On June 11, the Indian Diamond and Colorstone Association (IDCA) held its first JCK Las Vegas gala dinner in four years, with a full slate of honorees and an emcee who poked fun at everything from industry payment terms to lab-grown diamonds.

Comedian Cash Levy, who hosted the event, said that when he took the gig, the IDCA “wanted me to experience what it’s like in your industry. They’re going to wait six months to pay me.”

Among his other industry-related gibes:

– “This is an interesting industry. You don’t really sell anything. You do everything on memo. What other industry works this way? You wouldn’t see that in the car industry. Tesla wouldn’t say, ‘Hey, we’ll memo you a car.’ ”

– “They say that the jewelry industry is nonessential. But it’s pretty essential when you’re in trouble with your wife.”

– “Lab diamonds [are] sort of the Beyond Burger of diamonds. Lab diamonds, it doesn’t seem like that they’re valuable. If you return a real diamond, apparently, people will take it back, and you’ll get money for it. If you return a lab diamond, you have to pay for them to take it back.”

The association gave its retailer of the year award to Ben Bridge Jeweler and its president and CEO, Lisa Bridge, who paid tribute to the Indian industry.

“The beautiful tradition of jewelry, and incredible innovation, sets India apart,” Bridge said. “The kind and gracious culture comes through in each piece of jewelry and in each diamond.”

Bridge rattled off some of the recent changes to Ben Bridge’s business.

“Over the past few years, we have had a radical departure in our store design, creating an upscale warmth, a variety of ways of engaging, and a focus on telling the story of craftsmanship. We’ve focused our footprint, reinvesting in flagship stores. We have built foundational technology for our enterprise, as well as our digital presence. We have enhanced our unique storytelling. We have merchandise that goes beyond beautiful, to push the bounds of sourcing, experience, and personalization.”

She called for a “clean and transparent supply chain, to reassure customers that what they are buying creates good in the world.”

The group also named Brilliant Earth its e-tailer of the year.

“Our partners in India have had an immeasurable impact on our success,” said Sharon Dziesietnik, senior vice president of operations and sales. “We are so grateful to work with organizations that support ethical business practices and are aligned with our values of sustainability, transparency, compassion, and inclusivity.”

In addition, Savji Dholakia, founder and chairman Hari Krishna Exports, received the group’s industry leadership award. The lifetime achievement award for excellence in philanthropy was given to Kushal Sacheti, founder and CEO of Galaxy USA/Key Items; and its lifetime achievement award for excellence in community service was bestowed upon Haridas Kotahwala, president and founder of Royal India USA.

“Education to me has always meant something that can change your future,” said Sacheti. “Not only your future, but your community’s future, and the future of generations. Whatever else we do, changes today. Education changes tomorrow.”

Kotahwala said that “community service is our moral obligation to each other. We must help each other.”

IDCA president Rajeev Pandya, the first IDCA president who is a second-generation American, also called upon the industry to unite to create a rising tide that lifts all boats.

“We all compete against each other, but business is not a zero-sum game. Working together, our entire industry benefits. We saw that in ’20–’21, during the COVID crisis. We all did well. So working together is beneficial to all of us.”

Photo courtesy of the Indian Diamond and Colorstone Association

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