SurveysAug 21, 2026
These Are 2026’s Hottest Retailers, Says NRFThe retailers at the top of the list offer affordable products and fun, discovery-fueled experiences.
SourcingSep 26, 2018
De Beers’ Lab-Grown Diamond Jewelry Line to Launch Thursday
Lightbox is initially being sold online direct to consumers.
De Beers’ Lightbox lab-grown diamond jewelry is being marketed to consumers as fun fashion jewelry that women can buy for themselves or that can be given as gifts for high school graduations or a Sweet 16. Pictured at left in this Lightbox marketing image is some of the jewelry included in the initial collection.
London—Lightbox, the line of jewelry set with lab-grown diamonds from De Beers, will be available starting Thursday.
A marketing email dispatched Tuesday morning read “Your 48 Hour Countdown” at the top and invited consumers to “window shop while you wait” by previewing the line’s launch collection. There is also a launch countdown clock on the Lightbox Jewelry website.
The line is initially being sold online direct to the public.
Lightbox General Manager Steve Coe has said De Beers will do a “modest” brick-and-mortar trial run later this year and expand it over time; there has been speculation in the industry as to whether Signet Jewelers will be among the retailers to sell Lightbox.
The line, for now, is all fashion jewelry—pendants and stud earrings between 1/4 and 1 carat in size—and is targeted at younger consumers, with the marketing built around the idea that lab-grown diamonds are for slightly-less-special special occasions. They are for friends, not fiancées, as one De Beers executive put it, thereby setting them apart from the engagement ring business on which the diamond industry so heavily depends.
Lightbox man-made diamonds are available in pink, blue or white and are priced the same, regardless of color: $200 for a 1/4 carat; $400 for a 1/2 carat; $600 for a 3/4 carat and $800 for a 1-carat lab-grown stone.
The diamonds are being sold without grading reports because the diamonds are all “created to uniform specifications,” De Beers said, and so reports “have no bearing on either the product’s rarity or value,” though it is worth noting that selling diamonds without grading reports also helps to keep the cost down.
The prices do not include the setting. The man-made diamonds are being set in silver ($100) or 10-karat gold ($200).
Announced just before the Las Vegas jewelry trade shows, De Beers’ long-predicted foray into gem-quality lab-grown diamonds has sparked a flurry of commentary within the industry.
In launching the line, De Beers said its consumer research indicated buyers thoughts lab-grown diamonds were a “fun, pretty product that shouldn’t cost that much” and that it sees itself filling a void in the market for lower-priced diamond fashion jewelry.
It also noted Lightbox would be a “small business” compared to what De Beers sells in mined diamonds.
But longtime industry analyst Ben Janowski and journalist Chaim Even-Zohar—who said more than 10 years ago that De Beers would eventually sell
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
man-made diamonds—both wrote that man-made diamonds are De Beers’ long game, and Lightbox is just the start.
The Anglo American-owned diamond company is looking to become the dominant producer and price-setter in the space, they wrote, and will eventually expand its offerings beyond a low-priced range of fashion jewelry, selling bigger man-made diamonds set into rings.
Much also has been written about De Beers’ pricing structure for Lightbox ($800/carat), which puts the company’s pieces well below what many other growers are currently charging.
Some, including a few retailers who attended a De Beers’ Lightbox lunch event in Las Vegas, praised the diamond giant for knocking down the price of man-made stones, which some feel are too high and, thereby, too close to the price of mined diamonds.
Some lab-grown diamond producers, however, have accused De Beers of predatory pricing.
A Bloomberg article published earlier this month stated that Tom Chatham, CEO of Chatham Created Gems and Diamonds, filed a complaint about De Beers’ lab-grown pricing practices with the Federal Trade Commission, though Chatham told JCK’s Rob Bates shortly after the article appeared that he would consider it a comment—not a formal complaint—and noted that more will be known about pricing after the line launches.
Element Six, De Beers’ industrial diamond arm, is making the stones used in Lightbox.
Initially, Lightbox jewelry will be set with diamonds from Element Six in the United Kingdom. Diamonds for future collections will come from a new, $94 million Element Six factory located just outside Portland, Oregon. Construction on the 60,000-square-foot facility is underway, with completion expected by 2020.
The Anglo American-owned diamond company is looking to become the dominant producer and price-setter in the space, they wrote, and will eventually expand its offerings beyond a low-priced range of fashion jewelry, selling bigger man-made diamonds set into rings.
