The diamond trade is stuck in a terminology war — and it's costing everyone.
WFDB President Mehul Shah at JGW Hong Kong: "Natural and lab-grown diamonds are distinct categories, not competitors. LGDs can be a gateway — consumers may upgrade to naturals as buying power grows."
Smart take. But here's the problem:
Distinct categories only work if the ENTIRE industry uses the same language. Right now? Chaos. "Lab-grown" vs "synthetic" vs regional terms — zero consistency.
My take: Global trade bodies need to stop the infighting and agree on ONE standard term. Fast.
Unity protects consumer trust. Division kills both markets.
The terminology trap isn't just semantics — it's a structural risk to the entire diamond supply chain.
WFDB President Mehul Shah at JGW Hong Kong: "Natural and lab-grown diamonds are distinct categories, not competitors. LGDs can be a gateway — consumers may upgrade to naturals as buying power grows."
Smart take. But here's the problem:
Distinct categories only work if the ENTIRE industry uses the same language. Right now? Chaos. "Lab-grown" vs "synthetic" vs regional terms — zero consistency.
My take: Global trade bodies need to stop the infighting and agree on ONE standard term. Fast.
Unity protects consumer trust. Division kills both markets.
The terminology trap isn't just semantics — it's a structural risk to the entire diamond supply chain.
