Conflict or cooperation? The two camps of the diamond industry ushered in the order revolution

The two "factions" of the diamond industry and an "iron curtain" seem to be quietly formed by all technological revolutions. The 100-year order and rules of the diamond industry have been rewritten, which is of interest to all parties... For the Chinese diamond industry, 2012 is a year to remember. In this year, the National Jewelry Quality Supervision and Inspection Center (Shenzhen) Laboratory was the first to discover a batch of undisclosed synthetic diamonds during the testing process. As a result, synthetic diamonds have entered the industry's vision and have appeared in media reports from time to time in similar ways in subsequent years.
The invasion of synthetic diamonds into the jewelry industry may mean that in the near future, the traditional 4C standard is not the primary criterion for identifying the quality of diamonds. Whether it is natural or not is a more important consideration. A few years later, when you walk into a jewelry store and try to buy a diamond ring, the first question you ask may not be related to price, but: "Is it natural or synthetic?"
Four years later, the heavy wall that had been in front of synthetic diamonds has begun to shake, and the development of synthetic diamonds has ushered in a glimmer of light.
However, looking at the road ahead, there are opportunities and challenges for the development of synthetic diamonds.
Opportunities brought about by technological breakthroughs Synthetic diamonds enter the jewelry industry, and breakthroughs in production technology are key.
It is understood that synthetic diamond technology originated in the 1950s, but until recently, gem-quality synthetic diamonds appeared, and reached a marketable level in terms of quality and cost.
Wang Yufu described his experience in entering the jewelry industry with “mistaken mistakes”. The adjunct professor of Shandong University and the chairman of Jinan Zhongwu New Materials Co., Ltd., who has been studying synthetic diamond materials for many years, never thought that there would be an intersection with the jewelry industry one day. "I don't want you to say that I have never seen natural diamonds until now."
Jinan Zhongwu New Material Co., Ltd. is located in an inconspicuous office building in the high-tech zone of Jinan City, Shandong Province. It is a factory with a scale of 36,000 square meters. There, there is a synthetic diamond laboratory that is said to be the best diamond synthesis technology in the country. A large number of large-particle, high-quality synthetic diamonds are constantly growing out from there, including gem-quality synthetic diamonds.
Within the Pearl River City Building in Guangzhou, thousands of miles away from Jinan, the general manager of Kailixi Diamonds (CARAXY), Guo Shengduan, has a tray with a few yellow diamonds that the company has just cultivated. The largest one is more than 2 carats. Have a GIA certificate. Kelly is a foreign-invested company with a laboratory located abroad. It is widely regarded as the first company to introduce synthetic diamonds to China. In April this year, it was also absorbed by the International Synthetic Diamond Association (IGDA) as a full member. It is also the first member company of the association in China.
According to Guo Sheng, “At present, from the perspective of cost, laboratory synthetic white diamonds are about half cheaper than natural diamonds, and the price difference between colored diamonds is even larger. Although the production cost of cultivating diamonds has declined in recent years, overall It is still relatively high. It is not easy to maintain a high temperature and high pressure growth environment for 2 to 6 weeks."
Guo Sheng is very optimistic about the future development of synthetic diamonds in the Chinese market. “2015 is the first year of Kelly's testing of water in China. In the process of communicating with consumers and dealers, we can feel their strong interest and curiosity.” Despite its establishment, Kelly's sales currently exceeds several million yuan, and customers have both individual consumers and influential companies in the industry. However, while he is excited about the market prospects, he is also annoyed by the name of “synthetic diamonds”: “In foreign countries, the popular name is 'laboratory diamonds', and in China it is called 'synthetic diamonds', giving Very low, very cheap feeling, which will affect the consumer's buying enthusiasm."
Unlike Guo Sheng’s confidence, Wang Haofu is more cautious about the synthetic diamonds entering the jewelry industry. He said that although the company's technology has reached the level of producing large-grain gem-quality synthetic diamonds, it will not export synthetic diamonds to any domestic enterprises and individuals until the domestic standard system and grading standards have not been fully established. It is understood that at present, the company produces a small number of gem-quality synthetic diamonds, and all of them are exported to foreign countries, all of which belong to large-grain synthetic diamonds (grams greater than 0.2 carats and diameters greater than 2.5 mm).
In Wang Yufu's view, the jewelry industry only uses a few factors such as the optical effect and hardness of synthetic diamonds. In fact, the physical and chemical properties of synthetic diamonds are very good, in the fields of abrasives, semiconductors, military, aerospace, etc. The application value is greater. “At present, I will not consider entering the jewelry industry. Our company is undertaking national-level scientific research projects, and the future business direction is still based on semiconductor materials application research.”
