Why are jewellers Swarovski and Lightbox investing in lab-grown gems?

It takes a million years for a diamond to form in the earth, but mere months for a diamond that is chemically identical to be grown in the pristine conditions of a laboratory Currently, these man-made diamonds - known to some as above-ground gems - account for just 1 per cent of the US$14 billion global rough diamond market, so they are still a niche product, but one that is set to grow This year, both Swarovski and Lightbox are debuting lab-grown gems.

The collection has immediate red-carpet appeal with matching suites of jewellery featuring lab-grown diamonds, rubies and sapphires manufactured with renewable energy and set in Fairtrade gold Cruz's favourite piece is a diamond and ruby necklace that has undeniable Hollywood allure Its lab-grown gems, originally developed in the 1950s for industry, are cut like a diamond and shine like a diamond.

There is no pretence about this being promoted to the conscious consumer as an alternative to natural gemstones and the gems identifiable as non-mined. . Source