"钻石恒久远，一颗永流传"，这句很多人耳熟能详的广告语，将钻石塑造为爱情与永恒的象征，然而其高高在上的价格却让很多普通百姓望而却 步。如今在柘城，人们戏称实现了"克拉自由"。 位于豫鲁苏皖四省结合处的河南省柘城县，曾经是国家级贫困县。目前，柘城的金刚石微粉年产量和出口量均占全国90%以上，培育钻石产量接 近全国产量的一半。柘城让以前很多人不敢想的钻戒"飞入寻常百姓家"。 如今，"世界金刚石看中国，中国金刚石看河南，河南金刚石看柘城"已成为很多业内人士共识。 记者：杨金鑫 杨静 摄制：马尧 新华社音视频部制作 【纠错】 【责任编辑:邱丽芳】 截至今年9月底，柘城县已生产金刚石单晶约45亿克拉，金刚石微粉约110亿克拉，培育钻石约900万克拉，其中培育钻石产量接近全国产量的一 半。 "克拉自由"源自科技进步。相比于形成天然钻石需要的漫长且苛刻的自然条件，在力量钻石的生产车间，放在一台六面顶压机里的石墨柱合成块 历经7到15天的高温高压后，即可"孕育"出高纯度钻石原石。 ...

Core Viewpoint - The traditional diamond market is facing significant disruption due to the rise of lab-grown diamonds, leading to a dramatic decline in natural diamond prices and changing consumer perceptions about diamond ownership and value [2][6]. Group 1: Market Dynamics - De Beers reported a more than 15% drop in the price of natural diamonds over 2 carats, with some categories experiencing declines of up to 25% [2]. - The city of Zhecheng in Henan province has become a major player in the lab-grown diamond industry, producing 6 million carats annually, which accounts for 44.4% of global output [2][3]. - The average price of a 5-carat custom lab-grown diamond ring from Zheguang is less than one-third of comparable international brand products [3]. Group 2: Consumer Behavior - Young consumers are increasingly aware of the price differences between lab-grown and natural diamonds, leading to a phenomenon termed "carat anxiety" [2][3]. - The shift in consumer logic is evident, with buyers now inquiring about the origin of diamonds, whether they are domestically produced or imported [3][5]. - The rise of lab-grown diamonds has prompted a demand for transparency, with companies like Zheguang implementing traceability systems for their products [5]. Group 3: Industry Evolution - The lab-grown diamond market is reshaping the jewelry industry, moving away from the traditional narrative of diamonds as luxury items to more accessible symbols of love and celebration [6]. - The production costs of lab-grown diamonds are often misunderstood, as they involve complex processes despite their lower market prices compared to natural diamonds [5]. - Industry experts predict that in the future, one in three diamonds sold will be lab-grown, indicating a significant shift in market dynamics [6].