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For all the confusion and consternation lab-grown diamonds have sown in the fine jewelry marketplace, the science behind how they differ from natural diamonds is well understood. On a recent webinar organized by the Plumb Club and sponsored by Tracr, Dr. Ulrika D’Haenens-Johansson, senior manager of diamond research at GIA, offered a clear-eyed explanation of […]
De Beers will likely be in the red for the first half of this year following a decline in rough-diamond sales in the second quarter, according to parent company Anglo American. Underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) at the diamond company “is expected to be negative” for the six-month period, the 85% […]
Lab also rolling out new comments clarifying impact of fluorescence. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) plans to introduce cut grades for marquise-, oval- and pear-shaped diamonds next year, marking a long-awaited development for the market. The diamond industry has been requesting the change for several years, since cut quality can vary greatly, and the GIA currently […]
The Russian government has announced new rules requiring lab growns to be labelled as “synthetic” so that consumers don’t mistake them for natural stones. It does not list “lab grown” or any variant with “lab” or “laboratory” as being acceptable terms. Only the qualifiers “synthetic” or “synth” can be used. In doing so, Russia goes […]
At the 2023 JCK Las Vegas show, De Beers introduced the fine jewelry industry to Tracr. Founded in 2018, the blockchain platform uses high-speed photography to create a digital twin of a rough diamond, enabling a new standard of traceability. The mining giant promoted the technology as the backbone of its consumer-facing Origin suite of services, […]
India’s Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) has become the first industry body to join the Natural Diamond Council (NDC). It signals a strategic shift toward tighter global coordination in the natural diamond industry by the country that boasts a near-monopoly on cutting and polishing. GJEPC announced its intention to join the NDC in […]
The diamantaire and industry leader succeeds Feriel Zerouki and said he will focus on being a “champion” for natural diamonds. Antwerp, Belgium—Ronnie VanderLinden is the new president of the World Diamond Council, the organization that acts as the industry’s official representative in the Kimberley Process. VanderLinden, a longtime leader in the diamond industry and owner […]
The Kimberley Process (KP) intersessional meeting was held in Mumbai from May 11 to 14 around themes uniting the industry, such as compliance with international standards and consumer confidence. However, certain more sensitive issues aimed at broadening the definition of “conflict diamonds” have yet to gain the desired traction. The meeting was chaired by India’s […]
India’s diamond sector has reached a notable milestone, with lab-grown stones exceeding naturals in export volume, as reported by industry analyst Edahn Golan. In both March and April 2026, shipments of lab-grown diamonds (LGD) from India surpassed those of natural diamonds, marking what Golan describes as “a major shift, arguably a tectonic one, but not a doomsday scenario” for […]
The upturn in diamond trading through Antwerp does not signal a global market recovery, but a modest restoration of activity in the city. That’s partly due to strategic structural measures implemented in 2025, as Karen Rentmeesters, CEO of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), stressed in a recent press release. But it’s also the result […]
Larger diamonds with J grades and down are gaining popularity among wealthier US consumers. What’s driving the craze? Large diamonds in low colors are a hot market in the US. The Rapaport Intelligence Report asks why. The trend represents an important shift in how higher-end consumers perceive diamonds. Those seeking 2.50-carat and larger goods are […]
Despite the buzz over digital diamond tracking, today’s customers value honest conversations more than flashy devices. The diamond industry, which is notoriously averse to change, is facing a new challenge when it comes to documenting a stone’s provenance: a lack of interest from customers. A 2024 report from McKinsey & Company declared that “diamond producers should continue […]