Lab-GrownApr 08, 2024
Indian Lab-Grown Diamond Manufacturers Keep Growing Lab-GrownMay 13, 2024
Lab-Grown Diamond Brand Lightbox Cuts Prices by 25 to 40%
The move follows a price-drop test run in Q4 and comes with the addition of a “quality assurance card” from GIA for some loose diamonds.
Lightbox, the lab-grown diamond brand De Beers Group launched in 2018 with an $800 per carat pricing structure, is now selling its diamonds for as low as $500 a carat. Pictured is a selection of loose fancy-cut lab-grown Lightbox diamonds.
Gresham, Oregon—Lightbox has cut prices by as much as 40 percent, bringing its lab-grown diamonds even farther below the market average.
Lightbox tested reduced prices in the fourth quarter 2023 and announced Friday it had officially adopted price cuts across the board, with the steepest drop coming for its highest-quality goods.
It is now selling its “Finest” lab-grown diamonds—D-F color, excellent cut, and VS clarity—for $900 a carat, 10 percent lower than the price offered in the Q4 trial ($1,000 per carat), and 40 percent off the original price of $1,500 per carat.
Prices on I-J color lab-grown diamonds were cut 38 percent, from $800 to $500 a carat, while G-H color stones are going for $600 a carat, down 25 percent from $800 a carat.
Even before Lightbox announced it was making its price cuts permanent, its lab-grown diamonds were priced well below the retail average, observed industry analyst Edahn Golan, co-founder of data analytics firm Tenoris.
He said in April, the average retail price of a 1-carat lab-grown diamond was $1,093, which is 27 percent more than Lightbox was charging for its standard lab-grown diamonds (G-J color and VS clarity).
Retailers paid $364 when they purchased that diamond, giving them a 67 percent gross margin, he said.
“It looks like De Beers is continuing with its effort to pull down lab-grown diamond retail prices by offering them for far below market prices,” Golan said, while noting that even under the new pricing, Lightbox is still selling well above its costs.
“We should expect continued lab-grown diamond price declines, especially considering the large margins through most of the lab-grown diamond pipeline, and the oversupply of goods,” he concluded.
Related stories will be right here …
Lightbox tested reduced prices in the fourth quarter 2023 and announced Friday it had officially adopted price cuts across the board, with the steepest drop coming for its highest-quality goods.
It is now selling its “Finest” lab-grown diamonds—D-F color, excellent cut, and VS clarity—for $900 a carat, 10 percent lower than the price offered in the Q4 trial ($1,000 per carat), and 40 percent off the original price of $1,500 per carat.
Prices on I-J color lab-grown diamonds were cut 38 percent, from $800 to $500 a carat, while G-H color stones are going for $600 a carat, down 25 percent from $800 a carat.
Even before Lightbox announced it was making its price cuts permanent, its lab-grown diamonds were priced well below the retail average, observed industry analyst Edahn Golan, co-founder of data analytics firm Tenoris.
He said in April, the average retail price of a 1-carat lab-grown diamond was $1,093, which is 27 percent more than Lightbox was charging for its standard lab-grown diamonds (G-J color and VS clarity).
Retailers paid $364 when they purchased that diamond, giving them a 67 percent gross margin, he said.
“It looks like De Beers is continuing with its effort to pull down lab-grown diamond retail prices by offering them for far below market prices,” Golan said, while noting that even under the new pricing, Lightbox is still selling well above its costs.
“We should expect continued lab-grown diamond price declines, especially considering the large margins through most of the lab-grown diamond pipeline, and the oversupply of goods,” he concluded.
Also on Friday, Lightbox announced it would now be obtaining batch quality verification for its lab-grown diamonds through the Gemological Institute of America.
Lightbox said GIA will assess a “statistically significant” sample in each production run to ensure they meet the lab’s quality criteria for color, clarity, and cut. A downloadable GIA “quality verification card” then will be available for each diamond in the batch.
A GIA spokesperson told National Jeweler that the batch verification service launched Friday. It is a service GIA is providing for Lightbox only, just as it does pre-owned jewelry authentication for eBay only.
The service will start with the Lightbox’s D-F color white round brilliant-cut loose lab-grown diamonds, though it could expand to the blue and pink lab-grown diamonds in the future.
Lightbox CEO Antoine Borde said: “Lightbox led the lab-grown diamond jewelry sector six years ago with its $800 a carat linear pricing, and, today, we are pleased to introduce even lower prices, that more closely align with current jewelry industry dynamics.
“Equally, we’re very proud to be working with the GIA to verify the quality and consistency of our stones, which supports purchase confidence and allows us to continue our mission of providing clarity, transparency, and value to our customers.”
