Gems and Jewelry Certificate program empowers confidence
Mumbai, India (July 31, 2020) — eBay India has announced a new Gems and Jewelry Certificate program (GJC) in cooperation with the International Gemological Institute (IGI). Under this program, Indian eBay sellers can have their products independently graded by IGI at competitive prices, empowering confidence for consumer-buyers.
The jewelry industry holds prominence on eBay’s Indian platform and has grown steadily in recent years. By leveraging IGI’s grading services for sellers, eBay India is facilitating a global standard of excellence which can be applied to jewelry exports, giving impetus to their stated commitment toward buyers and sellers alike.
“At eBay our aim is to provide our sellers avenues to win more customers across the world and to get global customers the best quality of products – our association with IGI is a step in that direction” said Vidmay Naini, eBay’s India Country Manager. “Transparency and authenticity are the topmost considerations while making a purchase for fine jewelry. In the current scenario, with most of the purchases happening on the e-commerce platforms, it is only fair to say that consumers expect authenticity in what they purchase. The certification of Diamond Jewelry and loose stones will foster that confidence in the buyers and sellers alike on eBay.
Tehmasp Printer, IGI India’s Managing Director, underscored the importance of independent, standardized assessment, saying “We at IGI, consider the association with eBay as the beginning of a revolutionary consumer experience. With IGI certification, customers can now purchase their jewelry online, validated as per internationally acclaimed grading standards and practices.We look forward to empowering buyers on eBay with our services.”
According to Naini, IGI is uniquely positioned to provide this service, having decades of experience grading finished jewelry as well as loose diamonds and gemstones: As the world’s first laboratory to issue Jewelry Identification Reports, eBay India considers IGI “the global leader for Jewelry assessment with unrivaled reach and experience.”
There is potential for programs like the GJC to proliferate in other marketplaces and online channels where jewelry is sold. In a July interview with IANS, India’s largest independent news service, Naini expressed his belief that unprecedented times have created a shift toward e-commerce that won’t be reversed: “The only thing I’ve derived from all this is that online shopping is here to stay and recent digital-adoption will be permanent” he said. “The convenience and security of online travel will continue to be as important as today because consumers may still be paranoid about going out in crowded areas like shopping malls.
The GJC program is limited to eBay sellers domiciled in India. Designed to test and grade Gemstone and Fine Jewelry sold by Indian sellers across global markets, the program aims to strengthen India’s Jewelry industry while establishing eBay Cross Border Trade – with a vision of India as the ultimate destination for fine Jewelry in global markets.
About IGI
The International Gemological Institute (IGI) operates 18 laboratory locations around the world grading finished jewelry, natural diamonds, lab-grown diamonds and gemstones – and 14 schools of gemology graduating thousands of new jewelry professionals annually. For over 45 years, IGI has provided the fine jewelry community and consumers with a broad range of services including independent diamond grading reports, colored stone reports, identification and appraisal reports, diamond authentication and attestation of origin, laser inscription services, as well as the issuing of the traditional jewelry identification report. Regardless of location or marketplace, an authentic IGI Laboratory Report is the common language of trust and confidence in the gemological world.
