Leading jeweler introduces lab grown fashion diamonds

A company who specializes in diamond manufacturing has launched a line of new lab-grown gems which are more affordable and accessible.

Having disavowed the realness of synthetic diamonds for years, the De Beers jewelry company enters the market of lab-grown gems. The company’s subsidiary, Lightbox Jewelry, develops and sells De Beers’ lab grown diamonds. Marketed as fashion, rather than fine jewelery, the stones come in three different colors. Identical to mined diamonds in chemical composition, the white, blue and pink diamonds are much less expensive to create. Prices start at USD 200 for a quarter of a carat and rise to USD 800 for a full carat. The diamonds are available in four different sizes.

Consumers are now more aware of the environmental and social impact of their purchases, and diamonds are no exception. De Beers’ move into the synthetic diamond market indirectly acknowledges their impact as well as the opportunity offered by the growth and lower cost of laboratory created gems. Customers may sign up for news from Lightbox. The first diamonds are available in September 2018 and will be set as necklaces and earrings. Additionally, all Lightbox gems over a certain size are internally inscribed via laser to ensure authenticity. The marks inside the diamonds are visible only via microscope. They are invisible to the naked eye.

Ethical adornments are becoming more popular as citizens increasingly seek to understand the bigger picture of where their purchases originated. A United States jeweler sells rings made from 95 percent recycled precious metals and 100 percent conflict free diamonds. They even come in a box made from recycled wood. Furthermore, each wedding ring sold funds clean water for life for two people, by co-founding a water well. Blockchain is also improving diamond certification. A London-based startup creates digital records for individual diamonds that contain their unique attributes and transaction history. This is significantly more reliable and secure than the paper certificates and receipts currently used for identification. How else could technology improve the confirmation of origination of goods?