LAB-GROWN LUXURY

6th March 2025

No longer just an alternative to natural diamonds, jewellers are now exploring the potential of lab-grown stones wiith some rather amazing results. Words by Laura McCreddie-Doak.

When lab-grown diamonds first made their appearance on the jewellery scene, they were touted as a more ethical, more environmentally friendly option. They were the ideal choice for marrying millennials who cared about the planet. Then it was discovered that, as with the fashion industry, their green credentials weren’t as pristine as they at first seemed. Combine that with volatile stone prices, it seemed as though the honeymoon was over for lab-grown stones. However, that isn’t the case. Whereas when these stones originally entered the market, they were seen as a way of getting more carat for your cash, now jewellers are turning these stones into a luxury proposition by using the fact that they are grown to offer sensational stones you’d never find in nature.

The first sign of this came from an unlikely quarter. TAG Heuer unveiled its Carrera Plasma. The dial was blasted with diamond powder, the case set with diamonds especially created to fit its bevels, even the indices were diamond. However, the piece de resistance was a diamond grown in the shape of a crown. Speaking to Hodinkee ahead of its launch, then CEO Frederic Arnault said: “Once we understood that we needed to use the shapes that only lab-grown diamonds could produce, it unlocked creativity to do something entirely new. This was the approach we took to create the watch.” And he’s not the only one. After investing $90m in Israeli-based lab-grown start-up Lusix, it used its investment to start exploring the potential of growing stones. It chose its Parisian luxury jewellery brand Fred as its experimentation ground and grew a blue diamond in an exclusive shade reminiscent of the French Riviera and in a proprietary cut. The blue was chosen because late found Fred Samuel loved the sea and the “Hero cut”, as it was called, had 36 facets and the shape of a boat sail mixed with a shield. To celebrate this new stone, it created a collection called Force 10 Duality, which used the buckle motif from its Force 10 collection, with the centre of the buckle filled with this unusually shaped blue diamond. The estimated value of this capsule collection was around $509,808 – the same as if Fred had used natural diamonds.

ROX too has elevated its lab-grown diamond creations to ever-more luxurious heights, exploring the possibilities in both out-and-out statement and beautiful stones, pure and fabulous

Fred hasn’t been the only brand to use a laboratory to grow creatively shaped stones. Prada recently introduced its proprietary cut to its Eternal Gold collection in the shape of its own logo. One of the pieces using it – a made-to-order ring in white gold – has a price tag of £26,000. ROX too has taken its lab-grown diamond jewellery into a more luxury space, exploring the possibilities these stones can offer to create statement jewellery with beautiful stones that would be prohibitive from both a price and sourcing perspective if made using natural diamonds. There are fabulous drop earrings totalling over three carats of stones with a matching necklace in its appropriately titled Love collection. The Honour collection contains an elegant tennis necklace comprising five carats of diamonds, hoop earrings, and, because this is ROX, plenty of engagement rings in a variety of cuts from ovals, emeralds and brilliants to more unusual shapes such as the radiant – an elongated rectangle shape – and sizeable pears. In keeping with the luxury status of these stones, they are set in platinum, white gold or yellow gold.

Lab-grown stones have, in a comparatively short space of time, meant numerous things to the world of jewellery. They have been branded as a better ethical choice. Then they were seen as the cheaper alternative; used by companies such as De Beers as a way to get a younger audience into buying diamonds. This latest incarnation seems like its best yet.

They are being prized for the creative possibilities they offer from cut and colour to shape. Maybe it’s time to stop pitting mined against made and realise that they offer different possibilities to designers and customers. It’s time to play with fire. And ice…

Discover Lab Grown Engagement Rings here.