From RAPAPORT… Helzberg Diamonds has teamed up with celebrity designer Jenny Packham to create a colorless lab-grown diamond bridal collection, which it claims is the first in the jewelry industry.
The 12-piece line, which contains both engagement rings and wedding bands, is available online and at a selection of Helzberg stores, the Berkshire Hathaway-owned jeweler said Tuesday. Prices begin at $700 for a wedding band containing a total weight of one-third of a carat of synthetic stones. The highest price tag is $6,000, for an engagement ring bearing a 1-carat center stone surrounded by an additional carat of smaller stones.
Helzberg released the collection in response to the growing trend of young consumers looking for lab-grown diamonds for their engagement rings, it noted.
“Most couples are on a wedding budget,” said Julie Yoakum, senior vice president and chief merchandise officer for Helzberg Diamonds. “We’ve seen a large increase in customers asking for lab-grown diamonds, as you can often get a larger stone for less money.”
Helzberg first launched its own line of lab-grown diamond fashion jewelry in late 2018, but until now has only carried synthetic bridal offerings from other brands. Meanwhile, Packham, who is best-known for her clothing designs, branched out into jewelry in 2016 in cooperation with UK-based Goldsmiths.
Helzberg operates 170 stores throughout the US.
Read the full article at Rapaport: https://www.diamonds.net/News/NewsItem.aspx?ArticleID=66038
EDITOR’S NOTE: We always appreciate hearing your insights and feedback! We shared this article on our social media channels on February 26, 2021 because we know how important it is for pawnbrokers to be aware of changes in the diamond marketplace. In response, Greg W shared a link to an additional source for mass-market lab-grown diamonds that has been around for some time: https://lightboxjewelry.com/?dclid=COjh5rSIj-8CFdvjKAUdl-kAbw&fbclid=IwAR0OtM8s3frIk2_KGiaDQBULjkwLwx4e0h-MeHgESoxY_ncNBdbTi2EPmF0.
