Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
The 12 Fresh Faces in Couture’s Design AtelierDiscover the dozen up-and-coming brands exhibiting in the Design Atelier for the first time.
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
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
Daymond John to Give Keynote at JCK Las VegasThe entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.
MajorsJun 05, 2025
Platinum Guild International Updates Leadership TeamTwo existing executives have been given new roles.
Brought to you by
The True Power Behind the Counter: Why Sales Associates Are the Heart of the Jewelry BusinessWhen investing in your jewelry business, it's important not to overlook the most crucial element of success: the sales associates.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
Zillion Announces 'Women in STEM' Scholarship RecipientMeredith Tiderington, an electrical engineering student, was selected for the award.
Weekly QuizJun 05, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Lab-GrownJun 04, 2025
GIA Reverting to More General Terminology for Lab-Grown DiamondsIt will quit assigning the stones specific color and clarity grades in favor of applying “new descriptive terminology.”
Events & AwardsJun 04, 2025
As JCK Talks Returns, Don’t Miss These 12 SessionsFrom design trends to sustainability, here’s a roundup of can’t-miss education sessions at JCK Las Vegas.
Brought to you by
Clienteling Isn’t a Buzzword. It’s an Essential Business Model.More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.
CrimeJun 04, 2025
10 Safety Tips for the Las Vegas Shows The Jewelers’ Security Alliance offers advice for those attending the annual trade shows.
MajorsJun 04, 2025
Amy Curran Promoted at Hill & Co.Her new role is director of strategic initiatives.
CollectionsJun 03, 2025
In Her Latest Collection, Viviana Langhoff Is Leaning Into GoldThe designer is embracing bold pieces with weight to them in “AU79,” a collection she celebrated with a creative launch party.
FinancialsJun 03, 2025
Signet Jewelers Sees Turnaround in Q1 With Sales Ticking Up 2%On an earnings call, CEO J.K. Symancyk discussed what’s working for the company and how it’s preparing for the potential impact of tariffs.
SurveysJun 03, 2025
Consumer Confidence Improves in May The index partially rebounded after months of decline, due in part to the U.S.-China deal to temporarily reduce import tariffs.
CollectionsJun 03, 2025
Dakota Johnson Is Roberto Coin’s New Brand AmbassadorThe actress stars in the latest campaign set in Venice, Italy, and is set to participate in other creative initiatives for the jeweler.
GradingJun 03, 2025
Mason-Kay Jade Adds ‘Fei Cui’ to Jade ReportsThe company has joined other labs, including GIA and Lotus Gemology, in adopting the Chinese term for "jadeite jade."
GradingJun 02, 2025
GSI Opens New Lab in Thailand Located in Bangkok, the laboratory is Gemological Science International’s 14th location worldwide.
TrendsJun 02, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Three Gems for June Those born in June have a myriad of options for their birthstone jewelry.
SourcingJun 02, 2025
David Allouche Joins Grandview Klein DiamondsThe diamond industry veteran has been named its senior sales executive.
FinancialsMay 30, 2025
Movado’s Q1 Sales Slip Amid ‘Challenging’ Retail Environment The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.
Policies & IssuesMay 30, 2025
Tariffs & Designers: Navigating Pricing in an Unstable EnvironmentBetween tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.
CollectionsMay 30, 2025
Piece of the Week: Renato Cipullo’s ‘Hematite Blaze’ NecklaceDesigned by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.
Policies & IssuesMay 30, 2025
Trade Court Declares Trump’s Tariffs InvalidHowever, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.
CollectionsMay 29, 2025
Britney Spears Files Trademark for New Jewelry LineThe pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.
Supplier BulletinMay 29, 2025
Inoveo Platinum Grain, Exclusively Distributed by StullerSponsored by Stuller
SourcingMay 29, 2025
Grizzly Auctions 6,620-Carat EmeraldIt was featured in the miner’s latest sale, which brought in $24.8 million.
TechnologyMay 29, 2025
GemFind Launches AI Product Description SoftwareGemText AI uses artificial intelligence to generate tailored product titles, descriptions, and tags with jewelry-specific language.
MajorsMay 28, 2025
Graff Unveils New Las Vegas FlagshipThe 3,300-square foot location is the jeweler's largest store in North America.
