Kalamandir Jewellers has removed a lab-grown diamond advertisement from its YouTube channel following a complaint by the Natural Diamond Council (NDC) to India's advertising regulatory body.
The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) received the complaint from the NDC and listed the case on its website as "informally resolved."
In the controversial video, a customer asked a salesperson if the products under Kalamandir’s Rishta lab-grown diamond brand were "more environmentally friendly" and could be called "green diamonds." The salesperson replied, "Yes, ma'am. It's 100% true. That is why they are both affordable and valuable." She further mentioned, "Mining the earth's resources puts thousands of lives at risk."
Richa Singh, Managing Director of NDC India and the Middle East, told JCK, "There is no evidence to support the claims of eco-friendly or green diamonds, and such claims are misleadingly exaggerated."
As of the time of this report, Kalamandir has not responded to requests for comment, and ASCI has been unable to make contact.
The NDC has also challenged lab-grown diamond sellers before the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), accusing them of using vague, non-descriptive language. In April, ASA stated that British industrialist Dale Vince's brand, Skydiamond, must clearly label its diamonds as "lab-grown." Skydiamond argued against using the term, citing its use of non-traditional components, and filed an appeal against the ASA's decision, which was subsequently dismissed.
In the U.S., the NDC has successfully filed naming-related complaints against lab-grown diamond sellers like Agape Diamonds and Diamond Foundry with the National Advertising Division of BBB National Programs. However, Diamond Foundry successfully countered, prompting the NDC to remove certain statements from its website.
This case serves as a warning for Chinese lab-grown diamond manufacturers and jewelers looking to enter large markets like the U.S. While the potential is immense, so are the challenges. Companies should be prepared for potential pushback and ensure compliance, such as obtaining an ESG certification for lab-grown diamonds as solid evidence in counterclaims.
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