MajorsOct 23, 2026
PGI USA Set to Close at Year’s EndThe closure is part of a global restructuring that also includes PGI winding down its operations in Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong.
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
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
TechnologyOct 23, 2026
JA Unveils New Website, LogoThe website offers enhanced member benefit access, industry directories, educational resources, a job board, and access to the MJSA Journal.
FinancialsOct 23, 2026
Kering’s Jewelry Sales Up Double Digits in Q3Boucheron and Pomellato had a strong third quarter, with Kering looking at jewelry as an increasingly important part of its portfolio.
Brought to you by
A Diamond Is Forever Launches 2026 Holiday Campaign Championing Natural DiamondsA Diamond Is Forever's holiday campaign reimagines natural diamond icons for a new generation celebrating individuality.
CrimeOct 22, 2026
Jeweler Shot and Killed in His Suburban Cincinnati Store Tara Sinchuri was the owner of Everest Jewels in Fairfield, Ohio, and a father of three. He was found dead in his store on Tuesday.
Weekly QuizOct 22, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsOct 22, 2026
Neiman Marcus Has Gifts for the Jewelry Lover Who Has EverythingBespoke experiences from Buccellati and Verdura are on the retailer’s 2026 “Fantasy Gifts” list.
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2026
JIS Fall 2026 Reports Record-Breaking Attendance The number of participants at the fall show was up 12 percent.
Brought to you by
Open an Account, Get $50 Off Your First Order. No Code Needed.Built on Relationships. Refined by Craft.
CollectionsOct 22, 2026
Billie Eilish, Finneas Co-Design Collection for John HardyThe Academy and Grammy award-winning siblings have collaborated with John Hardy on a new jewelry line inspired by their personal style.
PodcastsOct 21, 2026
Episode 10: This Episode Is Haunted Diana Singer shared the stories of two “cursed” diamonds on this month’s podcast, which was inexplicably riddled with technical issues.
IndependentsOct 21, 2026
Gardner-Collier Jewelry to Close After 9 Decades in BusinessThe family-owned jeweler has three locations across Missouri and Iowa.
CollectionsOct 21, 2026
Helzberg, Nordstrom Carrying New Jewelry Collection From Off-WhiteThe collection centers designs with clean geometric lines, chunky sculptural pieces, and recognizable details from the luxury fashion brand.
SourcingOct 21, 2026
Gemfields’ Mixed-Quality Ruby Auction Earns $52MThe miner said it saw particularly strong prices for larger, fine-quality rubies at the sale.
CrimeOct 20, 2026
Security Guard Charged With Murder in Shooting at Texas MallThe guard opened fire on a man who was smashing a jewelry display case at La Gran Plaza in Fort Worth last week, police said.
IndependentsOct 20, 2026
David Gardner’s Jewelers Unveils Newly Expanded, Revamped ShowroomThe Texas jeweler added 2,000 square feet to its reimagined showroom, complete with a new design studio and an event space.
SourcingOct 20, 2026
The $50M Victoria’s Secret ‘Fantasy Bra’ By The NumbersJacob & Co.'s diamond masterpiece is the most expensive Fantasy Bra ever worn on the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show runway.
CollectionsOct 20, 2026
Mignon Faget’s Collection Chooses Handmade Over AIThe “Atelier” collection was inspired by the tools, rituals, and objects in an artist’s studio as a quiet rebuttal to an automated world.
MajorsOct 19, 2026
The Knot to Acquire Rival Wedding Planning Platform ZolaThe pending acquisition is an “exciting opportunity” for wedding vendors to grow their business, said The Knot Worldwide’s CEO.
SourcingOct 19, 2026
Jewelry Design Competition Show Airs in Thailand"The Secret Gems" features eight Thai jewelry brands paired with a team of young craftspeople who create jewelry together to win challenges.
CollectionsOct 19, 2026
John Hardy Enters the Medallion Chat With Talisman Collection The brand’s “Modern Talisman” capsule collection introduces pendants inspired by the mythology, natural world, and spiritual ethos of Bali.
IndependentsOct 19, 2026
The Stories of 5 Jewelers Celebrating Their Centennials in 2026Independent jewelers from New Mexico to New Jersey answer the question: What has kept your store in business for 100 years?
SurveysOct 16, 2026
How Inflation, Gas Prices Will Affect Holiday Sales The NRF is expecting holiday sales to increase this year, but consumers and retailers alike are facing Grinch-like headwinds.
CollectionsOct 16, 2026
Christina Puchi’s Earrings Hold the UniverseOur Piece of the Week gathers the planets, represented by a variety of colored gemstones, in a pair of 14-karat yellow gold earrings.
IndependentsOct 16, 2026
Reeds Jewelers Expands, Relocates FlagshipThe New York-based jeweler is moving its Amherst flagship store to a larger location in nearby Snyder.
MajorsOct 16, 2026
Katy Chen Appointed Executive Vice President of Graff USA Chen, who worked at Cartier and Tiffany & Co., will lead retail sales and operations for the luxury jeweler’s 11 U.S. stores.
IndependentsOct 15, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Amy and Elise Greenberg For 40 years, sisters Amy and Elise Greenberg have helmed their 126-year-old family business, leading with appreciation and integrity.
ColumnistsOct 15, 2026
Peter Smith: What Is the Culture REP?It’s a term Smith coined and felt compelled to share following a bad experience with an aborted flight and an unfeeling flight attendant.
