Natural Diamonds - New Campaign - Good timing or too little too late?

[Texas Leaguer]

Natural Diamond Council - New Consumer-facing Initiative

Aparently the natural diamond industry has decided to get up off the canvas and come out swinging. This appears to be one of the most comprehensive and cohesive initiatives that I can remember in a very long time. It seems they have a well-thought out strategy to counter some of the half-truths, myths, and misinformation that have been aimed at the mined diamond industry (very effectively I might add) for a very long time.

But will it penetrate, or has the horse left the barn? Or could the timing be perfect relative to the stage of the product cycle of LGD?

https://www.naturaldiamonds.com/diamond-faqs/diamond-facts-full-report/

There is an overview page here:
https://www.naturaldiamonds.com/diamond-faqs/diamond-facts/

I know there are strong opinions out there.
Go!

 

[Nigel Haworth]

I like the fact that they discuss "sustainability" - too many people just assume that labs are all "green" and "ethical".

 

[diverg]

Natural Diamond Council - New Consumer-facing Initiative

Aparently the natural diamond industry has decided to get up off the canvas and come out swinging. This appears to be one of the most comprehensive and cohesive initiatives that I can remember in a very long time. It seems they have a well-thought out strategy to counter some of the half-truths, myths, and misinformation that have been aimed at the mined diamond industry (very effectively I might add) for a very long time.

But will it penetrate, or has the horse left the barn? Or could the timing be perfect relative to the stage of the product cycle of LGD?

https://www.naturaldiamonds.com/diamond-faqs/diamond-facts-full-report/

There is an overview page here:
https://www.naturaldiamonds.com/diamond-faqs/diamond-facts/

I know there are strong opinions out there.
Go!

I'm to new at this to have a strong opinion. Being in the industry do you think it'll change the course.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

I'm to knew at this to have a strong opinion. Being in the industry do you think it'll change the course.

That's the million dollar question!

 

[Texas Leaguer]

I like the fact that they discuss "sustainability" - too many people just assume that labs are all "green" and "ethical".

Yes, and I noticed a term I had not seen used before - "social sustainability". This is an important aspect of the debate. It is usually referred to as "beneficiation". In other words, how much does the industry mean to the communities working in it in terms of economic, health and education benefits. I think the term social sustatainability better conveys the concept.

 

[nala]

They should have named lgd’s “diamonique” and they would not be in this situation.

 

[Rockdiamond]

Well done- beautifully written and presented fluff piece.
No, it ain't gonna make a hill of beans difference.
The utility issue ain't going away.
Although the piece makes it sound easy to differentiate lab, vs mined..... that's just not the case.
Looks like a diamond- acts like a diamond.....it's all there.....

 

[Chelsea Palmer]

They should have named lgd’s “diamonique” and they would not be in this situation.

“They” meaning whom?

 

[freddyboston]

One thing team natural needs to do is shift public opinion / make LGB unsuitable for larger sizes / significant purchases (E Rings)....

Maybe a Lab Diamond Demolition night ? Young couples can bring in their synths for free World Series / Superbowl game tickets and a % coupon towards a natural diamond.....

halftime show someone can drive over them with a steam roller on National TV

July 12, 1979, at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois -

 

[Chelsea Palmer]

Natural Diamond Council - New Consumer-facing Initiative

Aparently the natural diamond industry has decided to get up off the canvas and come out swinging. This appears to be one of the most comprehensive and cohesive initiatives that I can remember in a very long time. It seems they have a well-thought out strategy to counter some of the half-truths, myths, and misinformation that have been aimed at the mined diamond industry (very effectively I might add) for a very long time.

But will it penetrate, or has the horse left the barn? Or could the timing be perfect relative to the stage of the product cycle of LGD?

https://www.naturaldiamonds.com/diamond-faqs/diamond-facts-full-report/

There is an overview page here:
https://www.naturaldiamonds.com/diamond-faqs/diamond-facts/

I know there are strong opinions out there.
Go!

