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

Global Diamond Consortium Announces Agreement To Acquire Anglo American’s Stake In De Beers In Landmark $1 Billion Transaction

Consortium Commits An Additional $500 Million Post-Acquisition Capital Injection and Enters Strategic Dialogues With The Government Of Botswana.

Published

1 day ago

July 31, 2026

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The Global Diamond Consortium, a strategic partnership comprising the governments of Namibia and Angola alongside leading global diamond traders, today announced an agreement to acquire Anglo American’s equity stake in De Beers.

Key Transaction Terms & Reinvestment Strategy

Under the terms of the agreement:

Initial Consideration: The consortium will pay $750 million upfront upon closing.
Deferred Consideration: An additional $250 million will be paid in subsequent installments, bringing the total transaction value to $1 billion.
Post-Acquisition Capital: The consortium has committed to injecting approximately $500 million in fresh capital directly into De Beers following the acquisition to stabilize operations and fuel long-term operational initiatives.

Navigating Market Dynamics

The acquisition marks a pivotal turning point for De Beers, which has faced significant broader market downturns in recent years. After reaching a peak valuation of $17.6 billion in 2001, De Beers’ reported book value adjusted to $2.3 billion earlier this year. The consortium’s capital injection aims to position the iconic diamond producer for renewed stability and sustainable value creation across the global supply chain.

Strategic Regional Collaboration

Central to the transition is the consortium’s commitment to producer-nation equity and strategic alignment. In addition to the direct participation of the governments of Namibia and Angola, the consortium is actively negotiating with the Government of the Republic of Botswana.

Botswana, which currently holds a 15% stake in De Beers, has expressed a formal intent to increase its ownership share as part of the strategic restructuring.