DiamondBuzz

Augmont expands SPOT Gold Trading platform with lab grown diamond integration for global markets

Augmont, India’s largest gold trading platform announced that it has added Lab Grown Diamonds (LGD) to its existing online SPOT trading platform for precious metals catering to more than 5,000 jewellers across the country.

Published

2 years ago

January 29, 2025

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The enhanced SPOT 2.0 platform brings Augmont’s 17 years of precious metals trading expertise to the growing LGD sector. This addition represents an evolution of diamond trading infrastructure, particularly as India maintains its position as the world’s largest diamond cutting and polishing destination.

The platform enhancement introduces transparent pricing mechanisms and streamlined procurement processes for the LGD market inspiring confidence among key stakeholders. This strategic move is set to streamline the procurement for jewellers while establishing a transparent and efficient pricing mechanism for the rapidly growing LGD market in India.

Ketan Kothari, Director of Augmont Group, said, “Augmont has firmly established itself as India’s go-to destination for buying and selling gold. Building on this strong foundation, we are proud to have our own lab-grown diamond (LGD) platform on Augmont SPOT, addressing the surging demand in this rapidly growing industry. The platform will enable market pricing and delivery of these diamonds globally including USA, Europe, Gulf and East Asia’’

Aarav Bafna, Product Head (LGD), Augmont, said, “With the extended version of SPOT, we plan to set a benchmark for LGD pricing. The current LGD pricing model, based solely on discounts relative to mined diamonds, is fundamentally flawed and irrational. Augmont is here to transform that narrative. Just as we revolutionized gold trading and price discovery in India, we are now ready to redefine and reimagine the LGD market.”

SPOT offers a comprehensive and unified trading experience, enabling jewellers to source all their manufacturing requirements—including gold, silver, platinum, lab-grown diamonds, precious metal alloys, precious stones, and other essential materials—through a single integrated online platform. It also features real-time price discovery powered by advanced algorithms and market mechanisms, ensuring transparent and fair pricing. Quality assurance is a priority, with certification and verification processes for all listed diamonds. Built upon Augmont’s proven 17-year-old trading infrastructure, SPOT ensures seamless integration for a reliable and efficient trading experience.

The platform addresses the growing demand for lab-grown diamonds, which have gained significant market share due to their sustainable nature and competitive pricing. SPOT is expected to handle substantial trading volumes, reflecting India’s dominant position in the global LGD polishing industry.

As per the Commerce Ministry’s data, India polishes almost 98% of all lab-grown diamonds in the world in 2022.

As per the EY report, the demand for Lab-Grown Diamonds is rising across the world, and its global market size is growing at 8.64% CAGR to touch $39.3 billion by 2028. And the Indian lab-grown diamond jewellery market, which was valued at around $300 million in 2023, is set to increase to $1.2 billion by 2033.

DiamondBuzz

South African Task Team To Help Struggling Diamond Producers

The South African Government Has Partnered With Mining Industry Leaders To Form A Joint Task Team Aimed At Saving Jobs and Supporting Diamond Producers Facing Severe Market Pressures.

Published

2 days ago

October 30, 2026

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The quick intervention follows major disruptions in the local sector, including Petra Diamonds placing its Finsch mine under business rescue and De Beers announcing a two-year production pause at Venetia, the country’s largest diamond mine.

In a parliamentary reply on October 26, Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe confirmed that the team—which includes the Minerals Council South Africa and local diamond producers—will develop strategies to help mines survive current economic headwinds.

The immediate focus is finding practical solutions to protect operations across the entire sector, especially junior and small-scale miners who are being hit the hardest,

Key Industry Challenges

The local diamond sector faces a combination of falling global prices, rising operating costs, and intense competition from lab-grown synthetic diamonds. Official figures highlight the severity of the crisis:

Production Downturn: South African diamond output dropped 19.5% year-to-date through August.

Commodity Slump: According to Statistics South Africa, diamond mining was the weakest-performing mining sub-sector in August, with output falling 23.0% in the three months ending August compared to the previous three months.

Significant Mine Reductions: De Beers reported a 37% year-on-year drop in South African production for Q3 2026 (down to 418,000 carats) as operations wrap up ahead of Venetia’s pause. De Beers expects zero further production in South Africa for the remainder of 2026.

Price Pressures: Lower market values and a strong South African rand reduced average tender prices at the Finsch mine from $56 to $47 per carat, making ongoing operations unviable under current conditions.

The task team will focus on measures to ease cost pressures and address global market shifts. Further details regarding the team’s specific work plan, timelines, and financial resources will be announced as proposals are finalized.