De Beers Adds 10 Jewelers to Lab-Grown Roster

RAPAPORT... De Beers will expand the availability of its Lightbox line of lab-grown diamond jewelry through partnerships with 10 independent jewelers in the US and Canada.The brand will launch at 28 stores in the midwest, northern California and the east coast, including Diamond Cellar, The Jewelry Center and DeVons Jewelers. IJL, in Canada, will also carry Lightbox in its locations, the lab-grown brand said Friday. The retailers will offer pendant necklaces, stud earrings and rings featuring blue, pink or white synthetic diamonds."We are excited to expand our wholesale offering in the US and Canada through independent retail, as it has been a key part of our strategy from the beginning," said Nick Smart, commercial director for Lightbox. "Each store offers a valuable setting to engage directly with consumers. These stores have developed strong local connections with their communities and we very much want to be a part of that."Having its lab-grown diamonds in smaller, consumer-driven locations will also enable Lightbox to gain insight into different audience segments, how they shop, and which products appeal to them the most, Lightbox noted.The company first trialed its lab-grown jewelry at retail in October 2019, through offerings at Bloomingdale's and Reeds Jewelers. Three Bloomingdale's stores and 56 Reeds locations currently carry the collection.Lightbox intends to continue its retail expansion into 2021, it added.  Image: Lighbox stacked lab-grown diamond rings. (De Beers)