They are all brand names that became the international standard in their field. What people today call a game of “Ping Pong” is actually a trademark from 1901 for table tennis products. And when your child asks for a “Popsicle”, or wants to Xerox his homework, they are using a specific brand name that is so widespread, it has become a part of the general vernacular.
Sarine is the Ping Pong, Popsicle, and Xerox of the diamond industry.
Sarine, the global standard for diamond technology
During three decades of technological development, Sarine has become the industry standard for diamond scanning, planning, mapping, and imaging. Sarine devices can be found in just about every diamond manufacturing company and lab worldwide. And when diamond professionals hear the name “Sarine”, they know the quality, reliability, and excellence behind it.
While Sarine is proud to be the standard-bearer of the industry, it comes with risk too. Unfortunately, in recent years, nefarious players have allegedly stolen Sarine intellectual property (IP) and copied our hardware and software in order to develop counterfeit devices. A prime focus of these hacks is of course Sarine Galaxy®, the leading inclusion mapping system for rough diamonds.
At Sarine, we take the integrity of our IP extremely seriously, and that’s why we have been working very hard and investing substantial resources in protecting our patents and other IP rights and pursuing those who steal or abuse our IP.
Fighting the good fight
In a recent interview with The New Jeweller, Sarine CEO David Block discussed how the claimed theft of Sarine’s IP by several Indian firms is something of an “open secret” in the industry. In fact, Sarine has been dealing with this issue for over a decade, and it has only intensified since 2017.
Recently, it was reported in local Indian news media that the tax authorities conducted raids on three premises of DBC (Diyora & Bhanderi) on suspicion of tax evasion and ‘under the table’ cash transactions. According to allegations by the tax authorities, DBC has been selling pirated ‘Galaxy’ technology but maintaining the devices at its own premises. (click IDEX article). This enables them to charge local companies for scanning services, while preventing Sarine from taking legal action against customers that have bought these infringing systems. The tax authorities have reportedly been investigating DBC for the past two years, and the raids were a result of that ongoing and in-depth investigation .
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What IP integrity means for us, as an industry
The story goes beyond just these raids or any one instance of IP infringement. The infringement of Sarine’s IP has a ripple effect that gets to the heart of what the diamond indusry is all about.
Firstly, infringement of diamond technology patents and copyrights makes it more challenging and less attractive to develop new and innovative technologies that can help the industry move forward. The research and development that goes into a technology such as Sarine Galaxy® inclusion mapping takes many years and an investment of tens of millions of dollars. Once the technology is released, like any technology or software, it is vulnerable to copying and hacking, even with the most advanced cybersecurity protections. By protecting its technology, a company can ensure the financial viability of its investment in the future – precisely the purpose of patents and similar protections. Sarine has a wide portfolio of patents in India, Israel, the USA and other countries.
When our intellectual property is stolen or otherwise infringed, it makes it much harder and more expensive to invest the necessary resources in new developments. Essentially, IP theft disincentivizes the entire process of innovation. In order to truly advance and be competitive with other industries, the diamond industry relies on new developments, and on the pioneering spirit of innovation that Sarine brings to us all.
Secondly, the issue of IP infringement touches on the very important discussion of who we are as an industry and what kind of industry we want to be. Trust and authenticity are a huge part of who we are and what we provide to consumers when we sell diamonds, and it is up to us all to do our part to live up to those standards. As Sarine CEO David Block stated in the recent interview with The New Jeweller, “I believe in karma and that good things happen to good people and vice versa.” The basic values of integrity and honesty must be a part of the fabric of our industry, reflected in our choice to use only authorized, legal technologies and services.
Let’s uplift the industry together
When you choose Sarine Galaxy® or other Sarine products and services, make sure to only use authorized, trusted, and authentic Sarine devices. In this way, you are not only receiving the original and the best quality product and service; you are also taking a stand against unethical and illegal business behavior. Maintaining healthy integrity in our industry is a responsibility we all share. Together, let’s keep diamond technology innovation alive and thriving.
