The Challenge
Surat Diamond House cut and polished diamonds for the wholesale market but dreamed of selling directly to European jewellery retailers and luxury brands. The barriers: Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) compliance for conflict-free diamonds, EU Conflict Minerals Regulation documentation (for gold and precious metals), EU hallmarking requirements (different in UK, Germany, France), and GIA/IGI grading certificates required by EU buyers. Without direct EU buyer connections, all their exports went through Antwerp diamond brokers who took 4–6% commission.
The Sell Around Solution
Sell Around's Gems & Jewellery Compliance program guided Surat Diamond House through the Kimberley Process documentation chain, EU Conflict Minerals due diligence requirements, and country-specific hallmarking standards. Their product listings on Sell Around included GIA certificate numbers, Kimberley Process certificate IDs, and 360° diamond photography. Sell Around's EU Buyer Discovery connected them to 9 European jewellery retailers — in Germany, Italy, France, and the Netherlands — bypassing Antwerp brokers entirely.
The Gems & Jewellery Export Opportunity — and Its Compliance Complexity
India is the world's largest diamond cutting and polishing hub — processing 90% of the world's diamonds by number. Surat alone has 4,000+ diamond manufacturing units. Yet most sell through intermediary networks in Antwerp, Dubai, or Hong Kong — losing 4–8% in commission at each step.
The EU jewellery market is worth over €50 billion annually. Direct relationships with European retailers and luxury brands are transformative for Indian gem manufacturers — but require navigating a complex compliance web.
The Kimberley Process Explained
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme ensures diamonds are not used to finance rebel movements against legitimate governments. For exports, every parcel must have a Kimberley Process Certificate issued by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC). The certificate details: country of origin, description of parcel, harmonised tariff code, and exporter/importer details. Sell Around's compliance module generates draft KP certificates and tracks certificate numbers against each shipment.
EU Conflict Minerals Regulation (2021)
EU Regulation 2017/821 requires EU importers of tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold from conflict-affected and high-risk areas to conduct supply chain due diligence. For Indian gold jewellery exporters, this means maintaining an OECD-aligned due diligence framework. Sell Around's compliance templates cover the 5-step OECD framework documentation — reducing what typically takes a compliance lawyer 40 hours to a 3-hour guided process.
"We spent 15 years selling through Antwerp brokers who took 5% for doing nothing. Sell Around connected us directly to a luxury jeweller in Munich who now buys ₹35 lakh of diamonds per month — at prices 20% better than what we got through brokers."