International News
World Gold Council to develop shared infrastructure for digital gold
The World Gold Council (WGC) today announced a pioneering initiative to build new market infrastructure designed to unlock the next era of digital gold’s development.
WGC has co-authored a White paper titled Digital Gold: The Case for a Shared Infrastructure with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) which explores “Gold as a Service” – a new platform to support the issuance and operation of scalable, interoperable digital gold products.
Gold as a Service would act as an open platform, connecting the physical custody of gold with the digital systems used to issue and manage gold-backed products. By standardising essential market processes such as custody coordination, reconciliation, compliance and redemption, the model aims to reduce operational complexity, improve access and enable greater consistency across digital gold products.
Addressing the Structural Barriers to Digital Gold
The White paper acknowledges that gold has already undergone meaningful digitalisation, with trading, clearing and recordkeeping now largely electronic and a growing range of digital gold products such as tokens, now available. Yet despite these innovations, digital gold remains limited in scale largely due to structural constraints. Launching and operating digital gold products remains complex, with limited standardisation and reduced fungibility restricting its ability to integrate with modern financial systems.
Gold as a Service is proposed as a response to these challenges. Recognising the physical nature of gold, it is designed to modernise how gold integrates with an increasingly digital financial ecosystem, while preserving the asset’s foundational attributes that have underpinned its role and relevance for millennia.
Key Features of the Platform Would Include:
- Seamless Product Issuance and Management: Standardised infrastructure and operating models would simplify the creation, issuance and ongoing management of digital gold products, reducing operational complexity.
- Ease of Trade: By standardising processes, Gold as a Service aims to increase digital gold’s fungibility, allowing it to function as a single asset with consistent value and legal rights across the ecosystem.
- Embedded Trust and Assurance: Continuous reconciliation, audit and assurance would be built into shared infrastructure, strengthening confidence in digital gold by supporting consistent proof of physical backing and clearly defined ownership and redemption frameworks.
- Interoperability by Design: Shared infrastructure would enable digital gold products to integrate more easily with existing financial market infrastructure and emerging digital rails, improving mobility across platforms, venues and use cases.
- Broader Utility: As fungibility and liquidity improve, digital gold could extend beyond its traditional role as a diversifier and store of value. Gold can become deployable capital, enabling new use cases like pledging gold as collateral for borrowing.
David Tait, Chief Executive Officer, World Gold Council commented:
“Financial services are undergoing a rapid and pervasive digital transformation and gold must also evolve to maintain its role in the global financial system. Gold as a Service is the latest step in the World Gold Council’s digital gold innovation programme, designed to strengthen trust, transparency and market efficiency. Shared infrastructure can help gold become more accessible, more easily traded and fully integrated into modern financial systems — ensuring it remains as relevant tomorrow as it has been for millennia.”
Matthias Tauber, Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG added:
“The question is no longer whether gold will be digital, it’s how it can participate in modern financial systems without compromising physical integrity. Together with the World Gold Council, we explored what it takes to build trusted rails for digital gold, at market scale.”
The World Gold Council is calling for innovators and market participants from inside and outside the gold industry to convene, challenge and contribute to the development of this shared infrastructure that the WGC will build.
DiamondBuzz
Exceptional Platinum Jewelry Designs Win AGTA Spectrum Awards Competition
More than 60 platinum jewellery entries competed for top honours, recognising exceptional craftsmanship, innovative designs and the versatility of platinum across coloured gemstones and pearl jewellery.
Platinum Guild International (PGI), in partnership with the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA), is pleased to announce the Platinum Honors winners of the 2026 AGTA Spectrum Awards.
More than 60 platinum jewelry entries were submitted to the Platinum Honors category, which recognizes outstanding uses of platinum in colored gemstone and natural or cultured pearl jewelry across multiple categories, from Evening Wear to Engagement Rings. PGI also traditionally presents an award for Best Use of Platinum and Color.
The AGTA Spectrum Awards competition was held at the Omni Frisco Hotel at the Star in Dallas, where Jenny Luker, President, PGI USA, judged the Platinum Honors category.
“The AGTA Spectrum Awards bring together an extraordinary range of platinum jewelry, and the level of design innovation, technical execution, and artistry is exceptional,” said Luker. “It’s exciting to see so many talented designers exploring the material in different ways, creating intricate, distinctive pieces that showcase the versatility of platinum.”
AGTA CEO John W. Ford Sr. thanked PGI for its sponsorship of the Spectrum Awards and extended his congratulations to the Platinum Honors winners. “Receiving a Platinum Honors distinction from PGI is one of the industry’s highest achievements,” he said. “We were happy to see Platinum so well represented among the AGTA Spectrum entries, which increased by 21% this year.”
Platinum’s potential for design innovation and technical accomplishment was exemplified by several of this year’s AGTA Spectrum Award winners.
