Best of: How the diamond industry lost its sparkle

Best of: How the diamond industry lost its sparkle

This week, we are revisiting a favorite episode. The natural diamond industry is facing an existential threat: lab-grown diamonds. They are chemically and physically identical to natural stones but they are a fraction of the price. Eleanor Olcott, the FT’s China technology correspondent, travelled to the epicentre of lab-grown diamond production in the central Chinese province of Henan to see how they are made. While the FT’s natural resources editor, Leslie Hook, explores what the sale of De Beers, the natural diamond producer, could mean for the future of the sector.


This episode originally aired on September 10 2025.


Clip from Arnold Worldwide


The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


For further reading (updated):

How the diamond industry lost its sparkle

The sparkle is fading in Africa’s diamond heartland

De Beers likely to be sold to consortium, Anglo chief says


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


Follow Leslie Hook on X (@lesliehook) and Eleanor Olcott on X (@EleanorOlcott). Michela Tindera is on X (@mtindera07) and Bluesky (@mtindera.ft.com), or follow her on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more.


Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaksot(318)

Finale: The collapse of India’s $22bn tech star

Finale: The collapse of India’s $22bn tech star

For our final episode: Education start-up Byju’s quickly became the pride of India during the Covid-19 pandemic. But almost as fast as the company rose, it collapsed. The fallout has already resulted ...

1 Huhti 31min

Private credit’s public reckoning

Private credit’s public reckoning

After years of fast-paced growth, private credit is facing intense scrutiny. In recent months, investors have made requests to withdraw billions of dollars from the $2tn sector’s funds. The FT’s US pr...

25 Maalis 27min

Introducing Untold: Opus Dei

Introducing Untold: Opus Dei

Introducing Opus Dei, a new season of Untold from the Financial Times. Host Antonia Cundy uncovers the cultural and political influence of a controversial Catholic organisation in America. Opus Dei ex...

13 Maalis 1min

Wall Street and crypto battle over the future of money

Wall Street and crypto battle over the future of money

US President Donald Trump handed crypto companies a huge win last year when he signed a piece of legislation to regulate an important part of the digital currency world: stablecoins. But ever since th...

11 Maalis 19min

Vote for Behind the Money in the NYC Podcast Awards!

Vote for Behind the Money in the NYC Podcast Awards!

Behind the Money has been nominated for an NYC Podcast Award in the Best Interview Podcast category. It’s an Audience Choice award, which means we need your help to win. Vote for us here. And while yo...

9 Maalis 39s

Co-creators Mickey Down & Konrad Kay on ‘Industry’

Co-creators Mickey Down & Konrad Kay on ‘Industry’

This week Michela and the FT’s US banking editor, Joshua Franklin, interview the co-creators of the hit television show, Industry. In its fourth season, the show follows the lives of ambitious young p...

4 Maalis 31min

Companies reap $22bn from Trump’s immigration crackdown

Companies reap $22bn from Trump’s immigration crackdown

Raids by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement have made national headlines. But behind ICE’s operations, a sprawling web of private companies – from global powerhouses to niche family-run busine...

25 Helmi 25min

Suosittua kategoriassa Liike-elämä ja talous

sijotuskasti
mimmit-sijoittaa
psykopodiaa-podcast
rss-rahapodi
rss-rahamania
ostan-asuntoja-podcast
rahapuhetta
rss-laakispodi
rss-sisalto-kuntoon
herrasmieshakkerit
sijoituspodi
rss-draivi
inderespodi
rss-sami-miettinen-neuvottelija
rss-lahtijat
rss-bisnesta-bebeja
rss-karon-grilli
rss-seuraava-potilas
rss-paasipodi
vapauta-supervoimasi-podcast