I believe the horse is gone. And I think he was leaving regardless of what the natural diamond folks did or didn’t say or do. There may be folks who holds earth-extracted diamonds in esteem, due to the billion-year-old prestige factor (or whatever the reasons may be; that is not of concern to me) but I think the average Joe and Joanne were shopping for engagement rings at mall chain stores, where $5000 (which is not an amount to sneeze at by the way), could maybe get you an earth-extracted H, SI, not-terribly-well-cut solitaire. I just don’t see how Joe and Joanne would continue to choose those diamonds when they could get something so much more beautiful for so much less money.

 

[Karl_K]

I love both natural diamonds and lab diamonds and support a healthy honest market for both.
I'm not a fan of the naming they should be mined diamonds and man made diamonds if you ask me.

A big reason it will fail is the messaging is mind numbing boring.
I am interested in it and it was blah blah blah after a couple min. reading.
The other side has mastered the sound bite and they come across as arrogant dinosaurs.

The biggest reason they will not win is economical, the economy stinks for a lot of people worldwide.
There is a large demand for sparky rocks that the natural diamond industry was not filling.
Lab diamond came along and filled in the hole in the market.
That is the real reason they will increase and stay around, they fill a hole in demand that the natural producers can not fill.

 

[distracts]

This particular campaign does not seem like it has what it takes to counter what parts of manmade vs mined propaganda is incorrect. For instance, one thing I hear all the time is "the Kimberley Process is worthless," and you have to click through and read a lot of text to find more info on it. There are some of these where charts of lab vs mined would be useful.

The biggest reason they will not win is economical, the economy stinks for a lot of people worldwide.
There is a large demand for sparky rocks that the natural diamond industry was not filling.
Lab diamond came along and filled in the hole in the market.
That is the real reason they will increase and stay around, they fill a hole in demand that the natural producers can not fill.

This is it. To be fair, if I had $1-3k for a diamond ring, would I choose a beautiful and sparkly and large lab diamond in a solitaire, or a small natural diamond zales setting with diamond chips that aren't even properly melee to fill out some space? The lab diamond, definitely. Sure, those consumers I guess are a loss for the mined diamond industry, because now they have no one to sell subpar diamonds to, but the real people they should be worried about competing over are people who could spend $10k+ on a jewelry item. I can't feel bad that people who would have bought dirty ice at the mall are now getting lab diamonds.

Even on reddit though I have started to see people feeling like their D color lab diamond is "too cool-toned white" and "not real looking," so I suspect there will eventually be some kind of embrace of slight imperfection of mined diamonds. I'd think a campaign for mined diamonds should emphasize their uniqueness and variability.

 

[freddyboston]

Even on reddit though I have started to see people feeling like their D color lab diamond is "too cool-toned white" and "not real looking," so I suspect there will eventually be some kind of embrace of slight imperfection of mined diamonds. I'd think a campaign for mined diamonds should emphasize their uniqueness and variability.

Im sure part of it is deep down inside they know the $800 2ct D Vvs they're wearing is cheap knock off of 30k diamond..... After the novalty wears off - imposter syndrome

as to color coming soon.... Ombré Desert Diamonds will feature different color options. It will appear at Signet, and De Beers hopes to get other retailers involved, too.

Maybe warm Natural African Capes in 18k Yellow / Pink gold will be the new thing.... Seems the labs do buttery tones poorly....

De Beers Showcases ‘Ombré Desert Diamonds’ and Launches ‘Origin’ at JCK Las Vegas 2025 - JNI

At JCK Las Vegas 2025, De Beers Group unveiled two significant initiatives aimed at reigniting interest in natural diamonds and increasing transparency across the diamond supply chain. Returning with a new signature product after more than a decade, De Beers introduced Ombré Desert Diamonds—a...

jewellerynewsindia.com

 

[Chelsea Palmer]

This particular campaign does not seem like it has what it takes to counter what parts of manmade vs mined propaganda is incorrect. For instance, one thing I hear all the time is "the Kimberley Process is worthless," and you have to click through and read a lot of text to find more info on it. There are some of these where charts of lab vs mined would be useful.



