Driven by inflation worries and distrust of traditional finance, people today buy gold and silver not only as investments but as acts of resistance.

Hard assets as resistance: the return of gold and silver

High-visibility media personalities like Piers Morgan and Megyn Kelly – each with millions of followers across platforms – are driving this trend hard, promoting metals as protection against a collapsing economy.

Piers Morgan Uncensored published a video sponsored by American Hartford Gold, promoting metals as essential stores of value. Citing “a full-blown trade war, a fluctuating stock market, an uncertain bond market, stubborn inflation, and colossal national debt,” he warns that those still relying solely on paper assets could be “heading straight into the storm.” They’re offering up to $15,000 in free silver to create urgency.

This kind of narrative is now mainstream — and it’s working.

Why aren’t diamonds part of the conversation?

While gold and silver are touted in investment circles, natural diamonds are often overlooked. Yet, they offer a unique store of value: enduring, generational worth combined with emotional significance, an asset that can complement traditional wealth preservation strategies.

Diamonds are tangible, finite, and culturally iconic. Unlike gold, they’re wearable, discreet, and mobile – the embodiment of quiet luxury. They don’t sit in vaults; they live on wrists, fingers, and necklines.

Gold is stored. Diamonds are lived. Paper fades. Diamonds endure.

If gold is positioned as financial protection, diamonds should be seen as sovereign style – a form of wealth preservation you can wear, pass down, or convert later. As a finite resource, diamonds gain value as the natural supply dwindles.

Gold and silver are commodities, yes. Diamonds are different; precious in a more personal, intimate way. They belong in the same asset conversation, not because they behave like metals, but because they offer an alternative store of value with unique lifestyle and emotional advantages.

Quiet luxury: the case for understated value

Quiet luxury subtly conveys wealth through quality and refinement, rather than making a showy display.

Loud logos have been overexposed, and when consumers flock to designer goods to look wealthy, status symbols ring hollow. Diamonds stay immune to that dilution. Whether worn on the red carpet, with a tailored suit, or a T-shirt, they retain their gravity and grace without flaunting.

Traceability is the new trust

Trust in ‘Made-In’ labels is eroding:

• According to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer, 58% of global consumers say they trust brands less when origin or ethical information is unclear.
• Label Insight’s 2023 Global Consumer Trust Report finds 63% of shoppers doubt a product’s “Made In” claim at least sometimes.
• A Statista study showed that brands offering digital traceability features influenced consumer confidence by 41%.

A significant percentage of luxury consumers are prioritizing traceability and transparency in their purchasing decisions. Specifically, a Tracemark Sustainable Luxury Consumer Report 2021 indicated that 71% of consumers would choose a piece of jewelry for its traceability, and up to 77.5% would pay more for a traceable product.

Additionally, a McKinsey report for 2025-2030 showed that 85% of Generation Z consumers are willing to pay more for socially and environmentally responsible products, highlighting their demand for transparency and ethical practices.

The trust gap is closing in other industries, especially diamonds. With real-time blockchain traceability for natural diamonds, provenance, ethical origins, sustainability, and ownership are iron-clad.

Consumers are turning away from excess and hype in favor of craftsmanship, minimalism, and timeless value. Diamonds whisper status. They carry weight, without shouting.

True luxury buyers don’t need to show off wealth—they want pieces that feel personal and lasting. That’s where diamonds win. Rare, elegant, and enduring, they don’t need logos to prove their worth.

Diamonds are lived, not locked away

Gold and silver are sold as financial armor – finite, fungible, and universally accepted. They’re traded, vaulted, and hoarded.

Diamonds, on the other hand, are lived.

They’re also finite. Also durable. Also valuable. But they bring something metals cannot: intimacy. Identity. A lived connection to value. You don’t lock them away or bury them in a portfolio – you wear them, mark moments with them, pass them down.

They don’t just store wealth; they express identity. And as the natural supply diminishes, their scarcity only grows in significance.

And in this post-logo, understated era, that expression matters more than ever.

As hard assets return to cultural relevance, we should be driving home the message:

Diamonds are the real quiet luxury

Amid economic uncertainty and a trend toward refined consumption, diamonds deserve recognition in investment conversations — not solely as symbols of luxury, but as lasting, generational assets. For the ultra-rich, diamonds carry personal stories and legacy, making them a unique form of wealth that transcends mere commodity.

Curious how natural diamonds could elevate your brand’s offering or your clients’ portfolios? [Explore VDG’s traceability, sourcing, and direct-to-retail solutions here.]

ABOUT VDG

For over 50 years and three generations, De Beers Sightholder VD Global (VDG) has been a trusted partner to the world’s leading luxury houses, delivering ethically sourced, fully traceable natural diamonds. Committed to responsible practices and aligned with global sustainability goals, VDG specializes in calibrated sizes, matched sets, and fancies.

With headquarters in India and a presence in major markets worldwide, including Europe, North America, Asia, and the Middle East, VDG combines global reach with localized service. The company leverages advanced platforms such as Tracr and Sarine Technologies to provide traceability, even at the smallest scale.

Learn more about VDG’s partners here, or get in touch to learn more about VDG’s traceability solutions, ethical sourcing, and direct-to-retailer services.

*Hermès graphic via Marcel Melzig (image by Alexis A.)