Rapaport Press Release: ‘Don't Buy Blood Diamonds!’ Urges Martin Rapaport at JCK Breakfast

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--During the annual Rapaport Breakfast at the JCK Las Vegas event, Martin Rapaport, Chairman of the Rapaport Group, addressed a packed audience on the critical issues facing the diamond industry. Urging his audience to “sell value and not price,” Rapaport provided clear guidance on best practices, emphatically stating, “Stay with natural!”

The breakfast opened with featured insights from guest speakers Mmetla Masire, Managing Director of Okavango Diamond Company, and Maksud Agadjani, of Trax NYC Custom Jewelry.

Sharing his personal connection to the industry, Masire stated, “I am a product of diamonds,” illustrating the positive impacts diamonds have had on Botswana’s development. He emphasized the importance of provenance and traceability for ensuring diamonds are a force for good.

Agadjani emphasized the urgent need for the diamond industry to use modern communication platforms to educate and engage with younger consumers.

Making a powerful call for integrity and ethical responsibility, Rapaport dropped to his knees, and pleaded with attendees, “Don’t buy blood diamonds! Know where your goods are coming from!” He underscored the need for responsible purchasing and urged the industry to prioritize transparent and ethical practices. “We need to create credibility; we need to create honesty,” said Rapaport.

The event also marked the launch of new Rapaport initiatives, including the RapNet Buy Now service and Rapaport Source Certification.

To view the video of the Rapaport breakfast, click here.

About the Rapaport Group: The Rapaport Group is an international network of companies providing added-value services that support the development of ethical, transparent, competitive, and efficient diamond and jewelry markets. Established in 1976, the group has more than 20,000 clients in over 121 countries. Group activities include Rapaport Information Services, providing the Rapaport benchmark Diamond Price List, as well as research, analysis and news; RapNet, the world’s largest diamond trading network, with daily listings of over 1.7 million diamonds valued at more than $9 billion; and Rapaport Trading and Auction Services, the world’s largest recycler of diamonds. Additional information is available at rapaport.com.