Trends that to shape diamond industry!

In a short run diamond industry to affect by 3 trends!

The Global Diamond Industry 2018, A resilient industry shines through, report said about Diamond jewelry retail, Key industry trends. Three trends have the highest potential to affect the diamond industry in the near term, 1: advancements in digital technologies, 2: the development of lab-grown diamonds and 3: generational shifts in consumer preferences. 

Among other benefits, digital technologies are aiding transparency and efficiency efforts across all segments of the value chain. For example, in 2017 and early 2018, blockchain projects were launched to help consumers confidently identify the origin of their diamonds. Mining companies are using predictive maintenance, real-time controls and artificial intelligence to mitigate rising operating costs. 

Cutting and polishing players are pursuing advanced solutions in digital mapping, modeling and manufacturing to shorten production cycles and ultimately move toward fully automated processes to manufacture polished diamonds. Consumer behavior is also changing as technology matures; social media, for example, is enabling and influencing new direct-to-consumer and online sales models.

Two important events occurred in 2018 regarding the lab-grown diamond market. In July, the US Federal Trade Commission amended its Jewelry Guides, clarifying “a diamond is a diamond” regardless of its origin. In September, De Beers Group launched a lab-grown fashion jewelery retailer called Lightbox Jewelery that introduced a new pricing paradigm.

Lightbox uses a linear pricing model, reflecting the linear cost of production, whereby all lab-grown stones cost $800 per carat, regardless of size. Lightbox also does not provide grading reports for its products. As the lab-grown industry continues to evolve and lab-grown diamond prices decline, players along the entire natural diamond value chain will need to determine how to respond and how to position their products with consumers.

While much attention has been paid to millennial buyers, their successors in Generation Z have been gaining buying power, forcing the industry to rethink marketing and sales strategies. Self-purchase sales and social media shopping are expected to increase, attracting younger generations of diamond buyers with distinct preferences.

The report was commissioned by AWDC and prepared by Bain & Company and AWDC. It is based on secondary market research, analysis of financial information available or provided to Bain & Company and AWDC, and a range of interviews with customers, competitors and industry experts.