Lab-Grown, but Make It Fashion

By Brittany Siminitz | March 13, 2024

All the factors that have driven up consumer desire for lab-grown diamonds in wedding jewelry—more affordable access to larger stones, the perceived environmental/social responsibility angle, budget-consciousness—would, it stands to reason, apply even more to fashion jewelry.

Whereas an engagement ring is often considered an investment, everyday (or special occasion) jewelry seems even more primed for lab-grown diamonds, so much so that many brands have dedicated their entire line to it. If consumers want a big look at an affordable price, or want to jump on a particular trend without breaking the bank for it, then it’s pretty easy to see why so many young companies are seeing success with lab-grown.

“Sustainability plays a massive role in the decision. Lab-grown diamonds avoid social conflict and are less environmentally impactful than newly mined ones,” says Eliza Walter, founder of Lylie, a lab-grown brand. “Plus, the entire yield of lab-grown diamonds are pristine, with no brown unusable material, which is the case when mining. Millennials’ and Gen Z’s purchasing decisions seem, from our experience, to be really impacted by this.”

There is debate within the industry about the actual environmental benefit of lab-grown versus natural (FTC guidelines shed more light on this concept), but it remains a key issue with younger generations of shoppers. And one thing that can’t be argued about lab-grown stones is their impact on both fashion and engagement jewelry. With a world of options at their fingertips, and in a range of prices and styles, consumers can pretty much get anything they dream up.

Thanks to cool brands like these, lab-grown diamonds are sparkling from a growing roster of irresistibly good pieces for jewelry and fashion lovers alike. Here are some of the latest.