This is it. To be fair, if I had $1-3k for a diamond ring, would I choose a beautiful and sparkly and large lab diamond in a solitaire, or a small natural diamond zales setting with diamond chips that aren't even properly melee to fill out some space? The lab diamond, definitely. Sure, those consumers I guess are a loss for the mined diamond industry, because now they have no one to sell subpar diamonds to, but the real people they should be worried about competing over are people who could spend $10k+ on a jewelry item. I can't feel bad that people who would have bought dirty ice at the mall are now getting lab diamonds.

Even on reddit though I have started to see people feeling like their D color lab diamond is "too cool-toned white" and "not real looking," so I suspect there will eventually be some kind of embrace of slight imperfection of mined diamonds. I'd think a campaign for mined diamonds should emphasize their uniqueness and variability.

Perhaps the people who feel like their D-color lab diamonds are too white to look real are the folks that never would’ve had a D-color diamond prior to the advent of lab grown diamonds. They're used to seeing sub-par H-I-J-color diamonds perhaps, and that was, to them, a “real” diamond.

 

[MissGotRocks]

Cut is king - whether in natural or lab. Not all labs are well cut and not all H, I, J natural diamonds are sub par. Color stands secondary to cut for the educated diamond buyer.
There will always be a natural diamond market in my opinion. People will buy them for the reasons they have done so for hundreds of years. Cost is certainly the driver of labs and not necessarily true of the natural market. How long lab diamonds will be in vogue is anyone’s guess. Their track record has not been proven for the long haul even though they entertain popularity now. As with all things, time will tell.

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

As for the idea that a cheap diamond is not special enough for a major gift event like engagement or anniversary… well add on the price of making a custom gold setting these days and there you have two months’ salary.

Also, if natural diamonds stay in the price realm of “extravagant gift,” then they by definition cannot compete with name-brand or custom LGD jewelry in the price realm of “buy yourself something special a few times a year.”

 

[kenny]

Has anyone here see the 1975 film, "The Stepford Wives"?
Not the remake, the 1975 original.

If you haven't you wouldn't understand the potent potential message I'm taping into here.

But if you have seen the 1975 original ...
To me, lab diamonds are similar to those new seemingly-perfect high-tech fake women (actually robots) that are replacing the real women, only (supposedly) better.

But this message goes deeper.
The ad campaign could be as much, actually more, about the men as it is about the women.
A Real man want a real woman, not a seemingly perfect fake woman (robot) gliding down the supermarket aisle as gracefully as a swan on a still lake.




I hereby donate this rich premise to some clever marketing pro in the natural diamond industry to develop into their new ad campaign.

Watch the 1975 film.
You'll get it.

 

[Chelsea Palmer]

Im sure part of it is deep down inside they know the $800 2ct D Vvs they're wearing is cheap knock off of 30k diamond..... After the novalty wears off - imposter syndrome

as to color coming soon.... Ombré Desert Diamonds will feature different color options. It will appear at Signet, and De Beers hopes to get other retailers involved, too.

Maybe warm Natural African Capes in 18k Yellow / Pink gold will be the new thing.... Seems the labs do buttery tones poorly....

De Beers Showcases ‘Ombré Desert Diamonds’ and Launches ‘Origin’ at JCK Las Vegas 2025 - JNI

At JCK Las Vegas 2025, De Beers Group unveiled two significant initiatives aimed at reigniting interest in natural diamonds and increasing transparency across the diamond supply chain. Returning with a new signature product after more than a decade, De Beers introduced Ombré Desert Diamonds—a...

jewellerynewsindia.com

The 2-carat D lab diamond may be inexpensive, but it’s not a knockoff.

 

[freddyboston]

Ok then say a LGD Ring is an inexpensive replica of a Diamond Ring....

 

[Chelsea Palmer]

Ok then say a LGD Ring is an inexpensive replica of a Diamond Ring....

But how can it be a replica of a diamond, if it is already a diamond? I think a replica is an exact copy of something. So you might as well say a diamond extracted from the Earth is an expensive replica of a lab-grown diamond.

 

[freddyboston]

But how can it be a replica of a diamond, if it is already a diamond? I think a replica is an exact copy of something. So you might as well say a diamond extracted from the Earth is an expensive replica of a lab-grown diamond.

