De Beers Group and Signet Jewelers are launching new marketing initiatives and a certification hallmark to promote natural diamonds over lab-grown alternatives.
The effort comes as the luxury industry faces a growing threat from cheaper synthetic stones. By creating a clear distinction in value and provenance, these companies aim to protect the premium pricing of mined diamonds in a shifting retail landscape.
This strategic shift includes a high-profile partnership announced on May 22, 2026 [2]. The collaboration focuses on the U.S. retail market through Signet Jewelers while De Beers manages worldwide branding [2]. The industry is attempting to bridge a trust gap regarding how diamonds are priced and where they originate [3].
To address these concerns, the Natural Diamond Council is introducing a specific hallmark. Amber Pepper, chief executive of the Natural Diamond Council, said, "We are creating a hallmark that guarantees a stone is natural, so consumers can trust what they are buying" [1].
This push for transparency follows a period of volatility in the diamond market. U.S. consumers spend an average of $7,364 on a diamond [4] — a figure the industry seeks to maintain by emphasizing the rarity of natural stones.
Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group, said, "Natural diamonds are the perfect symbols to celebrate life's most meaningful moments" [2]. The campaigns seek to reposition natural diamonds as superior emotional investments compared to their lab-created counterparts.
Industry groups have spent the last five years refining these strategies [3]. The goal is to ensure that shoppers do not view lab-grown diamonds as direct substitutes, but as a separate category of product entirely.
“"We are creating a hallmark that guarantees a stone is natural, so consumers can trust what they are buying."”
The introduction of a formal hallmark signals that the diamond industry can no longer rely on the inherent mystery of gemstones to maintain high prices. As lab-grown technology makes chemically identical diamonds accessible at a fraction of the cost, the value of natural diamonds is shifting from physical properties to certified provenance and rarity.
