Dubai Hosts World's First Lab Grown Symposium
July 13, 23
(IDEX Online) - More than 230 delegates attended an inaugural lab grown symposium in Dubai to address issues facing the industry.
It was, said Ahmed Bin Sulayem, (pictured) chairman of the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE), the first event of its kind in the world.
"With over $1.5bn of lab-grown diamonds traded through Dubai last year - a year-on-year increase of 126 per cent - we are witnessing first-hand the rapid rise of LGDs and their applications, from fine jewellery to semiconductors and heat sinks," he said.
The event, Building Lab-Grown Diamonds' Own Bright Future, included panels discussions on issues around the value chain economics, branding, marketing, reputation and sustainability of lab growns.
Keynote speakers included Toby Cruse, general manager for rough diamonds at Diamond Foundry, who said volumes of natural and lab-grown products sold in the US were now almost equal.