India, April 17 -- As the shimmering landscape of the Indian jewellery market undergoes a seismic shift, the long-standing monopoly of mined stones is facing a sophisticated challenger. India, long the world's 'back office' for diamond polishing, has emerged as a frontrunner in the production of lab-grown diamonds (LGDs), sparking a nationwide debate over tradition, value, and the very definition of a 'real' diamond. Also read | India defines a 'diamond' amid lab-grown surge, US tariff woes

Shweta Singla, the founder of the jewellery label Timanti, believes this evolution is more than just a pricing trend; it is a fundamental reconfiguration of how Indian consumers perceive luxury. The transition from mined to lab-grown is particularly p...