In addition, Wang Yufu said that despite the rapid development of synthetic diamond production technology in recent years, China has become an important producer of synthetic diamonds in the world, but there are not many producers capable of producing gem-quality synthetic diamonds, and enterprises with large-scale synthetic diamond production capacity. More is awkward. According to incomplete statistics, in 2015, China’s top two synthetic diamond producers – Zhongnan Diamond and Yellow River Cyclone (17.95 -0.22%, BUY) produced nearly 1,900 tons of synthetic diamonds, but the entire China’s gem grade in 2015 The production of synthetic diamonds is small, with small particles of synthetic diamonds of hundreds of thousands of carats and smaller particles of diamonds with only tens of thousands of carats.
The challenge of commercial application Although synthetic diamonds have achieved breakthroughs in production technology, there is still a long way to go to truly realize the commercial application of synthetic diamonds in the jewelry industry.
For synthetic diamond producers trying to open up markets in China, how to accurately explain to customers is a compulsory course. In the first impression of a person in charge of a natural diamond brand, synthetic diamonds are the name for “fake diamonds”. “The quality of synthetic diamonds can be infinitely close to natural diamonds, but it can never be replaced.” The person in charge said that according to the definition of gemology, the three characteristics of gemstones are “natural, rare and colorful”, and synthetic diamonds are industrial products. It can't be compared with natural diamonds at all.
The person in charge believes that some synthetic diamond manufacturers use the name of "synthetic diamonds" to publicize, which is essentially a kind of advantage. “Many people compare cultured pearls with synthetic diamonds. Cultured pearls are artificially interfering with the growth cycle of pearls, but the quality does not change, and the growth of synthetic diamonds is by artificially changing the physical structure of the diamonds.”
In interviews with reporters, there are not a few people in the industry who hold similar misunderstandings and prejudices.
The commercialization challenge of synthetic diamonds is more than that. Since synthetic diamonds are cultivated to simulate the growth environment of natural diamonds, the internal structure and physical and chemical properties of the natural diamonds are almost the same. This virtually increases the difficulty of troubleshooting synthetic diamonds and increases the potential risk of synthetic diamonds in the market.
For this, Lu Taijin, chief researcher of the Jewelry and Jade Jewelry Management Center of the Ministry of Land and Resources, believes that to achieve healthy development of the diamond industry, it is necessary to establish a separation zone between natural diamonds and synthetic diamonds so that products of two different natures can be found suitable for them. Market development methods are developed in parallel according to their respective positioning. At the same time, jewelry inspection agencies at all levels should also improve their own appraisal level, strengthen the research and development of testing equipment, and better protect the healthy and orderly development of the jewelry market.
In addition, at present, domestic quality inspection organizations, including the National Jewelry Quality Supervision and Inspection Center, have not established a synthetic diamond grading standard similar to GIA, IGI and other overseas diamond appraisal institutions, which has delayed the commercialization of synthetic diamonds in China to some extent. .
Of course, the final part of the commercialization of synthetic diamonds will ultimately fall on the end consumers. This poses new challenges to the product positioning and marketing strategies of synthetic diamond retailers.
Liang Weizhang, general manager of Guangzhou Diamond Trading Center, believes that if the synthetic diamond industry wants to promote commercialization, it is necessary to carry out systematic and professional marketing activities, and to disclose the artificially synthesized identity characteristics through the bright and honest, to popularize the technical methods of growth and identification of synthetic diamonds to the market. And gemological characteristics, while highlighting the unique advantages of synthetic diamonds.
Qiu Zhili, a professor at the School of Earth Sciences and Geological Engineering at Sun Yat-Sen University and director of the Research and Appraisal (Assessment) Center at Sun Yat-Sen University, believes that the emergence of synthetic diamonds has brought about the reconstruction of diamond values. Synthetic diamonds are the crystallization of human wisdom and are excellent high-tech materials that should be the main decorative function.
Liang Weizhang said that natural diamonds and synthetic diamonds will form two distinct marketing directions. The natural diamond market should pay more attention to natural scarcity and consumer sentiment. The synthetic diamond market should emphasize the price advantage.
As a representative of synthetic diamond producers, Guo Sheng said that Kelly Cultivating Diamonds always regards the information “open and transparent” as the purpose of synthetic diamond sales and an insurmountable bottom line, which will ensure channel and consumers in the sales process. Have full right to know. “We strongly support the separate development of the synthetic diamond and natural diamond markets, and will also help maintain the existing industry order, but we also look forward to a fair and just growth environment.” Guo Sheng said.

Steam Trap

Steam Trap,Thermodynamic Steam Trap,Steam Trap Types,Thermostatic Steam Trap

Haogong Valve Co Ltd , https://www.haogongvalve.com