Lab-grown Expert Skydiamond Creates a Silver Stone, With More Colors to Come
LONDON — Skydiamond, the British diamond producer that makes rocks with a carbon-negative footprint, is adding a dash of unusual color to its lab-grown creations.
The company, which uses carbon dioxide, wind, sun and rain to create its diamonds, has developed a rock called Liquid Silver, which has a metallic sheen that does not exist in nature.
More from WWD
The color-creation process has been trademarked, and was developed by Skydiamond’s engineers in Gloucestershire, England. Using renewable energy, the engineers have developed a post-production process that “shifts and fixes” the interior of the lab-grown stone, creating a silver-black pooling effect.
According to Skydiamond, the silvery-black hue enhances the depth and intensity of the diamond, allowing for more rainbow refractions compared with traditional, mined white diamonds.
The company said its method not only produces a variety of colors but also offers an alternative to the chemical treatments ordinarily used to alter the color of lab-grown gems.
Kevin Emery, head of innovation at Skydiamond, said that unlike other processes that rely heavily on radiation and chemicals, the Skydiamond method uses electron beam technology and operates entirely on renewable electricity.
He said the process is similar to the “cathode ray tube technology once used in old televisions of our childhood. The electron beam subtly alters the internal structure, knocking it about a bit. This results in a change in how the diamond reflects light and produces vibrant new colors.”
Madeleine Macey, chief executive officer of Skydiamond, said the goal is to achieve a consistent, repeatable, full spectrum of Fancy Colored stones, and “solidify our position at the forefront of
sustainable lab-grown diamond innovation.”
Macey added: “We are not driven by replicating what already exists; we are using science to harmonize with Mother Nature and create something entirely new. This marks a new pioneering space for lab-grown diamonds, and we are committed to being change-makers by forging ‘another way’ through creativity, beauty and desire.”
Skydiamond is working to have Liquid Silver officially listed as a new Fancy Color in the traditional diamond grading system.
Currently, the company’s lab-grown gemstones are independently graded by Birmingham Assay Office using the traditional D-Z grading scale.
Skydiamonds are unique in that they are created solely from carbon dioxide, wind, sun and rain. The process is powered by Skydiamond’s sister company, Ecotricity.
In the past Skydiamond has collaborated with jewelers including Stephen Webster, and sells through retailers including Selfridges, Bergdorf Goodman and Gucci Vault. Lily Cole, the model and sustainability advocate, was named brand ambassador last year, and created a special collection for the brand.
Skydiamond is part of The Green Britain Group, which was founded by the inventor and entrepreneur Dale Vince. The group’s mission is to offer “alternative approaches” to carbon-generating industries, with a focus on energy, transport and food.
As part of its marketing efforts, the brand has opened a London store for the holiday period.
It is located on Denman Place, opposite the Ham Yard Hotel in Soho, not far from Piccadilly Circus and it will remain open until Jan. 3.
The jewelry is displayed on custom stands “grown” from mycelium, a sustainable substrate of mushrooms. It is presented in wooden and glass boxes crafted by a father-and-son team local to Skydiamond’s Gloucestershire base.
The diamond jewelry ranges in price from 200 pounds to 2,500 pounds and includes studs, pendants and signet rings. There are also ready-to-shop engagement rings ranging in price from 2,000 pounds to 30,000 pounds.
Best of WWD
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
