The 5 Lab-Grown Diamond Brands Consumers Recognize Most—In Order

As consumers becoming increasingly aware of lab-grown diamonds, they will naturally gravitate toward brands they know and trust in the space.

So which lab-grown brands have the strongest name recognition when it comes to lab grown diamonds? The latest consumer study from the market research firm I founded, THE MVEye, identified the top consumer brands for lab-grown diamond jewelry at retail—and the results underscore both the staying power of a legacy brand and the meteoric rise of a handful of digitally native disruptors. Here are the most recognized lab-grown diamond brands in the U.S. market, in order.

SWAROVSKI

Despite recent management changes that led to a few tumultuous years at Swarovski, the brand still holds sway with consumers and its Swarovski Created Diamonds (formerly called Diama) collection has the strongest name recognition of any brand when it comes to lab-grown diamonds. Alexis Nasard, chief executive officer, says the company’s recipe for success in lab-grown diamonds has everything to do with its foundations. “Swarovski’s brand equity, unique savoir-faire, and artistry give us the legitimacy to enter the fine jewelry market,” she says. “We look forward to delighting more customers with the ultimate combination of creativity and materials, through our created diamonds.”

Swarovski Created Diamonds was also one of the two most recognized lab-grown diamond brands for the past three years we’ve published the consumer study.

Second place in name recognition in lab-grown diamonds was a tie between two digitally native, younger lab-grown brands that have seen their sales levels rise significantly in the past few years.

BRILLIANT EARTH

Retailer and jewelry and gem brand Brilliant Earth, which went public in 2021, prides itself on being a global leader in ethically sourced fine jewelry. And younger consumers have responded strongly to that differentiation. Led by co-founders Beth Gerstein and Eric Grossberg, the company’s mission since its founding in 2005 has been to create a more transparent, sustainable, and compassionate jewelry industry. (Brilliant Earth was also one of the two most recognized lab-grown diamond brands for the past three reporting years of this research study.)

JAMES ALLEN

Part of the giant Signet portfolio of brands, James Allen has long been a leader in the lab-grown diamond e-commerce space and a creator of innovative consumer shopping experiences (that are often copied by others). It tied with Brilliant Earth for second place in the name recognition game.

ADA DIAMONDS

ADA Diamonds, the high-end lab-grown diamond retail brand that recently scored Venture Capital funding, tied with wholesale brand Pure Grown Diamonds for third place. The brand specializes in bespoke lab-grown diamond engagement rings and wedding jewelry, all hand-crafted in the U.S. from ethically sourced gold and platinum. “Our clientele proudly views Ada’s diamonds as a sustainable, ethical alternative to mined diamonds,” said Jason Payne, founder and CEO of Ada Diamonds (note: the sustainability of mined vs. lab diamonds remains a hotly contested debate in the industry).

As we begin 2023, the lab-grown diamond jewelry category continues to expand to new international markets—India, China, and Japan are now showing significant growth in consumer demand for lab-grown diamond jewelry. It will be interesting to see how these developments potentially reshape the brand lineup next year.

Top photo: ADA Diamond rings courtesy of ADA Diamonds

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