Because a Lab Diamond Ring has to use the Modifier LAB GROWN and the "real" ones do not....

1.67Ct Round Lab Created Diamond (VVS1/D) 14k White Gold Solitaire $36.51
(No wonder GIA is jumping ship...)

 

[Chelsea Palmer]

So diamonds extracted from the earth are “real” and diamonds created in a lab are NOT “real”.

 

[elle_chris]

Because a Lab Diamond Ring has to use the Modifier LAB GROWN and the "real" ones do not....

1.67Ct Round Lab Created Diamond (VVS1/D) 14k White Gold Solitaire $36.51
(No wonder GIA is jumping ship...)

That must be a mistake? The gold would be worth more.

 

[Chelsea Palmer]

This particular campaign does not seem like it has what it takes to counter what parts of manmade vs mined propaganda is incorrect. For instance, one thing I hear all the time is "the Kimberley Process is worthless," and you have to click through and read a lot of text to find more info on it. There are some of these where charts of lab vs mined would be useful.



This is it. To be fair, if I had $1-3k for a diamond ring, would I choose a beautiful and sparkly and large lab diamond in a solitaire, or a small natural diamond zales setting with diamond chips that aren't even properly melee to fill out some space? The lab diamond, definitely. Sure, those consumers I guess are a loss for the mined diamond industry, because now they have no one to sell subpar diamonds to, but the real people they should be worried about competing over are people who could spend $10k+ on a jewelry item. I can't feel bad that people who would have bought dirty ice at the mall are now getting lab diamonds.

Even on reddit though I have started to see people feeling like their D color lab diamond is "too cool-toned white" and "not real looking," so I suspect there will eventually be some kind of embrace of slight imperfection of mined diamonds. I'd think a campaign for mined diamonds should emphasize their uniqueness and

So D-E-F mined diamonds with either no or barely perceptible inclusions will now cost less than ones with inclusions?

 

[freddyboston]

That must be a mistake? The gold would be worth more.

most likely it's plated... oooo a 2ct @ 47.09




3Ct gets you an upgrade to 14k plated 925 silver.....

 

[Rfisher]

Keeping things
‘Separate but equal’
Sure is tough.

So diamonds extracted from the earth are “real” and diamonds created in a lab are NOT “real”.

 

[freddyboston]

Target market for LGD rings should be kids..... The jewelers could set aside a children's section in the store with lower height counters where they can get a ring like mom's......

 

[Chelsea Palmer]

Target market for LGD rings should be kids..... The jewelers could set aside a children's section in the store with lower height counters where they can get a ring like mom's......

That could be an additional target market. But I think I’m part of a good target market, which is someone who wanted a beautiful 2-carat round diamond but simply would not spend $30,000+ for one. Another good target market would be the folks who are currently looking at all the subpar diamonds at the mall jewelry stores and to realize that, instead of spending $5000 of their likely hard-earned money on something that might not be particularly beautiful, they now have another option to procure a beautiful diamond for their beloved at a much more practical price point. Wait, I think this target market already caught on.

 

[MissGotRocks]

Some mall jewelers are selling labs too - some set in sterling silver! A choice of course but doesn’t scream quality either. People do make choices to spend whatever amount of money they feel they want to spend or have to spend on a diamond. Just depends on your preferred flavor.

 

[Chelsea Palmer]

Some mall jewelers are selling labs too - some set in sterling silver! A choice of course but doesn’t scream quality either. People do make choices to spend whatever amount of money they feel they want to spend or have to spend on a diamond. Just depends on your preferred flavor.

Yes, I saw some labs set in silver. I might have to disagree with you about the money though. I think there’s a lot of pressure to spend what, for many average folks, is quite a bit of money on a diamond engagement ring. I’m not talking about the folks who shop at Harry Winston. I’m talking about your average folks. There is still pressure to spend what could be a stress-inducing amount of money. I do not have a diamond ring from a mall store, but I’ve seen my share of them to know that, for what they cost, the quality rarely is there. Now, instead of spending $5000 on a subpar diamond, there is another option.