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Informed customers want ethical jewellery, and the industry responds with man-made offerings

London-based Lark & Berry creates ethical jewellery. (PHOTO: Lark & Berry)
London-based Lark & Berry creates ethical jewellery. (PHOTO: Lark & Berry)

SINGAPORE — As the world moves towards a more conscious and sustainable way of life, we are seeing more trends like clean beauty, eco fashion and ethically sourced or man-made jewellery. Consumers are getting adept at considering human rights and environmental concerns, when it comes to making a purchase like diamonds, that are lifelong buys. In many ways, consumers want conflict-free jewellery, and are open to buying man-made stones as well.

Even brands like De Beers are changing their business strategy to sell man made diamonds under a new range, Lightbox, despite them opposing the idea years ago. Priced between S$270 to S$1,300, the Lightbox collection aims to attract millennial customers with mid-range luxuries in the form of earrings, necklaces, stacked rings. The coloured diamonds, featured in soft pinks, blues and white, will be sold in New York and San Francisco brick-and-mortar stores, alongside departmental store Bloomingdales, according to The Business of Fashion.

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Designer Sophie Bille Brahe designs ethical earrings for Diamond Foundry. (PHOTO: Diamond Foundry)
Designer Sophie Bille Brahe designs ethical earrings for Diamond Foundry. (PHOTO: Diamond Foundry)

Multi-brand retailer Dover Street Market Singapore also stirred curious onlookers when their campaign shoots of human forms adorned with diamonds, greeted customers at the entrance in August. Together with Diamond Foundry, six fine jewellery designers created an exclusive jewellery collection using diamonds created by the former.

The designers Ana Khouri, Delfina Delettrez, HUM, Hunrod, Raphaele Canot and Sophie Bille Brahe were each given complete freedom to select diamonds from Diamond Foundry’s inventory, and create several pieces that are reflective of their own distinctive styles. The range of diamonds go up to 2.5 carats, including several unique cuts by Diamond Foundry, with prices vastly ranging between S$2,705 and S$197,630.

London-based jewellery brand Lark & Berry also champions sustainable man-made diamonds, incorporating it in their mission statement. Founder Laura Chavez shared in an interview, “We are the only boutique piercing with cultured diamonds. “Our piercing experience is a great gift for a loved one, or a fabulous activity for mothers and daughters to experience together. Or you can just treat yourself to something fun, new and luxurious.”

Lark & Berry Modernist 6mm Hoop in Rose. (PHOTO: Lark & Berry)
Lark & Berry Modernist 6mm Hoop in Rose. (PHOTO: Lark & Berry)

Having only launched in 2018, the brand has already amassed fans like Meghan Markle, Helen Mirren, Jordan Dunn and Regina King. In Lark & Berry’s Marylebone boutique, as I peeked glass cases of trendy stackable rings and delicate pendants adorned with coloured stones, I was wowed over by the colour and clarity of these stones. It also didn’t take me too long to succumb to a conch piercing, paired with a beautiful tri-diamond earring. A micro hoop in 14k gold and blue sapphire stones earring can set you back around S$273, while a stackable ring in pink sapphire stones costs about S$373.

An in-house professional stylist and piercer will also be on hand during customer consultations to help select the right jewellery piece for piercing. We’re talking personalised services with a detailed touch!

Nearer to home, Lark & Berry already has a base in Hong Kong, but their e-commerce website ships to Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia and India.

According to Reuters, the lab-grown diamond jewellery market was worth $1.9 billion this year and is forecast to grow 22 percent annually to $5.2 billion by 2023 and $14.9 billion by 2035, analyst Paul Zimnisky said. This is probably an idea of things to come, considering how the jewellery industry is finding more and more interesting ways to engage with different consumers everyday.

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