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
Divine Solitaires Named ‘Best Diamond Jewellery Brand’ At JewelZ South India 2026
The Recognition Acknowledges The Brand’s Approach To Quality Assurance, Standardised Pricing and Transparency In The Natural Diamond Solitaire Category.
Hyderabad, 25 September 2026: Divine Solitaires, India’s natural diamond solitaire brand, has been honoured with the ‘Best Diamond Jewellery Brand’ award at JewelZ South India 2026, recognising its efforts to bring greater consistency, transparency and quality assurance to the natural diamond solitaire buying experience. The award was presented on 22 September at Novotel, HICC, Hyderabad.
The recognition comes as the natural diamond solitaire category evolves, with consumers increasingly seeking greater clarity around certification, quality and pricing when making high-value jewellery purchases. Divine Solitaires has built its proposition around addressing these expectations through its 123-parameter Quality Guarantee and Nationwide Standard & Transparent Pricing, which are applied uniformly across its retail network.
With a presence through 200+ partner jewellers across 100+ cities in India, the brand offers a portfolio of 3,000+ designs, alongside consumer-focused initiatives and long-term value programmes, including buyback and upgrade options.
Commenting on the recognition, Jignesh Mehta, Founder and Managing Director, Divine Solitaires, said:

“The way consumers buy diamonds is evolving. A solitaire is a significant purchase, and today’s buyer wants greater clarity on what they are buying, how quality is evaluated and how the price is determined. At Divine Solitaires, our endeavour has been to bring greater structure and consistency to this journey through clearly defined quality parameters and transparent pricing. This recognition at JewelZ South India is encouraging because it reflects the industry’s growing focus on building trust through greater accountability and standardisation.”
Adding to the brand’s presence at the event, Jignesh Mehta participated in the panel discussion “How the Jewellery Moguls are Crafting the New Jewellery Era”, moderated by Ritu Marya, Editor-in-Chief, Retailer Media. The session brought together senior industry leaders to discuss evolving consumer expectations, trust-building and changing retail models.
Mehta’s participation focused on the evolving natural diamond solitaire category, particularly the importance of consistent quality assurance, transparency and standardisation in building consumer confidence around high-value jewellery purchases.
The recognition reinforces Divine Solitaires’ focus on creating a more structured and transparent solitaire-buying ecosystem, as the category continues to evolve alongside changing consumer expectations.
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