Fluorescence: Jewelry Trend Emerges Out of Pandemic

Upon witnessing a diamond’s ‘inner glow’ and receiving some basic education on fluorescence, 82 percent of potential customers considered buying a diamond with this feature.

As countries emerge from the pandemic or prepare to re-enter lockdown, various surveys show that people are expressing more gratitude for the simple pleasures in life and treasure relationships now more than before the pandemic. This, in turn, creates demand for meaningful gifts and pieces of timeless value that can also reflect deeply personal feelings.

This is where an often overlooked diamond feature comes into play. Every person has a natural inner light, an inner power, which you don’t see, but can definitely feel. It helps us go through the darkest times, and to emerge and go on to achieve greater heights. Some diamonds also have an inner power – they shine from within. Those are commonly referred to as ‘fluorescent’ but some call them ‘diamonds with inner light”.

Fluorescence, meaning diamond’s ability to glow under the UV-light, is very rare. According to GIA, only up to 35% of all diamonds show some amount of fluorescence, but only 2 to 3.5% of all diamonds show Medium to Very Strong fluorescence, which is visible.

However, consumers are not yet aware of fluorescent diamonds. A recent survey found that 74 percent of US consumers “don’t know or are poorly educated” about fluorescence. However, upon witnessing the diamond’s ‘inner glow’ and receiving some basic education on fluorescence, 82 percent of respondents considered buying a diamond with this feature. More interestingly, 60 percent expressed a willingness to pay a premium for such a diamond – as much as a 15 percent premium for some. This is especially true of millennials and Gen Xers.

Shortly put, fluorescence is perceived as a new and unique category of diamonds.  Consumers in the US said they liked the notion of a hidden meaning in a diamond and the idea of a “diamond with a secret”. They also believe that fluorescence will look spectacular in jewelry with the right combination of stones and settings. This opens up countless opportunities for jewelry designers.

Both Millennials and Generation Z are more likely to opt for fluorescent diamonds, as they aren’t willing to “waste” money on ordinary gemstones, finding them quite “old-fashioned”. Fluorescence, on the other hand, is perceived as a new and attractive feature. But most importantly, a diamond, being the hardest material on earth, combined with a glowing from within, communicates a deep and meaningful message. It reminds us of the unique inner glow a human personality emits, that beautiful and magical light that helps us and those around regain strength in the turbulent times.

Why haven’t we been swept away before with the thrill of luminous diamonds? The answer lies in the market. Being quite conservative it did not question the prejudice against glowing diamonds for years, stating that the glow comes with a flaw in clarity.

Experts state that only in very rare cases some diamonds will exhibit “extremely strong” fluorescence, which gives the precious gemstone a “milky” or “hazy” appearance. But only 0.2 percent of fluorescent diamonds submitted to the GIA exhibit this effect. Meanwhile, in 2018 HRD Antwerp conducted the most extensive and large-scale scientific study of fluorescence to date. They not only found that the common prejudice against fluorescence was misplaced, but that consumers might be better off with a fluorescent diamond. Fluorescence, they discovered, can positively affect color. Diamonds having strong fluorescence will display a better color in daylight, depending on the initial color. For example, a J-L color diamond with strong fluorescence can look one color grade higher.

The combination of new scientific research confirming the positive effect of fluorescence, as well as consumer interest in this bright effect, offers an opportunity to create a new product category in the diamond and jewelry market.

The world’s leading diamond producer by output, ALROSA, is supporting the new trend and intends to introduce a new fluorescence-focused brand to the market called Luminous Diamonds®.

A turn-key branded marketing program will bring the rarity and beauty of fluorescent diamonds into view of the U.S. consumer. It will give participating stores carrying the Luminous Diamonds® jewelry reasons to expect increased sales of both self-purchasers and gifters.

Research conducted in the United States has shown high consumer interest surrounding the phenomenon of fluorescence and the Luminous Diamonds® brand.

“The most difficult part of this project is working with stereotypes,” says Alrosa USA Director Rebecca Foerster. “The market will not immediately get rid of the prejudice against fluorescent diamonds, so this is part of its history, the younger generation of traders and cutters have grown up with this idea. I believe that there will also be a lot of work with consumers to explain that this is a natural property of diamonds. Moreover, fluorescence is not absolute, but likely proof that a diamond is not synthetic. Fluorescence is not bad, it even gives some advantages to a diamond, and it looks amazing. Therefore, we believe in the success of this initiative”.

It all comes to just one conclusion – fluorescence is a new trend to keep an eye on. And for those seeking a meaningful symbol to celebrate the preciousness of human nature, a diamond with inner light is a great option to give a telling present of enduring value.

Image: Alrosa