few still believe that Goldfinger was actually the product of Fleming's chance encounter with legendary diamantaire, Joseph Goldfinger, whom he met on a fact-finding trip to Charterhouse St. Joseph Goldfinger would later become known as "Mr. Diamond," and many credit him with putting the Israeli diamond industry on the map.  

 Any list of the most respected and valuable jewelry brands will no doubt have Cartier at or near the top. For the past 170 years, Cartier has been at the forefront of premium jewelry design and fabrication. Their focus on beautiful and unique designs using only the most premium quality gems has helped them build an elite reputation. While the Cartier brand is no longer held by the family that bears its name, it was a family-run business for over 100 years before it was sold.

Harry Winston such a well-known name outside of the diamond industry that numerous books have been written about his legacy and the many famous stones and people he was associated with. He became known as the "jeweler to the stars" with his focus on the Hollywood A-list. The list of magnificent and important diamonds that he bought and sold in his lifetime trumps anyone else in history. Through his brilliant marketing with famous celebrities, he made diamonds a coveted treasure of their fans, which continues to this day.

 Robert "Bob" Gannicott was a visionary leader and entrepreneur who played a pivotal role in establishing the Canadian diamond industry since its emergence in the late 1990s. He sadly passed away in 2016 after a battle with leukemia. Many people in the industry got to know him as the Chairman and CEO of Aber Diamond Corporation, later Harry Winston and Dominion Diamond Corp. He loved to meet with his company's clients, but few of them knew much about the history of the man who helped usher in Canada as a major player in the global diamond industry.

Robert Shipley Sr. was one of the most influential figures in modern gemology and his academic achievements helped establish a consumer market for diamonds. Shipley, the founder of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) established the standardization of diamond grading, at a time when diamonds were just becoming a mainstream consumer product for middle class America. Shipley would establish the systemization and language of diamonds that remains the industry standard.