Press Releases

HRD Antwerp Opens New ‘Centre of Excellence’

Published

7 years ago

December 18, 2016

INSTORE Staff

It’s located in Shanghai.

(Press Release) HRD Antwerp has opened its first Centre of Excellence branch in Shanghai.

The opening took place in the framework of the City of Antwerp’s mission to Seoul and Shanghai, with Antwerp Mayor Bart De Wever and Antwerp Alderman for Diamonds Ludo van Campenhout on hand.

In Shanghai, HRD Antwerp is teaming up with Chow Tai Seng, one of the largest jewelry retailers in Mainland China, to run the newest Centre of Excellence. CTS currently has 2,100 points of sale in 23 provinces in China.

CTS is also the exclusive distributor in China of the “Love 100 Antwerp,” a unique diamond design created by Belgian diamond company Exelco NV.

China is one of the most important markets for polished diamonds, making it a priority for HRD Antwerp. The opening of the Centre of Excellence is a step toward expanding HRD Antwerp’s presence in China.

A Centre of Excellence is a collaboration between a jeweler and HRD Antwerp. The close connection between a retailer and the certification institute is intended to give consumers greater trust in the jeweler. To this end, a Centre of Excellence will only sell diamonds and diamond jewelry that have an HRD Antwerp Diamond Grading Report. It is also a unique opportunity for HRD Antwerp to gain a stronger foothold in one of the most important markets for polished diamonds globally.

The Centres of Excellence offer select retailers in-store tools explaining the steps involved in the diamond grading process, The main message that HRD Antwerp is promoting is “choose wisely”. The concept is built around the 4 Cs as well as the ‘fifth C’ of certification and confidence.

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