HRD Antwerp announced that potential inconsistencies were recorded in the laboratory of HRD Antwerp, pertaining to the implementation of the strict ISO procedures that need to be respected for the certification of diamonds.
In order to obtain maximal guarantees that the issue would be adequately dealt with, HRD Antwerp immediately conducted an internal investigation and undertook the necessary action by terminating the contract of four staff members. HRD Antwerp’s reputation is built on its zero-tolerance policies on grading standards.
HRD Antwerp management has kept the Boards of both HRD Antwerp and AWDC fully informed. March 27 2012, the Boards of both organizations appointed an ad-hoc Committee of prominent industry leaders and academics to guide the internal review.
A specialized firm was ordered to perform an independent forensic audit in the HRD Antwerp diamond lab. This enquiry is still ongoing, meanwhile no further details will be disclosed. HRD Antwerp will await the final audit report and if necessary, further action will be undertaken in line with the findings.
General Manager of HRD Antwerp, Georges Brys stated: ”HRD Antwerp is committed to keeping all its stakeholders informed. Meanwhile HRD Antwerp will continue to provide the usual high level of service to its clients".
The HRD Antwerp diamond grading laboratory is the largest diamond lab in Europe, enjoying an impeccable reputation and employing 180 staff. In the past five years HRD Antwerp management, under the leadership of its General Manager Georges Brys, has invested millions of dollars in state-of-the-art computerized quality-control systems. The grading methodology is highly computerized, thus reducing human judgments to a minimum. In order to limit human subjectivity HRD Antwerp standards require minimum between four and eight graders to render an opinion on a diamond. All individual examinations are monitored by the computer and only senior supervisors having access to all the grading results at once.
Alex Shishlo, Editor in Chief of the European Bureau, Rough&Polished
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