DiamondBuzz
Diamond market roundup: Domestic and overseas demand increasing, Chinese buyers slowly returning
United States:Trading steady amid shortages in select categories. Market still memo-centric, with little inventory-buying. Retailers seeking 2.50 to 2.99 ct., F-H, VS-SI, rounds and fancies with no center black, paying premiums due to goods’ scarcity. Melee in demand. US February inflation better than expected at 2.8%.
Belgium:Mood improving following Hong Kong show. Dealers cautiously optimistic, as goods are starting to move. Large stones in short supply. Belgium polished exports for February down 24% year on year at $783.7 million, with volume declining 20% to 297,700 cts.
Israel:Market sentiment more positive after dealers report sales of 3 ct. and larger diamonds at Hong Kong show. Low inventories supporting prices, with some price increases in fancy shapes.
India:Manufacturers reporting better Hong Kong show than anticipated, boosting market mood. Domestic and overseas demand increasing. Chinese buyers slowly returning, especially for small goods, but quantity of purchases still limited. Polished production remains low, supporting prices and sales.
Hong Kong:
Industry reflecting on show, which beat expectations but was slow relative to pre-pandemic times. Many Indian trade buyers. Dealers following up on sale leads. Fair attracted purchasers from around the world, but few Chinese clients present. Demand was very specific, with exhibitors holding prices firm amid high replacement costs.
DiamondBuzz
CIBJO Backs ‘synthetic’ As Sole Label For Man-Made Diamonds
CIBJO’s Laboratory-Grown Diamond Committee, Told Delegates That “Synthetic” Remains The Primary Term Recognized By Consumers, Despite A Formal Push From The Sector’s Steering Committee To Defer The Ruling and Authorize “Laboratory-Grown.”
The World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) has recommended “synthetic” as the only acceptable descriptor for non-mined diamonds, rejecting calls from trade leaders to permit the term “laboratory-grown,” the organization said on Monday.
The decision, finalized at the closing session of the 2026 CIBJO Congress, deepens a global divide over gemstone terminology at a time when manufactured stones are rapidly eroding the market share and pricing power of mined gems.
CIBJO’s Laboratory-Grown Diamond Committee, told delegates that “synthetic” remains the primary term recognized by consumers, despite a formal push from the sector’s steering committee to defer the ruling and authorize “laboratory-grown.”
CIBJO’s move aligns with a growing regulatory push in several major markets. France restricted terminology to “synthetic” in 2024, Russia followed suit in June, and the London Diamond Bourse endorsed the single descriptor on Sunday. In May, the African Diamond Producers Association also tightened descriptor rules to shield the natural diamond trade.
In contrast, regulators and retailers in the United States and India have favored consumer-friendly phrases such as “lab-grown” or “laboratory-grown.” The commercial stakes are particularly high in the U.S., where synthetic stones now account for more than half of all engagement ring sales by volume, applying severe downward price pressure on natural rough and polished stones.
CIBJO, which began moving to strike “lab-grown” from its influential Diamond Blue Book standards last year, warned that the diverging legal frameworks are leaving the global market increasingly fragmented.
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