What Does Love Look Like? Not Out-of-Touch Lab-Grown Messaging

Who would have thought that being condescending to couples buying a synthetic-diamond engagement ring wouldn’t buck the trend of more people opting for size and price over a natural diamond? Telling brides their fiancé doesn’t really love them because he bought a lab-grown diamond – because true love is a natural diamond – clearly hasn’t hit the mark. 

Maybe that’s because it is often the aforementioned, supposedly less beloved bride who is pushing for synthetic over natural. She is thinking about a down payment on a home, an exotic honeymoon, and, pointedly, hasn’t considered divorce and the resale value of her ring.

If we had a little humility, we would admit that a segment of the industry got its messaging wrong. 

True love is receiving a ring that feels right. No one should patronize customers with out-of-touch messaging. And while terminology has dominated recent trade debates, it cannot change the reality that more than half of US couples now opt for a man-made diamond when purchasing their engagement rings. 

Aside from this note, the October issue of Rapaport Magazine doesn’t include an umpteenth article on the subject. I believe natural diamonds have a special power, something connected to time immemorial and nature’s magic. The industry has an opportunity to communicate that without telling customers what love should look like. 

Editor’s pick 

I am not the nostalgic type, but I have to say, there is something extremely endearing about the current ’90s revival we’re witnessing in jewelry. A bit loud, definitely playful, it reminds me of a time when smoking wasn’t frowned upon and matcha was nowhere to be seen; an era of smudged mascara after a night out, when approaching a new century felt hopeful and exciting. 

I see all of that in Robinson Pelham’s Summer of ’96 collection, which celebrates the British brand’s 30th anniversary. Fabulous drop earrings nod to Georgian girandoles. Dangling necklaces go from the office (or Zoom call) to evening wear, and kinetic pieces look as good in a London boardroom as they do on an Ibiza playa. 

Robinson Pelham started as a bespoke jeweler before becoming known and loved among celebrities and collectors, who appreciate its exquisite craftsmanship, wearability and style. Among my favorites are a bombé ring with baguette diamonds and a pair of fringe drop earrings, both from the collection’s Meteor line in 14-karat yellow gold. The ’90s, it turns out, is still an era that knows how to party. 

Main image: Magazine Editor Sonia Esther Soltani. (Ben Kelmer)