The newly established Grown Diamond Trade Organization (GDTO) has set out to transform the lab-grown diamond sector by uniting growers, manufacturers, and retailers. GDTO aims to create a cohesive voice for the rapidly expanding lab-grown diamond segment within the jewelry market.
“It’s time for lab-grown diamonds to have their own ecosystem,” stated Marty Hurwitz, GDTO’s Executive Director. “Consumers have made their preferences clear; we must organize to meet the growing demand and distinguish ourselves from traditional mined diamond institutions.”
GDTO will offer exclusive Jewelry Reports to its members, providing reliable and affordable certifications on manufacturing processes, quality control, and finished jewelry specifications. These reports will cover the entire piece of jewelry, not just the center stone, and will introduce the industry’s first Sustainability Rating to ensure transparency regarding the jewelry’s source, conditions, and production.
“Lab-grown diamonds are manufactured to strict standards and should be graded accordingly,” Hurwitz added. “Subjecting a grown diamond to quality verification after production is like re-opening and tasting every bottle of wine after it’s corked. It simply doesn’t make sense.”
An advisory board of key senior executives from the lab-grown diamond supply chain will support GDTO’s mission. Members include Mehul Vaghani, CEO of Kira Jewels; Lani Nguyen, President of Valentina Designs; Suhel Kothari, President of Renaissance Global; David Sherwood, CEO of Daniel’s Jewelers; Dan Schneider, President of Pure Grown Diamonds; Irene Hsieh, CEO of Joy Colori; Bob Golden, President of Allure Gems; and Roger Kylberg, Co-CEO of 2DOT4.
Retailer members will benefit from a co-op advertising fund, sales associate training materials, consumer and trade PR support, vendor matching, government lobbying, and capital raising assistance. Additionally, GDTO plans to host the first-ever trade show dedicated solely to lab-grown diamonds.