The Best of Show award and 1st Place in Classical Wear was awarded to “Can’t Look Away,” a necklace by Lezlie Slavens of Luxe Fine Jewelry and collaborators. The design features a carved Paraiba tourmaline backed in platinum, suspended from a diamond-accented platinum chain and illuminated by a magnet-activated LED light source.
The Art Deco-inspired “Horus Egyptian Revival” bracelet by Joseph Dardashti, in Platinum with Rubies, Sapphires, Emeralds, Diamonds, and Onyx, won 1st Place in the Spectrum Awards’ Evening Wear category and also received a Platinum Honors distinction in the same category.
Jeffrey Bilgore’s Mahenge Spinel and Diamond “Neuvelle Moi et Toi Forever” Platinum ring received the Stuller Color of the Year Award, a new category honoring exceptional interpretations of Stuller’s “Signature Red”, and won 2nd Place in the Spectrum Awards’ Classical category.
The honour of 1st Place in the Bridal category went to Niveet Nagpal of Omi Gems, Inc. for his Platinum ring featuring a 5.32 ct. Paraiba Tourmaline, accented by Tourmaline (1.05 ctw.) and Diamonds (0.69 ctw.).
New entrant Shelby Lichtenstein was awarded 1st Place in Engagement Rings with her Platinum “Something New, Something Blue” ring, featuring a 4.50 ct. blue emerald-cut Zircon accented by Diamonds (0.26 ctw.).
“Because of platinum’s durability, strength, and tensile properties, designers can achieve things that might not be possible with other metals,” said Luker. “Whether it’s intricate micro pavé work or delicate prongs, platinum allows for exceptional precision while ensuring that gemstones remain secure.”
Across all categories of the Spectrum Awards competition, noteworthy platinum jewelry trends included bezel settings in engagement rings, designs that paired platinum with moonstones for a dreamy, elegant white-on-white effect, and brooches for both men and women that incorporated multiple gemstone types in an array of cuts and sizes.
“The level of design this year was incredible,” said Luker. “I was particularly impressed by the innovation and execution. Platinum plays such a wonderful supporting role to gemstones, and that relationship has endured—and will endure—forever.”
AGTA Spectrum – Platinum Guild International (PGI) Platinum Honors
Best Use of Platinum & Color
Roland Krainz, Krainz Creations – Platinum “Ambrosia” necklace featuring Opals accented by Diamonds, Emeralds, Sapphires, and tsavorite Garnets (140.80 ctw.).
Best Use of Platinum Crown
Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg, Inc. – Platinum “Everest” ring featuring a 9.70 ct. cushion-cut Tanzanite accented by Diamonds (1.67 ctw.).
Bridal Wear
Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore, LLC – Platinum “JuneStones for June Brides” necklace featuring a 27.02 ct. blue-sheen oval Moonstone accented by a 7.95 ct. natural conch Pearl, Alexandrites (3.23 ctw.), and Diamonds (10.36 ctw.).
Business/Day Wear
Gabriel Angulo, Pompos Jewelry Corporation – Platinum stretchable ring with titanium springs featuring a 5.42 ct. natural oval cabochon black Opal accented by Diamonds (5.15 ctw.) and Sapphires (3.28 ctw.).
Classical
Eve Streicker, Original Eve Designs, in collaboration with Rohan Agrawal – Platinum “Zellige” brooch featuring marquise-shaped Aquamarines (8.40 ctw.) accented by Diamonds (0.28 ctw.).
Engagement Rings
Underwood Design Team, Underwood’s Fine Jewelers – Platinum ring featuring a 3.66 ct. cushion-shaped Sapphire accented by Diamonds (1.22 ctw.).
Evening Wear
Joseph Dardashti, Joseph Dardashti, Ltd. – Platinum and 18K yellow gold “Horus Egyptian Revival” bracelet featuring Rubies (5.90 ctw.), blue Sapphires (3.75 ctw.), and Emeralds (0.70 ctw.) accented by Diamonds (6.50 ctw.) and Onyx (0.75 ctw.).
Innovative Design
Cari Goldman, Pieces by Cari, LLC, in collaboration with Alexsey Yarnikh – Platinum “Love Spun” ring featuring marquise crystal Opals (2.24 ctw.) accented by Diamonds (1.0 ctw.).
Men’s Wear
Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg, Inc. – Platinum “Siren’s Relic” ring featuring a 5.35 ct. emerald-cut Zoisite.
These highlights offer a glimpse of the exceptional work recognized in the 2026 AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards. We invite you to explore the complete collection of winning entries at AGTA.org and discover the artistry behind each award.
Many of the winning pieces will be on display during AGTA GemFair Tucson, January 31–February 4, 2027, at the Tucson Convention Center. For AGTA members and the wider trade, it is an opportunity to appreciate the gems and craftsmanship up close, connect with the community behind them and find inspiration for what comes next.
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