This content was first published on IGR – Italian Gemological Review no. 8 in 2019. The information provided here is therefore current as of the original publication date.
The Gems & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) – an organization set up by the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry to deal with the promotion of the local gems and jewellery industry – decided on August 7, 2019 to make a change to the membership categories that Indian jewellery companies can apply for, adding one for synthetic diamonds. Until now, these were included in the general “Synthetic Gemstones” category. The decision to separate synthetic diamonds from other gemstones was taken to improve the GJEPC’s monitoring of registered companies that deal with lab-grown diamonds.
According to GJEPC data, the Indian lab-grown diamond industry is growing significantly, recording a 94% increase in one year, in the period between April and July 2019. 95% of these synthetic diamonds are grown in the Indian state of Gujarat, in the areas between Varaccha and Katargam. Most exports are destined to the United States, Dubai and Hong Kong, as well as to the other major world diamond districts.
Gem News published on IGR – Italian Gemological Review #8, Winter 2019