Much also has been written about De Beers’ pricing structure for Lightbox ($800/carat), which puts the company’s pieces well below what many other growers are currently charging.
Some, including a few retailers who attended a De Beers’ Lightbox lunch event in Las Vegas, praised the diamond giant for knocking down the price of man-made stones, which some feel are too high and, thereby, too close to the price of mined diamonds.
Some lab-grown diamond producers, however, have accused De Beers of predatory pricing.
A Bloomberg article published earlier this month stated that Tom Chatham, CEO of Chatham Created Gems and Diamonds, filed a complaint about De Beers’ lab-grown pricing practices with the Federal Trade Commission, though Chatham told JCK’s Rob Bates shortly after the article appeared that he would consider it a comment—not a formal complaint—and noted that more will be known about pricing after the line launches.
Element Six, De Beers’ industrial diamond arm, is making the stones used in Lightbox.
Initially, Lightbox jewelry will be set with diamonds from Element Six in the United Kingdom. Diamonds for future collections will come from a new, $94 million Element Six factory located just outside Portland, Oregon. Construction on the 60,000-square-foot facility is underway, with completion expected by 2020.
More on Sourcing
The Latest
WatchesAug 21, 2026
Bremont Names Former Vacheron Constantin Exec CMODaniel Bing was formerly the marketing director for the Americas at Vacheron Constantin.
CollectionsAug 21, 2026
Bijules, Kamyen Serve Up ‘Topspin’ Tennis Bracelet Ahead of US OpenIn our Piece of the Week, the designers reimagine the tennis bracelet with green enamel wrapped around a strand of “Desert Diamonds.”
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
PodcastsAug 20, 2026
Episode 8: Diamond Industry Update With David Bonaparte & Ronnie VanderLindenThe industry veterans join the podcast to discuss diamond marketing, the FTC Jewelry Guides, and lobbying for lower tariffs.
Weekly QuizAug 20, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
TechnologyAug 20, 2026
A New AI-Powered Gemstone Identification App Is HereFounder Vik Westermann said the app is a “starting point” to inspire people to work with appraisers and gem labs, not replace them.
AuctionsAug 20, 2026
Storied Unicorn Brooch Up for Auction Gallops to New Home The Verdura brooch, which belonged to the late Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, was sold to a private collector in Asia.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
Events & AwardsAug 20, 2026
MJSA Education Foundation Names 5 Scholarship WinnersThe five students were awarded a total of $10,000 through the nonprofit’s 2026 “Future of Jewelry Making” scholarship.
MajorsAug 20, 2026
Plumb Club Elects 2026-2027 BoardSteven Lerche is now beginning his term as the youngest member to become president of The Plumb Club’s elected executive committee.
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Mike Alexander To Succeed Scott Murphy as Jewelers Mutual CEO Murphy will retire at the end of the year and Alexander, currently the company’s president, will take over at the start of 2027.
Policies & IssuesAug 19, 2026
Spinelli Kilcollin Embraces Dupes With Trade-In ProgramThe jeweler is encouraging customers who own lookalike rings to come into the store and trade them for credit towards an authentic piece.
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Zales Wants You to Wear Fine Jewelry Every DayThe new campaign, “You Are The Occasion,” discourages shoppers from saving their fine jewelry for special occasions only.
CrimeAug 18, 2026
2 California Men Arrested in Fatal Vehicle Smash RobberyOne is the driver who allegedly crashed a car into a Sacramento jewelry store in April, striking a 71-year-old employee who later died.
ColumnistsAug 18, 2026
Peter Smith: The IKEA Effect and Bridal Branding In a new column, Peter Smith posits that people actually enjoy putting together IKEA furniture, and the same is true for engagement rings.
CrimeAug 18, 2026
Thieves Snatch $1M in Jewelry From New Jersey Jeweler9lakha Jewelers in Iselin, New Jersey, was the target of a smash-and-grab robbery on Aug. 8.
Lab-GrownAug 18, 2026
Ring Concierge, Kendall Jenner’s Tequila Brand Collab on GiveawayThe jeweler has partnered with 818 Tequila to gift lab-grown diamond studs to a bride-to-be and their bridal party.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
Exhibition on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Studios to Open at The MetThe exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.
CollectionsAug 17, 2026
Marquise Diamonds Dance in Spinelli Kilcollin’s ‘Wren’ CollectionMarquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
There’s a New Jewelry Show Coming to FloridaThe inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.
IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
