lab looks
Austin jeweler Kendra Scott gets scientific with new lab-grown diamond collection
Kendra Scott has launched a new collection that skips the mining and goes straight for the diamonds.
Austinites can't be blamed for feeling a little cognitive dissonance attending a farmers market while wearing a gem that came out of a massive pit in Russia or Botswana. Although diamonds are beautiful and durable, they're costly from both a financial and ecological standpoint.
Kendra Scott, the famous Austin-based jewelry designer that's known for accessible designs and a strong philanthropic arm, has announced a new Lab Grown Diamond Collection. The main sell in the press release is an appeal to "everyday" wear at a lower price point, but many shoppers also favor lab-grown diamonds for relatively conflict-free fashion.
"We're excited to introduce our Lab Grown Collection, a natural category addition as we continue to progress as a lifestyle brand and offer our customers another dynamic reason to shop with us," said founder, Executive Chairwoman, and CCO Kendra Scott in the release. "[W]e heard over the years that our customers wanted to shop with us for fine jewelry because they loved the company, they loved that we give back, and they wanted their jewelry collections to grow alongside our product assortment."
The Gemological Institute of America says that diamonds mined from nature or grown in a lab "are essentially chemically and optically the same." It offers spectroscopic testing to differentiate the two, i.e. no one will ever look at your earrings and say "these look suspiciously lab-grown to me."
According to the Kendra Scott release, going to a lab also means more control over quality. Although this shouldn't affect the consumer much (it's not like jewelers are just tossing any gems they can get into their work), this smoother system presumably also contributes to lower costs all around.
The lab-grown diamonds Kendra Scott is using are:
- At or above H color, which is "near colorless"
- At or above VS clarity, which means minor inclusions can be "observed with effort under 10x magnification"
- Certified by the International Gemological Institute (IGI) for all stones 0.5 carats or larger
"With lab grown diamond fine jewelry, our customers have the option to invest in forever pieces at more accessible price points," said Scott. "We're a jewelry company with an in-house design studio. We can ensure that every style in the Lab Grown Collection offers the same material craftsmanship, expertise and insight that is synonymous with the Kendra Scott brand."
Now that function is addressed, let's talk form: The pieces in this collection are mostly understated, and are all contrasted in yellow gold. Solitaires abound — good for pointing to and saying "a scientist made this." Since this collection is meant for everyday wear, there is little that could be construed as an engagement ring, but a pavé band makes for a good stacker.
Despite the relative price efficiency, these are still luxury price points, ranging from $500-2,950. These stones are also not tiny, but definitely not cubic zirconia levels of huge. Sensible stones hang off of delicate chains for an understated look.
See the full collection, which is available now for purchase, at kendrascott.com.
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