Source: National Jeweler Network - Toronto—Northam Diamonds, an importer and wholesaler of loose diamonds and jewelry, announced the launch of a new, online diamond search platform that allows retailers to browse through the company's Arctic Fox brand of Canadian diamonds.

The search utilizes a platform from OpenBlue Networks.

"This search overcomes many of the problems with existing diamond searches that require you to make multiple searches to find what you're looking for," said OpenBlue Network's Robin Gambhir, who designed the search, in a statement.

Unique features of the new system include: search retrieval that begins finding matches as users click options, a single screen that allows chosen diamonds to always be visible for print-out, and a sliding arrow that allows users to increase or decrease their budget.

A public version of the search with pre-set markups is available at Searchnortham.com. The secure version can be found at Northamdiamonds.com.

In addition to the search system, Northam Diamonds clients can also get free Web sites from OpenBlue Networks with inventory from Northam Diamonds and two other suppliers of their choice. The individual retailer can customize sites.

In Other News...

Moscow—De Beers Diamond Jewellers (formerly De Beers LV) will reportedly open a jewelry store in the GUM Russian shopping mall in Moscow.

GUM Managing Director Teimuraz Guguberidze told Russian business daily Vedomosti that the luxury diamond jeweler was planning to open the store in November. De Beers' Russian partner will reportedly manage it.

The retailer, a joint venture of De Beers and LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, has approximately 20 stores worldwide, including three in the United States, with more set to open by the end of the year.