Why Luxury Is Warming Up to Lab-Grown Diamonds

Brands including LVMH’s Fred, TAG Heuer and Prada, whose lab-grown diamond supplier Snow speaks for the first time, have all unveiled products with man-made stones as they look to technology for new creative possibilities.


KEY INSIGHTS:
Luxury players have begun turning to lab-grown diamonds for creative experimentation in cases where natural stones would be far more costly, time-consuming and difficult — if not impossible — to source.
Even so, high-end jewellers have remained reluctant overall to trade natural diamonds for lab-grown, despite the dramatic improvements in their quality, because they don't offer the same rarity and storytelling opportunities.
Some producers and brands are instead emphasising the possibilities for innovative design, creativity and even craftsmanship in lab-grown diamonds.