Lab Grown Strategies, Mining Pressure and JCK Expectations
- 11 hours ago
- 1 min read
Is the diamond industry’s biggest challenge today simply a matter of demand, is it disruption from lab-grown, or is the entire pipeline still adjusting to a fundamentally different market structure than the one it operated under for decades?
In the episode 2 of The Diamond Dudes podcast, Rob Bates, Edahn Golan and Avi explore the challenges surrounding lab-grown, while also delving into the deeper strategic shifts across mining, retail and branding.
They dig into the forces reshaping the lab-grown market itself, from the ongoing price squeeze and disconnect between retail and the rest of the pipeline, to the question of whether the segment can build real brand value beyond simply being the cheaper option. The discussion examined consolidation among growers, the push toward tech applications, and why the industry still seems to lack a clear, unified strategy.
The dudes also addressed the mounting pressure facing miners as lower-value goods become increasingly difficult to move, why campaigns like De Beers’ Desert Diamonds may be more important than many realize, and how the industry is adjusting from a push pipeline to a more demand-driven market.
And the trio debate the future role of De Beers, whether diamond branding has ever truly worked beyond jewelry branding, the growing premiumization of the US jewelry market, whether the K-shaped economy is becoming too top heavy, and what retailers and suppliers should expect heading into JCK Las Vegas.
Comments