S04 E01: Mona Akhavi, Chief Executive Officer of VRAI

Scott Kerr talks to Mona Akhavi, Chief Executive Officer of Vrai, the lab-grown jewelry line backed by Leonardo DiCaprio and other high-profile Silicon Valley investors. Akhavi discusses how lab-grown sustainable diamonds made, how they're identical to their mined counterparts, and why its foundry's proprietary plasma reactor technology is so unique. Akhavi also talks about how DiCaprio got involved with the company, its recent $200 million investment from Fidelity, how Chinese consumers have been early adopters of lab-grown diamonds, and their battle with the Natural Diamond Council. Plus: Will luxury consumers ever ditch their natural diamond jewelry for lab-grown counterparts? Featuring: Mona Akhavi, Chief Executive Officer of VRAI Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting About The Luxury Item podcast: The Luxury Item is a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry. Stay Connected: Twitter: @theluxuryitem, @scott_kerr, @silvertoneconsulting Email: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com Newsletter: brilliantcut.substack.com Support our sponsor SaneBox and see how it can magically remove distractions from your inbox with a free two-week trial. Visit https://www.sanebox.com/luxury today to start your free trial and get a $25 credit just for being a listener of The Luxury Item podcast.