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China’s lab-grown diamond exports surge amid AI-driven cooling demand
Through the Shanghai Diamond Exchange, lab-grown diamond export value reached 1.41 billion yuan in January-June, up 65.3% year over year.
China’s lab-grown diamond exports are expanding rapidly, supported by industrial use cases tied to the global artificial intelligence boom, according to the South China Morning Post. The outlet reports that lab-grown diamonds, while competing in the same category as natural stones for consumers, have also become a meaningful input for industrial applications where performance matters.
Official figures cited by SCMP show that the value of lab-grown diamond exports through the Shanghai Diamond Exchange hit 1.41 billion yuan, about US$210 million, in the January-June period. That represents a 65.3% increase from a year earlier.
SCMP also says that China’s dominance in production is driving the export trend, noting that more than 60% of man-made gems are produced in the country. The report quotes Shanghai Diamond Exchange president Lin Qiang saying that, until recently, SDE-channelled trading was more focused on natural diamond imports, but the lab-grown industry has grown into a major powerhouse.
On demand, SCMP points to the United States as the biggest jewellery market, accounting for more than 70% of total consumption, based on a report released at an industry forum in December in Henan province. It adds that lab-grown and natural diamonds are chemically and physically identical, with the same material properties, while industrial use can value their application-specific advantages.
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