Archive

  • About 100 units in India's LGD growing and manufacturing industry have voted to observe a 15-day summer holiday starting May 15, hoping to control the rough and polished LGD supply and stopping the massive price drops seen in the LGD market. Traditionally, the (natural) diamond industry closes shop for a holiday period during Diwali.

  • The words of Botswana's President Masisi during his opening address of AWDC's Facets conference in Gaborone last year, when he described Lab-Grown Diamonds (LGD) as "microwave diamonds" come to mind as news came that South Korean scientist claim to have produced a synthetic diamond in little over two hours, using a new method that omits the need to mimic the immense pressure needed to form a diamond artificially. LGD production processes to date still require a significant amount of time to produce a diamond.

  • Natural Diamond Council, the authoritative resource on natural diamonds, has released its 2023 analytical report entitled, Diamond Facts: Addressing myths and misconceptions about the diamond industry. Through this report, the Natural Diamond Council (NDC) set out to address misinformation about both natural diamonds and laboratory-grown diamonds for industry players, retailers, and consumers alike.

  • The Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry in her Unioin Budget speech this week proposed certain budget allotments and new policies for the 23/24 fiscal year which made several provisions for the diamond sector in India who have recently suffered setbacks due to decreased exports and global market instabilities.

  • Jewelry trade publications such as JCK are reporting ever more instances of lab-grown diamonds bearing fraudulent inscriptions linked to grading reports for natural gems. “Given that the resale value of lab-grown diamonds is next to nothing,” said Soraya Cayen, owner of the Carmel, CA. jewelry salon, Cayen Collection, “retailers and consumers alike are understandably seeking confirmation that their diamond is a naturally mined one.”

  • Israel-based Lusix, producer of lab-grown diamonds completed an investment round of US$90m, and counts LVMH Luxury Ventures as one of its newly onboarded investors. The company will use the money to expand its production capacity later this year. In a Q&A with JCK News, industry analyst Paul Zimnisky discusses LGD trends, saying LGD prices have been dropping significantly lately as supply is booming. A 1.5ct for example dropped from US$3,500 to US$3,000, Zimnisky noted.

  • "And let it be said, the lab-grown companies aren’t exactly charities – they’re like any other technology company out there to make money."