More on Lab-Grown
The Latest
ColumnistsSep 05, 2025
Peter Smith: A Lasting Lesson From Maurice Tempelsman Smith recalls a bit of wisdom the industry leader, who died last week, shared at a diamond conference years ago.
CollectionsSep 05, 2025
Piece of the Week: Jamie Turner’s ‘Victoria’ Necklace The “Victoria” necklace features a labradorite hugged by diamond accents in 18-karat yellow gold.
Policies & IssuesSep 05, 2025
Trump Takes Tariffs Case to the Supreme Court Two lower courts have moved to block the import taxes, which will remain in place as the legal battle continues.
Brought to you by
Rallying Call for the Jewelry Industry on Tariffs and Other Key IssuesJewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.
WatchesSep 05, 2025
Patrick Mahomes Is the New Hublot Brand AmbassadorThe Kansas City Chiefs quarterback shares Hublot’s dedication to pursuing greatness, the Swiss watchmaker said.
Weekly QuizSep 04, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingSep 04, 2025
Lucara Unveils Unusual 37-Carat Pink DiamondThe Type IIa stone, recovered from Botswana’s Karowe diamond mine last month, features unique coloration.
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine JewelryAs a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.
Events & AwardsSep 04, 2025
27 Can’t-Miss Converge Sessions, Events From sunrise yoga to tariffs talks, these are some events to check out at the upcoming inaugural event.
WatchesSep 04, 2025
Breitling Takes Its NFL Game to the Next Level Breitling is now the NFL’s official timepiece partner, a move that puts the brand in front of the millions of Americans who watch football.
Events & AwardsSep 04, 2025
The NYC Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show Returns in NovemberNYCJAOS is set for Nov. 21-23 in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood.
SourcingSep 03, 2025
Gemfields Confirms Completion of Fabergé SaleU.S.-based investment company SMG Capital LLC is the new owner of the luxury brand.
MajorsSep 03, 2025
These Are the Nearly 300 Claire’s Stores Set to CloseA new court filing details the locations of the stores that will close, as well as the 830 that will remain open.
MajorsSep 03, 2025
Stuller Releases 2 New Catalogs The new catalogs are “Tools, Equipment, & Metals” and “Findings & Metals.”
TrendsSep 03, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: A Perfect BirthstoneSapphire’s variety of colors make it the perfect birthstone for September.
FinancialsSep 02, 2025
Lab-Grown Diamonds, Lower-Priced Fashion Jewelry Drive Signet Jewelers’ Q2 SalesThe retailer has raised its guidance after seeing total sales increase 3 percent in the second quarter, beating expectations.
MajorsSep 02, 2025
Birks CEO Jean-Christophe Bédos Steps DownNiccolò Rossi di Montelera, executive chairman of the board, was appointed as interim CEO.
MajorsSep 02, 2025
Harry Winston Opens Its Largest Flagship in JapanThe three-floor space also features the jeweler’s largest VIP salon in Japan and offers an exclusive diamond pendant.
CollectionsSep 02, 2025
Stephanie Gottlieb Debuts Silver Designs in ‘All Hours’ CollabThe collection is a collaboration between Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry and Oak and Luna, focusing on understated essentials.
AuctionsAug 29, 2025
Sotheby’s UAE Sale to Feature 32-Carat Fancy Vivid Orangy Pink DiamondThe highlight of a single-owner jewelry and watch collection, it’s estimated to fetch up to $7 million at auction this December.
FinancialsAug 29, 2025
Movado’s Q2 Sales Rebound Despite Tariff ImpactCEO Efraim Grinberg noted a resurgence in the fashion watch market.
CollectionsAug 29, 2025
Piece of the Week: Mark Davis’ ‘Bullseye’ Necklace The “Bullseye” necklace, with vintage bakelite and peridot, August’s birthstone, is the perfect transitional piece as summer turns to fall.
Supplier BulletinAug 28, 2025
Clientbook Is Helping Jewelers Turn Clienteling Challenges into Wins with Hands-On Training and CoachingSponsored by Clientbook
GradingAug 28, 2025
GIA’s New ‘Quality Assessment’ for Lab-Grown Diamonds Is Coming It will classify lab-grown stones into one of two categories, “premium” or “standard,” in lieu of giving specific color and clarity grades.
SourcingAug 28, 2025
Botswana Declares Public Health Emergency Amid Diamond Sales SlumpPresident Duma Boko addressed the country’s medical supply chain crisis in a recent televised address.
MajorsAug 28, 2025
Borsheims Names New Jewelry BuyerFormer Free People buyer Afton Robertson-Kanne recently joined the retailer.
IndependentsAug 28, 2025
Sissy’s Log Cabin Donates School Supplies to Memphis StudentsThe jeweler teamed up with two local organizations for its inaugural “Back to School and Bling” event.
