According to news reports, Israeli lab-grown producer Lusix is seeking a protection from creditors through a debt settlement, with debts to three Israeli banks amounting to US$15m, following unsuccesful attempts to raise additional funding from existing investors. Led by entrepreneur Benny Landa, Lusix is said to initially have raised US$150m, including US$60m from the Landa Group and US$90m from other investors, led by luxury giant LVMH, but the company got in trouble as LGD prices collapsed by more than 90% in recent months.
Photo Credit: Lusix
The price of lab-grown diamonds has fallen significantly in recent years. In July 2022, the price was $300 per carat, but by mid-2024 it had dropped to just $78 per carat. This significant decline is primarily due to an oversupply of the product and the rapid advancement in production technologies, which has made these diamonds more accessible to the consumer but also less valuable in terms of resale. Initially welcomed for their affordability and ethical credentials, lab-grown diamonds are now flooding the market.
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.