DiamondBuzz
Wealthy Russians Surge in Investment-Grade Diamond Purchases Amid Market Uncertainty
Demand for polished diamonds up by 60% as individuals diversify portfolios with gemstones following VAT abolition and growing financial volatility.
Wealthy Russians are increasingly turning to investment-grade diamonds, with purchases of polished stones rising by 60% last year, according to VTB, the country’s second-largest bank. This surge in demand is attributed to the government’s decision to abolish VAT on diamond purchases, which has made gemstones a more attractive investment option.
Oksana Semenenko, vice president at VTB and head of its private banking division, explained that the rarity and uniqueness of diamonds make them especially appealing during times of rising financial market instability and tighter investment restrictions. Many affluent clients are now incorporating alternative investments, including diamonds, into their portfolios, typically allocating 5-10% of their assets to these tangible assets for diversification.
This shift comes amid increasing sanctions from the G7 and restrictions on Russian currency, which have impacted Russian diamond exports. In response, Alrosa, the state-run diamond mining giant, is turning to alternative markets to sell its goods. The company’s Diamond Exclusive program focuses on polishing its largest and highest-quality diamonds, particularly stones of 3 carats or more, to be sold directly to investors through partnerships with VTB and other financial institutions.
DiamondBuzz
Pandora Adds Carbon Footprint Labelling For LGDs
New Level Of Transparency Empowers Consumers To Compare Climate Impact Of Their Diamond Jewellery
For decades, diamonds have been graded by the traditional 4Cs: Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat. Now Pandora is adding the 5th C, declaring the carbon footprint of every Pandora Lab-Grown Diamond as part of the product information on pandora.net alongside the traditional four grading criteria.
The carbon footprint covers all emissions from the diamond crafting process: from producing the raw materials used to grow the diamond all the way until it is cut and polished, ready to leave the diamond facility.
As an example, a one carat Pandora Lab-Grown Diamond has 12.58 kg of CO2e emissions. This is around 90% lower than a mined diamond of the same size.
By adding carbon footprint to the diamond conversation, Pandora gives customers an extra point of comparison and essential insight into the climate impact of their desired diamond jewellery.
CARBON FOOTPRINT COMPARABLE TO A PAIR OF JEANS
Lab-grown diamonds are chemically, optically, thermally and physically identical to mined diamonds.
Pandora stopped using mined diamonds in 2021 and is now only using lab-grown diamonds made with 100% renewable electricity and set in jewellery crafted from 100% recycled silver and gold.This significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the Pandora Lab-Grown Diamonds collection. For example, a 14k gold Pandora Infinite ring with a 1 carat lab-grown diamond has a comparable carbon footprint to a pair of jeans.
PANDORA TO SHARE FINDINGS
The carbon footprints of Pandora’s lab-grown diamonds have been calculated by external life-cycle assessment experts and published in a study verified by auditing firm EY. The study uses best practice methodology and is available on pandoragroup.com.
Adding a 5th C is a response to increasing consumer expectations to sustainability, and Pandora will share its methodology and findings with other jewellery makers to inspire greater transparency across the sector.
Pandora Lab-Grown Diamonds are currently available in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Denmark with more countries to be added soon.
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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.