VD Global was honored to participate in the 5th Luxury Roundtable, hosted by ORIGINALLUXURY in Geneva on 19 May 2025. This event brought together leaders from the luxury, finance, and technology sectors to explore transparency in the luxury jewelry and diamond industries. Key highlights from the event include:
Switzerland’s pivotal role
As a central hub for luxury jewelry and finance, Switzerland plays a significant role in advancing the use of traceable and responsibly sourced materials. Its robust infrastructure and global standing in watch, jewelry, and diamond manufacturing position it to lead supply chain innovation.
Advancements in diamond traceability
The diamond industry showcased significant strides in traceability, with technologies like Tracr, Sarine, and iTraceiT enabling end-to-end tracking of natural diamonds. These innovations enhance transparency through ethical sourcing, which bolsters consumer trust.
Traceability makes transparency possible at every step, and gives consumers an immutable record of key information like origin, cutting, certification, and ownership history.
As diamonds are often treasured heirlooms passed down through generations or resold, a digital twin preserves their provenance and authenticity, offering owners and future generations confidence and connection to the story behind each gem.
Premiums that create real-world change
Investments in traceable materials, including both gold and diamonds, have led to tangible improvements on the ground—ranging from converting mines to sustainable energy sources to improving labor conditions and providing artisanal miners access to global markets.
The urgency of upstream traceability
However, despite this progress, challenges persist. Gold and diamonds can still enter markets through untraceable channels; therefore, tighter upstream controls are critical to prevent greenwashing.
Tokenization
Discussions explored how tokenization might build deeper relationships between brands and clients. In addition, luxury assets—such as watches, diamonds, and handbags—were reviewed for their role in private banking.They are also becoming increasingly important in collateral strategies.
Moreover, speakers shared insights from adjacent sectors such as diamonds and precious metals. These industries are leading the way in setting standards for authentication and provenance. Their efforts are shaping traceability practices across the broader luxury market.
Speakers included:
- Prof. Felicitas Morhart, HEC Lausanne, moderator and thought leader in sustainable luxury
- Léo Daguet, Chief Sustainability Officer, LVMH Watches & Jewelry
- Frederic-Karim Dawance, Managing Partner, Swiss Positive Gold
- Friedrich Kisters, CEO, DynamicElement AG
- Margot Stuart, CEO, ORIGINALLUXURY
- Frederik Degryse, CEO, iTraceiT
- Berta Serret, CEO & Founder, Tracemark, who emphasized the emotional and narrative power of traceability
- Samantha Wai Sze Wong, Founder & COO, advocate for equity in Asian supply chains
- Kieran Dobson, PhD, moderator of “Smart Investments in Responsible Luxury”
- Julie Maldonado, Caroline Reyl, Jana van den Bergen, Dr. Nirav M., Nicolas Freudiger, and other industry voices
Tech meets trust
While tools like blockchain and spectral analysis are essential, traceability ultimately depends on human leadership and brand integrity. Today’s consumers expect both.
VD Global’s commitment
VD Global remains dedicated to ethical sourcing, sustainability, and innovation. As a trusted partner to the global luxury sector, we continue to invest in traceability, technology, and transparent practices across the entire diamond value chain.
Contact us at infovdg@vdglobal.in to see how we can help your luxury jewelry brand stay ahead of evolving compliance standards and consumer preferences.
Image credit: An AI-generated image via originalluxury.org integrates elements of luxury and technology into a scenic image of Geneva.
