Jewellery maker Pandora goes big on lab-made diamonds with North American launch

PANDORA, the world’s largest jewellery maker, said on Tuesday (Aug 16) it would move ahead with its bet on lab-made diamonds, following its announcement last year to stop selling mined diamonds.

Copenhagen-based Pandora will launch a collection using unmined gems in North America this month, as it hopes to attract younger shoppers with cheaper and more sustainable stones guaranteed not to have come from conflict zones.

The launch of 269 stores across the United States and Canada as well as online comes after a smaller pilot launch in Britain last year.

“Lab-created diamonds are just as beautiful as mined diamonds, but available to more people and with lower carbon emissions,” chief executive officer Alexander Lacik said in a statement.

Lab-grown diamonds have seen demand growth and price decreases relative to natural-mined diamonds, according to Bain & Company research, which showed the average polished lab-grown retail price declined to 30 per cent of natural prices.

The transition of lab-made gems towards being a viable commercial alternative to real diamonds has spurred firms such as De Beers and Swarovski to end their decades-old policy of shunning synthetic gems in their jewellery, while luxury group LVMH also is exploring the category.

SEE ALSO

Prada seeks US$1b valuation in Milan listing

Swiss global watch exports booming again

DECODING ASIA

Navigate Asia in
a new global order

Get the insights delivered to your inbox.

The products range from a silver ring with a 0.15 carat lab-created diamond worth US$300 to a solid gold ring which costs US$1950.

While production of lab-grown diamonds is energy-intensive, Pandora said its diamonds would be made using only renewable energy.

The gems will be made using a technology in which a hydrocarbon gas mixture is heated to 800 Celsius, spurring carbon atoms to be deposited on a small seed diamond, growing into a crystal layer by layer. REUTERS