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In the diamond world, every diamantaire has a story to tell or a quote attributed to him that is worth remembering.
- Sydney Landau attended his first DTC sight in the early 1950s after a "leisurely Atlantic crossing on the Queen Mary". He reminisced that 40 years ago he used to spend time socializing with George Prins who said to him, "You know, this is a very personal business". Landau said that he, as an aggressive salesman, had always thought that "the business was a logical one", but, after 70 years in the business he agreed. "And the sad thing is that peopole in the business today don't know, or don't
appreciae, how very personal this diamond thing is." [In-Sight Spring 1994]
- The name, Joseph Goldfinger (1924-1976) holds special meaning for
many in the diamond industry. When I asked people who knew him, "Why?" - I received so many reasons: His natural ability to deal with people, his warmth, charisma, personality, his total belief in diamonds and the people in the industry, his charm, his generosity, his modesty, his integrity.
Goldfinger, a dealer/sightholder in melée, helped to develop many small Israeli diamond manufacturers and will be remembered for "putting Israel on the diamond map". Timothy Green wrote, "He stood between the CSO and the undercapitalized, and often inexperienced Israeli cutters." Monty Charles referred to him as the "doyen". [The World of Diamonds p154-5]
Described as a "commercial genius", he was the diamond world's major dealer in rough". Moshe Schnitzer said this of him, "He was a self-made man, who relied on his own powers and talents..determination, vision complemented by a healthy grasp of reality....made him one of the forces behind the expansion of Israel's diamond industry." [Yahalom Magazine 1976]
Geoff Chessum wrote that Michael Grantham said that it was Joseph Goldfinger who gave Ian Fleming an idea for one of his James Bond novels. "Fleming was introduced to Golfinger during a fact-finding mission to Charterhouse Street. He turned up in a black Thunderbird with red leather uphostery. I remember him with a long cigarette holder and white gloves...anyway, when we read the book, Goldfinger was in it." Coincidence?
- In 1924, Nanalal Jasani was the first member of the Jasani family to enter the diamond trade, when the diamond trade was heavily concentrated in 3 centers - Antwerp, Amsterdam, and Burma.
In 1926, Nanalal began to visit Antwerp regularly to buy polished goods, and soon afterwards, he started his own business with the help of his family including his nephew, Ratilal Jasani.
In 1947, after the Independence of India from Britain, the Indian government prohibited the import of rough and polished diamonds into the country. The Indian diamond market, as we know it today, was only reborn in 1962, when the government decided to allow the import of rough diamonds. Subsequently, a De Beers delegation (led by Mr. Watson and Mr. Dove) visited India and appointed 5 Indian sightholders.
The Jasani family business, in India, was named Ratilal Becharlal and Sons. In 1975, Ratilal's son, Kirit, moved to Antwerp with his family, where he. entered into a partnership with the pioneer of the Israeli diamond industry - Joseph Goldfinger.
After one year, Kirit took full control of the company appropriately named Indigems. Today, the Indigems Jasani Group has polishing factories in Mumbai, India and Shanghai, China.
- The Gembel Group was the pioneering Indian company to open international bases in Belgium and Israel (1960s). The late Mr. Kirtilal Manilal Mehta was recipient of Outstanding Exporter's Awards from the Government of Israel, and he was the first ever Indian to be decorated "Officer of the Order of Leopold" by His Majesty the King of Belgium.
- Mafatlal Mehta was born in 1917 in Palanpur, a village in the state of Gujarat: a village in an India still firmly under British rule, and one from which many of the leading Indian diamantaires have come.
At the age of 16, with no formal education, he joined his elder brother in Bombay. There was no choice. "My father died when I was five. I had little education, and all I knew was diamonds. My brother would journey to Antwerp to buy both rough and polished, and he left me to keep everything going in the business. It was a question of learning very rapidly."
Because the journey by ship from Bombay to Genoa or Antwerp was a matter
of weeks, Mafatlal was left with the full responsibility of a growing
business. "In this business, if anyone is to learn - then he learns in the
first two years; if he doesn't then even if he is hard working and stays
50 years he will not succeed."
Mafatlal Mehta, and the total dedication of his sons,
Jitu, Madhu, Ashwin, Nanu, and his grandson, Samir, developed the Jayam
Group of companies. In 1955 Mafatlal decided to form his own company in
Bombay; his son, Jitu, had joined him, and they set up Jitendra Brothers.
After that, they set up a new home and a new business, Jayam PVBA, in
Antwerp. where the father and the eldest son were joined by the ebullient
Madhu. Samir Diamonds, established in Bombay in 1962, was run by the
younger sons, Ashwin and Nanu, and thus formed the basis of the family
business. In 1975, Jitu opened Paras Diamonds in New York office.
"You need to know many things to be successful in diamonds.
A great deal of personal attention is required. So if you are to go
international, it helps to have your family in the business."
- William Goldberg views diamonds as "G-d's smiles". He felt it was his
responsibility to "unlock as much of their beauty as possible". His great
line is, "With a beautifully made stone, you just have to open the paper,
and it leaps out, saying 'Buy me'". [In-Sight 1987]
- Max Drukker (1907-1995) was born into a diamond family in Amsterdam and guided the family business "combining a fascination of diamonds and technology". In 1987, D. Drukker & Zn (the CSO's only Dutch client) cut the smallest brilliant. A 0.22mm in diameter, the 57 facet stone weighed 0.0001022 carat (10,000 per carat).
- Jack Morgan said, "It is essential that a broker always
maintains a positive attitude, especially if the market is going through a
tough time. This year, it is even more essential that the client and
broker work closely together to address this particularly difficult
period. Of course, the business will come round again. This is the diamond
business - fascinating.!" [In-Sight Spring 1998]
- And check the date when Ben Bonas said, "I think the luxury goods business is more and more international business, serviced by multinational companies which have at their disposal very large budgets and are very sophisticated in the way in which they promote their goods - electronic products, perfumes, jewelry, luggage.
"We are in competition with these other groups to ensure that the consumer buys are product and we have to realize that the diamond business has no G-d given right to assume that the consumer will always buy their goods. If we don't keep diamonds in the forefront of their minds throughout the world, in a very sophisticated manner, well, we will lose market share.
"Indeed I have a feeling, of course. I have no data to back this up, we may not be doing as well in the competition for consumer money as we should be doing." [In-Sight Winter 1989]
- Vivian Prins said, "I would stay with the expression - 'A Diamond is Forever' - it has succeeded in becoming a part of the language and this is some achievement in advertising." [In-Sight Winter 1989]
- Everyone will remember the weddings which are also a part of the traditions of this inter-family business. In 1999, when Bhavin, the son of Swati and Rashmi Mehta, married the daughter of Diptiben and Vijaybhai Shai, there were 8 days of wedding celebrations in Mumbai. Bhavin is the grandson of the late Kirtilal Manilal Mehta.
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