De Beers Fortifies US Market Strategy with Powerhouse Hires for New ‘Origin’ Diamond Brand
In a strategic move signaling a significant evolution in its business model, the De Beers Group has announced the appointment of two seasoned industry veterans to lead its newly established polished diamond sales division in the United States. Cortney Craft and Aashish “Aash” Shah have been named as the West Coast and East Coast Sales Directors, respectively. This decisive action is not merely a personnel update; it is a clear and calculated step to champion the company’s ambitious new brand, De Beers Origin, and redefine the narrative of natural diamonds for a new generation of consumers.
The appointments come on the heels of the spectacular launch of the Origin brand at the JCK Show in Las Vegas, the most influential jewelry trade event in North America. By building a dedicated sales force focused specifically on polished goods, De Beers is making a pivotal shift from its historical position as primarily a supplier of rough diamonds to a more integrated player that directly engages with retailers. These new hires will report to Sam Panasiuk, De Beers’ Vice President of Sales for the United States, creating a robust leadership structure designed to drive the brand’s success across the nation.
A New Chapter for De Beers: The Strategy Behind Polished Sales and the ‘Origin’ Promise
For over a century, the name De Beers has been synonymous with the discovery and supply of rough diamonds. The company’s traditional model involved selling these rough stones to a select group of sightholders, who would then cut, polish, and distribute them into the global market. The creation of a dedicated polished sales division marks a fundamental and forward-thinking transformation. This move allows De Beers to maintain a connection with its diamonds further down the value chain, ensuring their story of provenance and positive impact is communicated directly and effectively to the retail partners who interface with the end consumer.
H3: The ‘Origin’ Brand: A Story of Purpose and Provenance
The De Beers Origin brand is the centerpiece of this new strategy. It was conceived as a powerful response to a growing consumer demand for transparency, traceability, and ethical sourcing. In an era where buyers are increasingly concerned with the social and environmental impact of their purchases, the Origin brand offers a compelling and verifiable narrative.
Every De Beers Origin diamond is a natural stone sourced from one of the company’s mines in Botswana, Canada, Namibia, or South Africa. Crucially, each diamond’s journey is meticulously tracked, guaranteeing its conflict-free status and celebrating the positive contributions it makes to the communities where it was discovered. This goes beyond the traditional 4Cs (Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat) to introduce a fifth and equally important dimension: the diamond’s story. The brand is built on the promise that these diamonds not only represent a billion-year-old miracle of nature but also actively contribute to building a better future through jobs, healthcare, education, and wildlife conservation in their host countries. This narrative is designed to resonate deeply with modern consumers who seek products with purpose.
Assembling a Dream Team: The Strategic Appointments of Cortney Craft and Aashish Shah
To bring such an ambitious and story-driven brand to the highly competitive US market requires more than just a great product; it requires exceptional people. The selection of Cortney Craft and Aashish Shah demonstrates a deep understanding of the diverse skills needed to succeed. Their combined experience covers luxury branding, large-scale wholesale, deep industry networking, and a fundamental understanding of the De Beers ethos.
Cortney Craft: A West Coast Visionary with a Luxury Brand Pedigree
Cortney Craft, tasked with leading sales for the entire West Coast, brings a wealth of experience in the branded luxury jewelry space. Her resume reads like a who’s who of industry leaders, giving her a unique perspective on what it takes to build and sustain a premium brand.
Her most recent role as Director of Sales for Frederick Goldman, one of the largest jewelry manufacturers and distributors in North America, has equipped her with invaluable expertise in managing major retail accounts and driving large-scale sales programs. Before that, her time selling for iconic luxury brands like Ippolita and John Hardy honed her ability to communicate a unique design aesthetic and a compelling brand story—skills that are directly transferable to the narrative-rich proposition of De Beers Origin.
Perhaps most significantly, Craft has previous experience selling for Forevermark, De Beers’ other premium diamond brand. This background is a tremendous asset. She is already intimately familiar with the De Beers culture of excellence, its rigorous standards for quality and ethics, and the nuances of selling a diamond on the basis of its unique inscription and promise. This pre-existing knowledge will allow her to hit the ground running, leveraging her established relationships and deep brand understanding to introduce Origin to West Coast retailers with credibility and passion.
Aashish “Aash” Shah: An East Coast Dynamo with Deep Industry Roots
Taking the helm on the East Coast is Aashish “Aash” Shah, an industry insider whose career reflects a profound connection to every facet of the diamond and jewelry trade. His appointment is a testament to the value De Beers places on deep-rooted relationships and comprehensive market knowledge.
Shah is an internal promotion, having previously served as a partner development executive for De Beers. This role gave him a front-row seat to the company’s strategic initiatives and allowed him to build strong relationships with key partners. His elevation to Sales Director ensures continuity and a seamless execution of the Origin launch strategy.
Prior to joining De Beers, Shah worked with Ashi Diamonds, a major diamond jewelry supplier. This experience provided him with a granular understanding of the wholesale diamond business and the specific needs of independent jewelers and retail chains. Furthermore, his work with both JCK Events and the American Gem Society (AGS) places him at the very heart of the industry’s ecosystem. His involvement with JCK, the launchpad for Origin, gives him unparalleled insight into trade show dynamics, while his connection to the AGS, a leading organization for education and ethics, aligns perfectly with the core values of the new brand. Shah is not just a salesman; he is a connector, a trusted industry figure whose extensive network will be instrumental in establishing Origin as a must-have brand for East Coast jewelers.
The Road Ahead: A Unified National Strategy for a New Era in Diamonds
Under the guidance of Sam Panasiuk, the efforts of Craft and Shah will be woven into a cohesive national strategy. The dual-coast approach acknowledges the regional diversity of the US retail landscape, allowing for tailored support and relationship-building while maintaining a consistent and powerful brand message from New York to California.
This strategic investment in talent and a new business model is De Beers’ definitive statement on the future of natural diamonds. The company is confidently asserting that the allure of a natural diamond lies not only in its timeless beauty but also in its unique, verifiable story of origin and positive impact. By putting two of the industry’s most capable leaders at the forefront of this charge, De Beers is not just selling polished stones; it is pioneering a more transparent, meaningful, and compelling future for the entire diamond industry. The success of Cortney Craft, Aashish Shah, and the De Beers Origin brand will undoubtedly shape the conversation around diamonds for years to come.
