By Akansha Kamath
Recently, contentious conversations surrounding natural diamonds have sparked larger industry bodies, researchers, and industry leaders to study the gemstone with greater detail and intention. What makes a natural diamond stand the test of time and technology, grow in value, and pave the path to conscious consumption? How can it become a carrier of legacy, beyond generations and years?
“Nothing lasts forever like a natural diamond,” says Milan Chokshi, founder of jewellery label, Moksh. The designer often works with the gemstone in his pieces that meld tradition and modern. According to Chokshi, the true value of the natural diamond lies in the joy it sparks, and the emotions and feelings it gives rise to.
Long regarded as a symbol of beauty and true love in many cultures, natural diamonds carry an emotional value far beyond their time. There is a reason why they are picked as symbols of love – be it to punctuate a couple’s love and marriage. Or the birth of a newborn in the world, or for a mother to mark her sentimental place in her children’s lives.
One wearer shares the generational significance of a natural diamond: “Our family heirloom, a necklace featuring a natural diamond pendant, was passed down from my grandmother to my mother. I received it as a coming-of-age gift on my 30th birthday. Recently, I melted down the original settisng and reimagined the diamond into a modern choker, versatile enough to wear with both contemporary outfits and traditional attire like saris.”
A recent Bain & Company study proves that natural diamonds retain their value over time. The category sustained a 3% increase annually even as economies around it shrunk. As economic landscapes shift and uncertainties loom, diamonds have offered stability and acted as a valuable hedge against inflation, reassuring investors of their reliability.
However, beyond the fiscal growth and valuation of a product like a real diamond, what sets them apart from other investment counterparts is their intimate connection with the wearer. They are worn close to the body forming a physical closeness. Each diamond becomes a personal talisman, carrying stories of the wearer. This unique bond makes diamonds not just accessories but living symbols of heritage and emotion, passed down through families as precious reminders of enduring love and legacy.
