Interview with Debswana CEO Andrew Maatla Motsomi.
Category: Synthetics
“We only charge for the gold,” declares ad by Universal Chains.
Company, belonging to same family as Kiran Gems, currently generates 250,000 carats per month.
Organization believes wording other than “synthetic” has hurt natural diamonds.
Policy changes at the GIA and HRD Antwerp should help differentiate synthetics from natural.
Institute will not stop grading synthetics or label them differently, unlike HRD or GIA, it said.
Economics and finance ministry rejects “lab-grown” tag.
HRD Antwerp will still issue reports for mounted stones in jewelry.
New description will no longer use color and clarity nomenclature.
Company cites dramatic decline in wholesale prices.
Gap in shoppers’ understanding of natural vs. synthetic diamonds is narrowing, according to Plumb Club.