July 29, 2022
Diamonds de Canada welcomed the polar-bear diamond back to the NWT on July 18th in Yellowknife.
In a launch event, designed to highlight and celebrate the origin of their stones, Diamonds de Canada welcomed the trademark bear out of hibernation by unveiling a special limited collection of 16,000 polar bear diamonds – a number that reflects the current population of polar bears in Canada.
Yellowknife’s NWT Diamond and Jewellery Centre is the first retailer in the world to carry the revived brand. The exclusive gems will soon be available at 35 retailers across the continent.
ITI Deputy Minister, Pamela Stand looks at a Polar Bear Diamond™
Benjamin King, the CEO of Diamonds de Canada, says the world, now more than ever, needs immutable proof as to the origin of the diamond.
“Through its origin and certification process, the Polar Bear gives the consumer confidence that they are purchasing a diamond from Canada; known for its socially-responsible mining practices.”
“They also happen to be the finest diamonds that our earth produces”, he notes.
The Yellowknife launch comes on the heels of a promotional event in June at the JCK show in Las Vegas attended by some 30,000 jewellery professionals.
The JCK Tradeshow in Las Vegas
They included key market professionals, diamond producers and companies interested in cutting and polishing northern diamonds. The Canadian diamond industry holds a respected position in the world’s diamond industry thanks to its focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) elements in the full cycle of diamond mining - from exploration and mining through to cutting and marketing.
The GNWT’s exclusive Polar Bear Diamond™ brand will provide tangible link to this industry status and to the people, cultures and beauty of Canada’s Northwest Territories.
The Polar Bear Diamond™ has been licensed to Diamonds de Canada at no cost, using an open and transparent Request for proposals (RFP) process. In exchange, Diamonds de Canada has committed to all expenditure related to the marketing and promotion of the Polar Bear Diamond™ trademark. Each diamond is certified as Mined, Cut and Polished in the NWT.
Diamond polishing and manufacturing has created jobs and economic opportunity in diamond-producing jurisdictions around the world. The Department of ITI is developing and supporting growth in the secondary diamond as a potential area of diversity for the NWT economy.