Prada's new lab diamonds

One year after the launch of its first high jewellery collection, Prada has unveiled the new Eternal Gold line with the addition of a special feature, lab-grown diamonds. Pushing the accelerator on innovation, a key aspect for the brand, the new addition of artificial gemstones goes hand in hand with Prada's commitment to sustainability. For the launch of their high jewellery line in October last year, they experimented with recycling gold from old accessories and electronic materials, and now, with this new initiative, the brand has become the third luxury house, along with Tiffany & Co. and Fred Jewellery (both owned by the French LVMH group), to use lab-grown diamonds.

«Lab-grown diamonds are not just about replicating what’s possible for nature in a short period of time,» Prada jewellery director Timothy Iwata told The Washington Post. «It’s actually pushing the boundaries of, one, the cut [of a stone], and two, the idea of luxury material. It’s not just about customising some existing material. We actually grow that material for the client.» The new offerings in the Eternal Gold line include «Prada-cut» diamonds, namely in the shape of the brand's logo, woven into a gold chain, set in heart-shaped earrings and wrap-around snake rings.

Lab-produced diamonds are no different from those from a mine, being created with the same chemical properties. They have existed since the 20th century, but until now only a couple of high-fashion brands had tried to experiment with this innovation. For some time now, Prada and Miu Miu have held the top positions among the most searched online fashion houses, having become some of the most followed brands by the younger generation in recent years. It is likely that the new high jewellery line Eternal Gold will not achieve the same level of success as Miu Miu's ballerinas or Prada's Deècolleté, given the difference in price point and accessibility, but it will be interesting to see if the trend of lab-grown diamonds will be able to capture the attention of Gen Z the same way.