Indian-origin Singaporean is diamond trade body's new Prez

A 34-year-old Indian-origin man based in Singapore was today appointed President of the newly- formed International Grown Diamond Association (IGDA).
Vishal Mehta, CEO of a Singapore-based company which makes lab diamond, was named President of the IGDA, a platform of more than 10 leading grown diamond producers, distributors and retailers.
Founded in the US, IGDA said it would seek to serve as the central point of communication, education, development and growth of the industry.
"IGDA was conceptualised because we, as an emerging industry, felt the need to collectively represent grown diamonds on a global forum, share technical facts about growing diamonds and the technology involved, so that there's an informed knowledge about the value, beauty and eco- advantages of grown diamonds," Mehta said.

Mehta is the Chief Executive Officer of Singapore-based IIa Technologies which grows diamond from its state-of-the-art facility in the city state.
The IGDA, the first ever grown diamond industry association, aims at representing the grown diamond industry, promoting grown diamonds as a new choice in diamonds and educating about various unique qualities and applications of grown diamonds.

"With IGDA, the grown diamond industry can effectively take the collective steps to present itself to consumers who wish to have a genuine choice in diamonds, commercial sectors who require high quality but a consistent supply to develop diamond-based applications, and the larger diamond processing industry, in general," Patron Member and Secretary General Richard Garard said.

Grown diamonds or lab diamonds are man-made diamonds that consist of actual carbon atoms arranged in the characteristic diamond crystal structure. In the 1950s, scientists first created diamonds by replicating the intense heat and pressure that forms them underground.
Other IGDA Founding Members include Washington Diamonds, New Diamond Technology, Scio Diamond, Golcondia, Pure Grown Diamonds, Polished Diamond Company, Diamond Foundry, MiaDonna and Company and Chatham Created Gems and Diamonds.