Education
Natural and Lab-Grown Diamonds: Two Sparkling Paths Defining the Future of Luxury Jewellery”
The diamond landscape is evolving faster than ever. As technology meets tradition, Natural and Lab-Grown Diamonds are redefining how consumers, retailers, and brands perceive luxury. Both share identical chemical and optical properties, yet their origins, pricing, sustainability factors, and emotional appeal set them apart.
With the global diamond market at a turning point, understanding these distinctions helps both jewellery buyers and industry professionals make informed decisions in 2025 and beyond.
From the Earth’s Depths to Cutting-Edge Labs
Natural diamonds are formed over billions of years deep within the Earth’s mantle under immense heat and pressure. They emerge through volcanic activity and are then mined, cut, and polished before reaching the consumer.
In contrast, lab-grown diamonds (LGDs) are created inside advanced laboratories using High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) or Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) technology. These processes replicate natural conditions, producing diamonds that are chemically, physically, and optically identical to those mined from the Earth — but grown in a matter of weeks.
Appearance and Durability: Identical in Every Sparkle
Both natural and lab-grown diamonds score a perfect 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, meaning they are equally durable, brilliant, and suitable for everyday wear. Even expert gemologists require specialized instruments to distinguish between the two.
Modern certification authorities such as GIA, IGI, and SGL ensure complete transparency by clearly mentioning whether a diamond is natural or lab-created on its grading report — maintaining consumer trust and industry integrity.
Pricing and Market Accessibility
One of the most defining aspects of lab-grown diamonds is affordability. On average, they cost 50–80% less than natural diamonds of similar size and quality. This has opened the luxury jewellery market to younger, value-conscious consumers, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, who view LGDs as sustainable and budget-friendly choices.
However, natural diamonds continue to command premium value due to their rarity, heritage, and perceived emotional depth — making them a timeless investment for collectors and traditional buyers.
Sustainability and Ethics in Focus
In today’s conscious consumer era, sustainability and ethical sourcing play a critical role in purchase decisions. Lab-grown diamonds have gained popularity for their minimal environmental footprint and traceable production methods.
Meanwhile, leading natural diamond mining companies have advanced significantly in eco-restoration, carbon reduction, and community programs, ensuring responsible mining practices. As both sectors innovate, the diamond industry as a whole is moving toward greater transparency and social responsibility.
India’s Pivotal Role in the Diamond Evolution
India, particularly Surat, has emerged as the global hub for lab-grown diamond production, driving exports and technological innovation. According to trade data, lab-grown diamond exports from India have surged sharply in 2025, solidifying the nation’s role as a world leader in both natural and synthetic diamond expertise.
Retailers across India are now offering dual counters — one for natural diamonds and another for lab-grown — to cater to the evolving preferences of modern consumers.
Changing Consumer Perceptions
The perception of lab-grown diamonds has shifted dramatically. Once viewed as “alternatives,” they are now celebrated as symbols of modern luxury and sustainability. However, natural diamonds continue to represent heritage, emotion, and exclusivity — values deeply rooted in the cultural and emotional fabric of jewellery buying.
The brilliance of a diamond, whether mined from the Earth or grown in a lab, remains eternal. The difference lies not in its sparkle, but in the story it tells — one of timeless beauty versus technological innovation.
As the jewellery industry embraces both, the future of diamonds is not about choosing one over the other — it’s about celebrating diversity, transparency, and conscious luxury.
Education
IIG Demonstrates the Future of Industry-Ready Education at Jaipur Jewellery Show 2025
Through immersive industry exposure, factory visits and live design showcases, IIG redefined professional learning beyond the classroom at JJS 2025.
As the Jaipur Jewellery Show (JJS) concluded what is traditionally the final major trade exhibition of the year, the International Institute of Gemology (IIG) used the moment to underline a larger shift underway in professional education, one where classroom learning is no longer sufficient without deep, structured industry immersion.
For IIG students, JJS was not an event to attend but a system to decode. Through its Student Delegation Activity, the institute designed a multi-layered learning experience that combined trade exposure, manufacturing insight, design validation, and cultural context, positioning education as an ecosystem rather than a syllabus.
At the Jaipur Jewellery Show, students engaged directly with the B2B marketplace, studying contemporary Polki and Jadau collections, heritage jewellery from Bikaner, and emerging gemstone formats showcased by leading jewellery houses including Shiv Narayan, Valentine, Saanre, Mrs Marquise, Raanisaa, B.G. Jewellers, among others. The exposure allowed students to understand how design, craftsmanship, sourcing, and commercial viability intersect.
Beyond the exhibition, IIG curated industrial visits that revealed the operational backbone of the jewellery business. Factory visits to Valentine and Achal Jewels Pvt. Ltd. gave students end-to-end visibility into jewellery creation, from design development to Polki Jadau manufacturing and final quality control, while RMC Gems offered insight into international-scale gemstone cutting and polishing operations catering to global brands.
Design education also held a strong presence during the Jaipur programme. At the Jaipur Jewellery Design Festival (JJDF), IIG students presented their manufactured master’s project pieces, offering industry audiences a view into how design thinking is translated into production-ready jewellery.
The institute’s design capability also found recognition at the IJ Design Awards 2025, an evening that marked the elevation of jewellery as a serious art form through exclusive, finely manufactured creations. Among the finalists was Rabiya Malik, an international IIG online student, who secured a place among the Top 5 nominations in the GIA Emerging Designer of the Year category, once again highlighting the institute’s growing global footprint and the credibility of its learning outcomes across geographies.
The visit to the Amrapali Museum and the atelier of Sunita Shekhawat blended heritage with contemporary learning. In a discussion with Digvijay Singh Shekhawat, the industry’s recognition of IIG’s practical, ground-level training was evident, with interest expressed in future internship opportunities for IIG students.
IIG’s growing relevance lies in its ability to offer a complete learning ecosystem. With a diverse portfolio of courses that allows designers to study gemology, creatives to understand merchandising, and entrepreneurs to build retail and business capability, the institute has recently expanded into advanced business and retail boot camps covering branding, technology integration, AI, and experience-led retail strategy. These are complemented by RD Consultancy service, enabling students and alumni to seek guidance on business setup, expansion, and critical decision-making at a discounted rate.
Reflecting on the evolving nature of education, Rahul Desai, CEO & Managing Director, International Institute of Gemology, said, “Earlier, classrooms were enough. Today, education demands equal exposure to industry, process, culture, and decision-making. Immersive experiences like JJS are central to how we prepare students for real careers.”
As the year closes, IIG’s Jaipur immersion stands as a case study in how professional education must evolve, rooted in heritage, aligned with industry, and designed for the realities of modern business.
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JewelBuzz is Asia’s First Digital Jewellery Media & India’s No.1 B2B Jewellery Magazine, published by AM Media House. Since 2016, we’ve been the trusted source for jewellery news, market trends, trade insights, exhibitions, podcasts, and brand stories, connecting jewellers, retailers, and industry professionals worldwide.