Waldman Diamond Company

Canada to get Arctic Love Diamonds from Waldman Diamond Company
March 8, 2006

NEW YORK, USA - Waldman Diamond Company (WDC) is proud to announce the upcoming launch of a new Canadian diamond brand called “Arctic Love Diamonds.” The company, an international diamond manufacturing and trading firm headquartered in Israel, plans to unveil the new brand in Vancouver, British Columbia, in April. WDC developed Arctic Love Diamonds to market the firm’s allocation from the Diavik Mine in the Northwest Territories.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to contribute to enhancing Vancouver’s status as a diamond trading center for the sale of Canadian-sourced diamonds to the Canadian retail market,” said Alexander Waldman, WDC founder and CEO. “As a core client of Rio Tinto and Aber—the two companies that jointly own the Diavik Mine—we are committed to preserving the Canadian origin of the stones we produce. This we will do by marketing these gem-quality diamonds to the Canadian consumer.”

All Arctic Love Diamonds will be cut and polished at WDC’s state-of-the art cutting facilities in Israel. “These beautiful, high-quality diamonds will all be accompanied by a diamond grading report from either the Gem Trade Laboratory of the Gemological Institute of America (GTL-GIA) or the American Gem Society Laboratory (AGSL), in addition to a unique ‘Certificate of Origin,’” Waldman said.

Waldman said that the opening of the Vancouver office is, in fact, a part of a larger effort the company is undertaking in the Canadian retail jewelry market. “Our company is one of only three diamond companies that have been asked by Rio Tinto to take part in a pilot project to supply polished diamonds originating in the Diavik Mine to the Canadian and North American retail jewelry markets.”

Waldman said the opening of the Vancouver office will enable WDC to upgrade its marketing efforts across Canada. “Our group’s jewelry manufacturing and marketing arm, Waldman Diamonds Complete, will also begin operating from our new office in Vancouver. Waldman Diamonds Complete will market diamond jewelry set with both Canadian and non-Canadian stones throughout Canada.”

“These new initiatives are all in line with our endeavor to grow further as an integrated marketing body that accompanies the diamond product from mine to market, and become a preferred supplier of both loose diamonds and mounted diamond jewelry,” Waldman added.

The WDC Group’s new Vancouver office opened in 2005. It is headed by Craig de Gruchy and Neil Matkin, who both have more than 20 years of experience in the Canadian diamond industry.