February 2020 - Lab Grown Magazine

February 2020 | LG | The Lab Grown Diamond Resource Book 10 To advertise call (888) 832-1109 | February 2020 11 LAB-GROWN DIAMOND JEWELRY Who’s Making the ? By Dan Scott A baby blue 1.08-ct LG diamond set in oxidized 14K white gold encircled by baby blue LGDs and four white LGDs by Smil- ing Rocks. The company’s 501-c, non-profit arm, the Smiling Rocks Foundation, donates 10% of each sale to the buyer’s choice of four different charity categories. (Photos: Smiling Rocks) Sustenance is a word officially linked to the diamond trade when the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) was introduced in 2000 and the Clean Diamond Trade Act was signed into law in 2003. Ten years later, the word was seemingly replaced with the term conflict diamonds, and sustenance was often used when referring to jewelers keeping their business afloat. Today, the diamond industry is enveloped by consumer and legal mandates surrounding sustenance . The word has now reached epic proportions with millions of Gen Z’ers (children of the Millennials) posting and petitioning to save Mother Earth, while the diamond domain faces restructuring of KPCS operations and plays tug-of-war over mined and man-made stones. This article discusses how the industry has adapted from a design and brand perspective, while spotlighting a few influencers success- fully moving lab-grown diamonds from mind- to-market . The Ultimate Sustenance The diamond and jewelry industry continues to see serious shifts in retail sales surrounding diamond jewelry designs. Engagement rings are aligningwith colored gemstone optionswith greater frequency, and demi-fine continues to lead as an affordable, minimalistic category. Many lab-grown dealers are promoting a >> The 2019 Craft and Design Council’s Craftsmanship & Design Awards bestowed the highest honor, the Graff Jewelry Award to Lark & Berry for their “Atelier Asymmetric Bow” neck- lace featuring 11.6 carats of their lab-grown white diamonds. Lark & Berry’s white lab-grown diamond earrings. (Photo: Lark & Berry) Photo: Goldsmith’s Craft & Design Awards, 2019. Smiling Rock’s wearable jewels made with lab-grown diamonds include hoop earrings, rings and pendants in 10K white gold. (Photo: Smiling Rocks) conflict-free diamond guarantee as they sell ice from their own freezer and not from a glacier. Through this all, however, one critical element remains forever sustainable and that is consumer demand . Millennials defend the power behind their consumer demand voice while Gen Z’ers are using a megaphone for their messages. Most of the lab-grown world is taking note, and some are truly conversing with consum- ers. That conversation is becoming more per- sonal and personalized, and directly affects the future of lab-grown diamond jewelry in both style and subsequent sales. >>