Benjamin Burne

Ben went to school in the UK graduating from Oxford University, UK, in 1993 with a BA Hons in Earth Sciences (Geology). Ben has a family background in the diamond trade , his father worked for De Beers for many years. Ben did a number of jobs straight out of university related to diamonds, including several months in Southern Africa working with the De Beers geologists. prospecting for diamond - bearing kimberlite rock. Back in London. In 1994, he joined Ernst & Young qualifying as a chartered accountant before moving to New York to return to the diamond trade , joining Michael Werdiger Inc., a diamond and jewelry manufacturing firm. As a vice-president he worked in a number of roles including Marketing Director. Ultimately, he became Chief Operating Officer of Eloquence Corp., which specializes in distributing jewelry products containing diamonds that are less than a 1/5 carat to retailers in the US. In 2010 Ben became fascinated with recycled diamonds and founded White Pine focusing in the recycling of second hand diamonds from consumers and the trade. The company quickly grew to become one of the largest recyclers of diamonds in the world.