Notably, he points out that independent jewellers
outperformed large chains in terms of sales over the holiday period. Additionally, synthetic diamonds continued to
successfully compete with natural diamond market share.
Dvash states
that natural diamonds demand is modestly recovering owing to stable US markets, with more demand
expected to come from China this year. Prices will also likely trend higher
this year.
“However, what is clear is that the industry needs to
reposition natural diamonds as rare and
emotionally significant, to differentiate them from synthetic alternatives,” he
notes.
Recent
marketing campaigns by De Beers and others are trying to send more emotive
messages to the market about natural diamonds, with De Beers emphasising the emotional value of natural diamonds while adapting them to modern consumers. The company has revived its
iconic slogan of “a diamond is forever”.
India’s Gem
& Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) has also launched new marketing initiatives to
promote natural diamonds. In partnership with De Beers, the council created a programme to support
independent retailers in India with customized campaigns and training.
The GJEPC is
also collaborating with the Natural Diamond Council in the "make sure it’s
a natural diamond" campaign, urging consumers to choose authentic natural diamonds, with the message “precious things are crafted.”
The WFDB is
also doing its part to reposition natural diamonds as symbols of everlasting love. The
organisation just launched a social media campaign called “Moments” that
celebrates the emotional significance of natural diamonds in life’s most
cherished memories.
The first post
features a mother giving her diamond ring to her daughter, saying “this diamond
has seen me through life’s most precious moments, and now it will witness
yours”.
It adds, “a natural diamond like this isn’t just
jewellery – it’s a symbol of permanence, a reminder of the bond we share, and a
connection to the love passed down through generations”.
The tagline of
the campaign is Crafted by Earth, Celebrated by You. More posts in this regard
will feature on social media.
Dvash says promoting natural diamonds is a key goal of the
federation. “This campaign is the first of several steps we are
planning to portray the beauty and emotion inherent in natural diamonds.
“We believe
that this is the most important direction for the natural diamond industry,
which unfortunately has been neglected for many years,” he concludes.