WD Lab Grown Diamonds
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Synthetic diamonds, advanced materials |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Founder | Clive Hill |
| Defunct | October 10, 2023 |
| Fate | Filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and rebranded as WD Advanced Materials, LLC |
| Headquarters | Near Washington, D.C. , United States |
Area served | Global |
Key people | Sue Rechner (CEO as of September 2019) |
| Products | Lab-grown diamonds (WD Lab Grown Diamonds, Latitude brands), diamond components for high-tech industries |
| Owner | Huron Capital, company management, board members, Carnegie Institution for Science |
| Website | www |
WD Lab Grown Diamonds operated as a producer of synthetic diamonds created through chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technology, with its headquarters located near Washington, D.C. Established in 2008, the company manufactured lab-grown diamonds under its own WD Lab Grown Diamonds label as well as the Latitude brand, while also supplying diamonds for advanced materials used in high-tech industries. In November 2023, the business restructured and rebranded itself as WD Advanced Materials, LLC.
Diamond production
The firm employed a unique and patented chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique to create laboratory-grown diamonds. It held an exclusive license for patents related to single crystal CVD diamond growth technology developed by the Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution for Science.
WD introduced its first commercially available synthetic diamonds on September 18, 2012. By June 2016, the company had produced its inaugural 5 carat round brilliant diamond, which received grading from the International Gemological Institute (IGI). On May 22, 2018, WD announced achieving a new milestone with a 9.04 carat gem-quality stone (I color VS2 clarity IDEAL cut), surpassing its previous record of a 6 carat diamond set earlier that January. In 2020, WD attained Climate Neutral certification alongside the highest Sustainability Rating awarded by SCS Global Services.
Although WD’s primary focus was the gemstone market, it also catered to the technological sector through its Advanced Materials division by supplying diamond components utilized in quantum computing, semiconductor devices, and optical systems. Notably, in February 2018, a 6mm scientific-grade diamond anvil produced by WD broke records by enduring pressures up to 600,000 atmospheres during tests conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
History and personnel
Founded in 2008 by UK jeweler Clive Hill, WD Lab Grown Diamonds attracted investment from middle-market private equity firm Huron Capital in January 2019. Later that year, in September 2019, Sue Rechner was appointed CEO as part of a strategic leadership transition. Ownership was shared among Huron Capital, company management, board members, and the Carnegie Institution for Science. On October 10, 2023, WD Lab Grown Diamonds filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation and announced its transformation into WD Advanced Materials, LLC.
See also
External links
- https://www.wdlabgrowndiamonds.com/
- https://latitudediamonds.com/
- Mother Nature Network: Lab-grown diamonds: Would you flaunt one?
- Laboratory-made diamonds a rising 'conflict-free' alternative
- What a gem of an idea
- Why earth mined diamond cost so much
- How to Choose a Good Quality Lab Created Diamond?