De Beers has significantly reduced the prices of its Lightbox lab-grown diamonds, responding to recent developments in the sector.
The standard line, featuring I to J color diamonds, will now retail for $500 per carat, down from $800 per carat—a 37.5% reduction, according to a statement from the De Beers subsidiary on Friday.
Diamonds with D to F color, VS clarity, and an excellent cut will be priced at $900 per carat, a 40% decrease from the previous $1,500 per carat.
G to H color lab-grown diamonds will sell for $600 per carat, marking a 25% price drop. All stones maintain at least VS clarity and a “very good” cut.
This is the first time Lightbox has lowered prices on its standard line since the brand’s launch in 2018. Initially, the fixed price of $800 per carat, regardless of size, was a groundbreaking approach by De Beers, as lab-grown diamond sellers previously used pricing models similar to those for natural diamonds.
Since then, synthetic diamond prices have fallen, with many industry observers considering Lightbox overpriced.
“Lightbox led the lab-grown diamond jewelry sector six years ago with its $800 per carat linear pricing, and today, we are pleased to introduce even lower prices that more closely align with current jewelry-industry dynamics,” said Lightbox CEO Antoine Borde.
De Beers confirmed that the price reduction is permanent, following a recent test pricing of $600 per carat for standard loose stones and $1,000 per carat for D to F goods.
“The price difference between natural and lab-grown diamonds at retail is growing fast, accelerating consumer awareness that they are fundamentally very different products,” noted Sandrine Conseiller, CEO of De Beers brands.
A Lightbox “highest-quality” 2-carat lab-grown diamond now retails for about 10% of the price of an equivalent natural diamond, Conseiller added, citing data from provider Tenoris.
