The Trend for The Valentine’s Day is Lab-grown Diamonds
The main holiday is approaching for all the couples out there. Valentine’s Day is expected to be huge for the jewelry retailers. According to the National Retail Federation, US shoppers are forecasted to spend over $5.5 billion on jewelry this holiday, making it the largest category for Valentine’s gifts by value. For lab-grown diamonds, the sales are expected to grow around a quarter compared to last year’s holiday. Retailers have been stocking up for a few weeks and are ready for big sale events. Based on this year’s trends, LaBrilliante picks the most desirable lab-created gifts for this special date that every jeweler should be aware of.
Heart Shapes
Heart-shaped diamonds are a classic, and a well deserved one. It is go-to when it comes to Valentine's Day. They are commonly used in pendant necklaces, but studs and rings with heart-cut stones are also predicted to be in a high demand. Heart shape is a hard one to get due to the unique proportioning, hence there are many diamonds with only average quality and unsatisfying sparkle. Lower costs of manufactured rough allows cutters to be more bold and sacrifice weight of the diamonds to receive the best quality of the cut. This is why many customers will opt for man-made heart shapes this year, and this is certainly the way to satisfy them.
One-of-a-kind Diamonds
A lot of consumers, especially younger ones, are shopping for something unique this holiday. Something that will make their loved ones stand out no matter the time and place. Whether it’s ironic diamond shapes or one-of-a-kind combinations of fancy colors, it’s more likely for consumers to go with lab-grown. Unorthodox mined diamonds may cost a fortune, while lab-grown diamonds, even if they are extremely rare, would still be available.
Custom Cuts
The popularity of personalized diamonds are on the rise. Lab-grown diamond technologies are allowing customers to receive the gems that are created and cut just for them in the matter of several weeks. Many consumers started placing custom orders in the beginning of January to have a piece with the exceptional diamond by Valentine’s Day. But even now, there’s still a chance to make it. The consumers will continue to place custom requests all throughout the holiday. And if retailers are in direct contact with manufacturers, they still have a chance to receive custom-grown diamonds until the end of the month.
Larger Sizes
Who says that size doesn’t matter? When it comes to diamonds, it does! Man-made stones with bigger sizes, like 3 carats and larger, are more affordable than 2 carat mined diamonds. This alone makes many consumers choose jewelry with lab-created gemstones as this Valentine’s Day gift. Being able to present a beautiful ring with a large center stone without breaking a bank is many partners’ dream. Manufactured gems made it a reality.
Antique-like
Old Mined diamonds, Eurocuts, Rose patterns. Antique cuts are back in trend. This holiday is not an exception. While there are a lot of mined diamonds like this, some consumers are choosing labs. They are attracted by sustainability and lower price points. Luckily, where there is a demand, there is a supply. And lab-created stones come in any imaginable cut, including more antique-like options.
Classic
Solitaire rings with round diamonds and diamond studs are kings among the jewelry gifts. They will continue to be in the most demand this holiday. Whether it’s an online purchase or visit to a brick and mortar store, customers will always appreciate additional lab-grown options. It’s not surprising that more than three quarters of US jewelers are planning to offer and promote man-made stones during Valentine’s sale events. And it won’t be surprising either, when many of the customers will choose lab-grown stones as the best gift for their beloved.
