Natural Diamond Council becomes The Diamond Collective with new global strategy

MUMBAI: The diamond industry is getting a new sparkle, but this time the shine comes from a strategy rather than a stone. The Natural Diamond Council has rebranded as The Diamond Collective, unveiling a global plan aimed at reconnecting natural diamonds with culture, rebuilding consumer confidence and driving long-term demand.

The new strategy has been shaped by CEO Amber Pepper following six months of consultations with producers, retailers, brands, creatives and consumers. It comes as luxury discovery and purchasing habits continue to evolve, with The Diamond Collective looking to turn renewed interest in natural diamonds into sustained consumer demand.

The strategy rests on three priorities: Inspire, Protect and Unite.

‘Inspire’ will focus on creating desire through culture, creativity and globally connected storytelling, while building a clearer route from discovery and consideration to purchase.

‘Protect’ will centre on consumer confidence through greater clarity, transparency and factual information. It will also involve challenging misinformation and drawing a clearer distinction between natural diamonds and synthetic diamonds.

‘Unite’ aims to bring producers, retailers, brands, designers and new voices together around shared priorities for the category’s growth.

Together, the three pillars mark a shift in the organisation’s approach — from defending the category to renewing desire, from individual campaigns to a connected global growth programme, and from industry representation to collective action, investment and measurable commercial impact.

The strategy will be rolled out through a series of programmes, including culturally relevant campaigns, a universal Trustmark, stronger origin and provenance storytelling, renewed partnerships with retailers and brands, and investment in AI and digital discovery.

The organisation also plans evidence-led initiatives to address misinformation, greater focus on producer nations and new forums for collective industry leadership. Further initiatives and additional senior appointments are expected to be announced in the coming months.

A key measurement tool will be the new Diamond Desire Index, which will track whether the strategy is changing how consumers perceive and act on natural diamonds. The index will launch with a baseline across the US, India and China, measuring consideration, purchase intent, sentiment and recommendation.

The data will provide a consistent global view of consumer desire for natural diamonds and support annual reporting on changes in behaviour and demand.

The Diamond Collective is also introducing a broader participation model, allowing organisations across the value chain to contribute expertise, perspectives and support to its shared priorities.

While The Diamond Collective will become the organisation’s public-facing name in most markets, the Natural Diamond Council will remain its legal entity. The organisation describes the change as more than a rebrand, positioning it as a new consumer-first, evidence-led and collective approach to category growth.

Pepper said the strategy was shaped by conversations with people across the industry and beyond, adding that the organisation sees an opportunity to bring the story of natural diamonds into culture while strengthening trust around what makes them distinct.

For The Diamond Collective, the next phase will therefore be less about simply polishing the diamond story and more about changing how, where and why consumers encounter it.