This article first appeared in the JNA July/ August 2022 issue.

Noy Elram, managing director for APAC at Sarine Technologies, sits down with JNA to discuss innovations in the diamond industry.

JNA: How will robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) technology impact the diamond trade?

Noy Elram: Robotics and AI technology applications in our industry will be broad and deep. Diamond companies want to better control inventory and maximise operational benefits while at the same time grow and stand out. For example, how can miners proceed with large-scale registration required for diamond traceability with minimal operational interruptions, additional costs and delays. As a solution, Sarine developed and accelerated the launch of Autoscan™ – a high-speed Robotic Scanning System. Only by utilising these technologies can we develop verifiable database solutions that can operate in a truly scalable model with minimal operational overhead, lowest costs and minimal delivery delays.

JNA: Name three market-moving initiatives you have introduced to the market. Why are these significant?

Elram: There is growing consumer demand to verify diamonds’ origins and trace their mine-to-market journey along the supply chain. Sarine has developed the Diamond Journey™ traceability program that connects manufacturers, retailers and consumers. It records a diamond’s entire journey – from the mine to planning, cutting and polishing. Every step is verifiable. Supply chain transparency fosters consumer trust and confidence. With eGrading™ technology, diamonds are graded at the source/factory using Sarine’s AI-based diamond grading machines, thereby cutting costs. It speeds up the process and can easily scale up, depending on diamond quantity. Sarine’s eGrading™ solution provides more parameters than the 4Cs, enables accurate sourcing of specific diamonds, reduces rejections and increases supply chain efficiency. eGrading™ is founded on 4C AI. 4Cs are the standard for grading diamonds’ rarity and value. Yet diamond grading is an imprecise art, subject to limitations of the human eye. Sarine’s clarity and colour grading algorithm is based on extensive gemmological research on polished diamonds, enhanced by machine learning. The Sarine Technology Lab is the first to provide automated 4Cs grading from 2017, based on advanced AI-driven technologies. In the future, Sarine grading will provide more specifications than 4Cs. eGrading™ will enable supply or sourcing according to extensive pre-defined parameters. What we can do with diamonds in the metaverse is also limitless. Our potential for unique diamond non-fungible tokens or NFTs is superior.