RAPAPORT... De Beers will partner with two major retailers topromote Lightbox, its brand of affordable lab-grown diamond jewelry. Lightbox's $800-per-carat jewelry is set to be soldin select Bloomingdale's stores, including in New York City and San Francisco, thecompany said last week. It will also be distributed through 30 stores belongingto independent retailer Reeds Jewelers, which are primarily located in shoppingmalls throughout the US southeast. Lightbox, which launched as an e-commercebusiness last September, had already successfully trialed physical retail through a series of pop-up stores across the US. This revealed a "stronginterest from consumers to see, touch and feel the product and to have anopportunity for dialog," according to De Beers. This has paved the way for thenew partnerships with Bloomingdale's and Reeds, said Lightbox CEO Steve Coe. "We have talked to many consumers since launch,and it's clear that they are interested in fashionable, affordable lab-grown-diamondjewelry, which is not currently available in store, but is exactly whatLightbox offers," he explained. "This is why we're so excited to introduce ourcollections to our partners." Bloomingdale's and Reeds will each offer aselection of Lightbox jewelry set with synthetic diamonds in blush pink, paleblue and white. Lightbox will support the launch with out-of-home and digitaladvertising, social-media content, and event activations in key markets. Image: Stacking rings from Lightbox. (De Beers)