LGD News Week Of 17October2022- FREE Preview
Made, Not Mined™ Pivot to Excellence
Lindsey Scarlata Woodruff and Don O'Connell
The Charles & Colvard Interview
As the original creators of moissanite, Charles & Colvard has been an industry leader in the lab grown market for nearly 30 years. They've since evolved their portfolio to include lab grown diamonds and lab grown precious color gemstones, and have made a commitment to attain 100% use of recycled precious metals.
Wired Names LGD Company in Top 100 Euro Startups
Silviu Reinhorn CEO LUSIX
Never is a Very Long Time
Rordan and Tom Shane Image from Shane Co website
Shane Co now carrying lab-grown diamonds
New Course - Foundations for Sustainable Jewelry Practices
Christina T. Miller
Christina T. Miller launches first online course
Christina T. Miller Sustainable Jewelry Consulting has launched their first online course, Foundations for Sustainable Jewelry Practices. The introductory course is geared to those just getting started in the jewelry industry, such as jewelry students, recent graduates, new jewelry business owners and staff, and for jewelry industry members who want to establish an essential foundation of knowledge to build from.
“I have seen the need to establish foundational knowledge to grow from. The questions we get daily reflect the noble aspirations of jewelers to find the best solution or source for their jewelry and the reality is, it’s complicated!” - Christina Miller, Founder and Lead Consultant.
The course provides foundational knowledge about the jewelry industry, core ideas and concepts around the supply chain and how materials are procured including an introduction on how to approach responsible sourcing for jewelry makers.
Included in the course are four video lessons with accompanying downloadable resources and external reference links as well as a Student Forum to encourage discussion and peer to peer learning.
The first lesson discusses the industry inherited, where the jewelry industry currently stands, where change is needed and why. The second lesson explains some of the terms the jewelry industry uses, highlighting parts of the language used to discuss issues in the trade and to consumers. The third lesson focuses on materials, offering a basic overview of how jewelry materials are produced.
Finally, the last lesson seeks to review and invite students to take action with ideas about things they can do right away to elicit change.
“This is the course I wish I had had when I first started my solo-preneur jewelry business. We’ve built the course and the content with this wish, held by many others, in mind.” says Ana Brazaityte, Education Director and Consultant.
The course immerses students in core ideas and concepts that establish a mindset for approaching responsible practices for jewelry makers.
How Will Lab-Grown Diamond Jewelry Do This Holiday?
Liz Chatelain President and Co-Founder of THE MVEye
International Jewelry Trade and Consumer Research Launched
THE MVEye began conducting trade and consumer research on lab-grown diamonds in 2004. Since their first study, they have identified trends, forecasted product sales, and monitored consumer awareness levels. Lab-grown diamonds is the fastest growing category in the market, therefore the need to monitor and understand the expected sales for this holiday season is crucial to suppliers and retailers alike.
“We have expanded the base of respondents to include 1,000 consumer shoppers from both the U.S. and Canada as well as fine jewelry retailers from Australia, Canada, the EU, New Zealand, and the U.S. This will give us a wider understanding of the impact lab-grown diamonds has had on the jewelry market over the last few years and what holiday will look like in 2022,” states Liz Chatelain, president THE MVEye.
This year’s study is being spearheaded by the International Grown Diamond Association (IGDA) and sponsored by GIA - Gemological Institute of America and LUSIX, Sun Grown Diamond producer.
“Monitoring and understanding the acceptance and growth of lab-grown diamond jewelry sales is beneficial for the industry overall as well as for our IGDA members. We are happy to engage THE MVEye to bring this vital research together with the sponsors,” said Richard Garard, Secretary General, IGDA.
The research for both the consumer shopper and jewelry retailers will be conducted online as well as with video interviews.
“We are looking forward to seeing and hearing the consumer’s experience with finding, learning about, shopping for and gifting lab-grown diamond jewelry, as well as the retailer’s first-hand experience with lab-grown diamonds,” added Liz Chatelain.
Consumer shopper research topics will include:
· Current LGD awareness
· LGD product comprehension
· Acceptance levels
· Category preference
· Key influencers
· The use of sustainability claims and product grading certificates
· Forecast of spending for holiday 2022
Results of this extensive international research in the form of a digital report including video clips is to be published in early November and available through THE MVEye and IGDA websites.