DCLA History, our background

Founders

The Cohen Family

Bruce Cohen comes from a family with many generations in the diamond industry. He took lead of the family in the trade in the 1970's in Johannesburg South Africa, and continues in Australia.

Michael Cohen is the eldest of two sons. During the 1980’s, he served an apprenticeship as a diamond polisher, cleaver and marker for a major DeBeers sightholder. In the 1990's Michael established offices in Kimberly, Wolmaranstad and diamond cutting works in Johannesburg, South Africa, from where the family produced polished diamonds and traded in rough and polished diamonds around the globe.

Roy Cohen, the younger of the two brothers, worked for the Anglo American Corporation for several years before joining the family business in the 90’s. His was active in the trading of rough diamonds and developing mining interests in the Kimberly area of South Africa and other African countries.

Establishing the Laboratory

The DCLA was born out of the need to bring the International Diamond Council (IDC) standard to Australia. After immigrating to Australia in 2001 and studying the Australian market, the Cohens realised that the IDC standard, which until then was only available in Antwerp, South Africa and Germany could be a real asset to the Australian diamond and jewellery market.

It was out of this need that the DCLA was founded.

Mr. Les Milner, the head of the Jewellery Council Laboratory was instrumental in the planning and infrastructure of the DCLA and brought years of experience to the equation.

Laboratory Expansion & Growth

DCLA continues to grow and expand its profile, and reach around Australia and indeed the world.

The DCLA certificate is widely recognised as the Australian benchmark, and one of the most accurate and consistent grading laboratories worldwide.

The DCLA has a bright future, and together with the dealers and jewellers will continue to protect the Australian market by protecting the Australian consumer.

DCLA can do all of this by being the most proficient state of the art laboratory in Australia, and the only laboratory that provides a full guarantee of its work.

DCLA Today

The DCLA remains at the forefront of technical ability and knowledge.

Providing the consumer with the assurance, and the trade with the confidence, that they are buying or selling the quality stated.

DCLA certificates will continue to protect the integrity in the trade by protecting the consumer first.