It seems that British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto is eying the world’s second largest diamond market – China. 

Rio Tinto will be opening a Hong Kong office, which will join Rio Tinto’s diamonds sales and marketing branches in Belgium, India and the US. The move aims to support the marketing of all rough diamonds from Rio Tinto’s mines.

Rita Maltez has been named head of the Chinese operation. Maltez has been with Rio Tinto since 1999, and has been involved in the development of the company’s emerging markets strategy for diamonds.

“This is a strategic decision that reflects Rio Tinto’s long term commitment to the diamond industry and the important role that China will play in this future. We look forward to fostering new relationships as China’s development continues,” Jean-Marc Lieberherr, the diamond miner’s general manager of diamonds sales and marketing, said.

Rio Tinto stated that the new Hong Kong office will facilitate the development of a market in China for its diamond productions, and customers’ activities.

The astronomical growth China has experienced in the last decade, including during the global financial crisis, has created a new nation of consumption, which is nearing western proportions. With 1.3 billion and counting, the highest number of young millionaires and new companies opening daily, it’s no surprise that many international companies – from everyday fashions to luxury goods – are looking to expand into China.

One of the secrets to succeeding in China is working with local experts who understand the Chinese market, since penetrating it is not as easy in getting into the more developed, western markets. The only exception seems to be Google.

Google’s entry to China was made somewhat late in the game and only after it seemingly took over most of the world. Nevertheless, Google has recently claimed that the Chinese authorities hacked into users’ email accounts in an attempt to follow human rights activists.  Beijing denied any involvement, but Google has already announced that it was reconsidering its Chinese venture. Will Google be the first company to pull out of the Chinese market? 

A delegation from the Israel Diamond Institute is scheduled to meet with representatives of the Chinese diamond industry, as part of the HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show, set for March.

Two months ago, a Chinese diamond industry delegation visited Israel for a series of meetings meant to cement the cooperation between the Israeli and Chinese diamond industries. The future, they said following the meetings, is looking bright. 

Thousands of people attended the opening of Inhorgenta Europe 2010 in Munich’s trade fair center, Messe Munich. The innovative jewelry and watches designs were available not only in the dozens of booths, but also on the exhibitors and the elegantly adorned women presenters. A friend visiting the show, who owns an independent jewelry export business, told me she had never seen so many fur coats and large, bejeweled accessories before. 

Inhorgenta Europe 2010‘s main sponsor was Danish jeweler Pandora, which sported mass attendance throughout the six-room exhibition. The room that appealed to me the most was the design hall, which included the Innovation Forum, Concepts Forum, Forum Silversmiths, “Brand New – New Brand,” booth  and the Silver Summer Gallery themed restaurant.

Among the luxury diamond, gems and crystal studded jewelry, one could also see the latest in jewelry design and setting equipment innovations, as well as the latest in packaging and raw materials. 

  The design hall featured small, veteran companies alongside young designers showcasing unique jewels, each expressing their own style. It was a good look at the future generation’s take on the jewelry industry and on how it affects the new spring lines. Smaller labels, on the other hand, tend to be more conservative in their designs, evolving at their own pace, which is sometimes removed from the definition of “seasons.” The luxury jewelry halls proved a favorite among visitors. Here too, Pandora, whose booths included traditional Bavarian musicians and an open bar, reigned supreme.

Sections of the hall were set aside for sales meetings between retailers and wholesalers.  Swarovski also had a prominent presence, dazzling visitors with its new collection.

Smaller jewelers, who focus on the European market – mainly in Germany, Switzerland, France and Scandinavia – also commanded attention. Many of the presenters said that they were happy with the figures noted during the last holiday season, adding they were optimistic as to this year’s potential performance.

Alongside the exhibition, Inhorgenta Europe 2010 also hosted several important panels. One of the meetings, held by the Diamond Commission of the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO), used the scene to vote on amendments pertaining to the descriptive terms of industrial diamonds.

The Diamond Commission decided to accept definitions other than "synthetic" for diamonds grown in a non-natural setting. Diamond Commission President Udi Sheintal said that the decision was the result of long and continuous discussion with all stakeholders. Over the next two week I’ll be bringing you interviews with boutique, local and international jewelry designers I met during the show.

You can Subscribe to our blog via E-mail, or RSS, or join our social networks community on LinkedIn profile, LinkedIn group, Facebook profile,Facebook group and Twitter.

5. KaDeWe, Berlin.

In the early morning hours of January 27, 2009 three masked men broke into Germany's luxury department store Kaufhaus Des Westens, also known as KaDeWe. The store's CCTV footage showed exactly how they climbed into the grand main hall, broke open cabinets and display cases and stripped the store of €5 million worth of jewelry and watches.

At first, the police thought that traces of DNA found on a glove left at the scene would make nabbing the o criminals responsible for one of the most spectacular jewelry heists in Germany's history, easy. Imagine their surprise when the DNA evidence led to identical twins – which have innately  near-identical DNA – rendering the usually full-proof evidence useless. Is that the perfect crime or what?

4. Graff, London.

In the summer of 2009, two snazzily-dressed  thieves walked into a London Bond Street jewelry store, waved handguns at the shop's workers and stepped out with $65 million worth of gems in one of Britain's biggest jewelry heists.

It was the third time a Graff store in London was targeted in a high-profile raid in the past six years. The two's loot included dozens of high-end rings, bracelets, necklaces and watches worth $65 million.

3. Antwerp Diamond Center.

In wintery weekend on February 2003,  123 safety deposit boxes tucked away in the Antwerp Diamond Center's main vault were completely emptied. Belgian authorities didn't discover the theft until Monday, realizing the robbers got away with an estimated  $60 million worth of gems. While the ring behind what has been called the greatest jewelry heist in the world history, was eventually jailed, the whereabouts of the diamonds remains unknown. 

2. Harry Winstron, Paris.

In December of 2008, four armed men – three of whom were  dressed women’s clothing – marched into Harry Winstron's Paris, store shortly before closing time, and took the high-end store for $108 million worth of jewels.

Robbing the store wasn't enough for the foursome, who also robbed the storage room, causing Winston's stock to dip 9%.  The same store was robbed just one year prior, when thieves netted €10 million worth of jewels. Which brings us to the obvious question: wouldn't hiring some armed guards be cheaper than getting robbed every year? 

1. Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam.

February 25, 2005 saw $118 million worth of diamonds and gems stolen at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. Many of the stones were uncut, which made them much harder to value and trace. Unlike the other heists on the list, which probably involve some planning, the Schiphol robbery was executed in a “smash and grab” fashion.

It was later discovered that about two weeks prior to the robbery, four men stole a KLM cargo truck and uniforms in order to divert suspicion and allow them to move around the secure areas of the airport freely.

On the day of the robbery, the thieves drove right up to a KLM truck that was carrying a large haul of uncut diamonds, intended for delivery to Antwerp, and held up the drivers at gun-point,and in front of numerous witnesses, before simply getting in the truck and driving away. It was the second time in six months that the airport terminal was breached.