On 22 June 2023, during his state visit to the United States, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented First Lady Dr Jill Biden with a 7.5-carat laboratory-grown diamond. A year on, it remains one of the most memorable moments in the story of laboratory-grown diamonds.
The diamond
- A 7.5-carat round brilliant, the carat weight chosen to mark 75 years of India's independence.
- Grown in Surat by Greenlab Diamonds, whose facility runs on renewable energy from a large solar and wind installation.
- Graded by IGI.
- Presented in a papier-mâché box made by Kashmiri artisans.
It was widely reported as the most valuable gift the Biden family received from a foreign leader that year.
Why it mattered
- A statement of confidence. A head of government chose a laboratory-grown diamond as a gift of state, signalling that these are precious, meaningful stones.
- A spotlight on Surat. The world saw that India, and Surat in particular, is at the forefront of growing, cutting and polishing laboratory-grown diamonds.
- A sustainability story. Pairing a lab-grown diamond with renewable power highlighted how modern production can reduce environmental impact.
Where things stand a year later
Laboratory-grown diamonds continue to gain acceptance with consumers and retailers, especially in the United States. India's government is supporting the sector through research programmes such as the India Centre for Lab-Grown Diamonds at IIT Madras, and Surat's new Diamond Bourse gives the trade a world-class hub.
From our city
As a Surat-based manufacturer, we are proud to see our city's work celebrated on the world stage. If you'd like a laboratory-grown diamond cut in Surat for your own special occasion, contact us.
Sources: TIME, IGI, National Jeweler
