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ALROSA’s Luminous Diamonds Brand Lauded By Forbes Mag December 20, 2021 (0 comments)
New York, NY—Diamond jewelry has enjoyed an unprecedented boom in the past two years. Since the pandemic hit in 2020, consumers worldwide have taken a step back and reassessed their priorities from work to life to love. At the same time, social shifts are moving away from standardized notions of beauty and lifestyle, celebrating individual choices and authenticity.
Diamonds and fine jewelry have been big beneficiaries of these emotional reckonings, as both couples and individuals seek to find meaning in both life and purchases. Luminous Diamonds, the new brand of fluorescent diamond jewelry from Russian diamond miner Alrosa, hit the market with exactly the right strategy at exactly the right time.
Forbes magazine recently featured the brand in an article titled “How Luminous Diamonds Is Putting Meaning Behind Jewelry,” which highlights its message of inclusivity and individuality “for everyone who is courageous enough to be themselves.”
Luminous Diamonds and its “Follow Your Inner Light” tagline debuted at the end of 2020, turning a diamond attribute that many jewelers viewed as a negative into an advantage. It was particularly timely given the increased competition from lab-grown diamonds, along with the sudden desire for consumers to express themselves through jewelry as the pandemic continues to alter travel and career plans.
Related: ALROSA Revives Fluorescence As Diamond Selling Feature
Fluorescence is the result of trace amounts of nitrogen. Over 98% of natural diamonds contain minute traces of nitrogen. Under certain conditions, the nitrogen atoms form perfect triangles which result in a fluorescent glow when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. Only about one quarter of all diamonds feature any fluorescence, and fewer than 3.5% of all diamonds show medium to strong fluorescence.
Consumer research, meanwhile, showed that 82% of Millennial consumers find fluorescence appealing and almost 60% are willing to pay more for it, propelling Alrosa to develop and launch the Luminous Diamonds brand with fluorescence as its unique selling proposition. The brand debuted in fall 2020 with a positive "Diamonds Under Pressure/Greatness is Made Under Pressure" campaign, using female influencers to showcase the products and encourage women to "follow their inner light."
Luminous Diamonds encourages people to be who they are, embrace their individuality, and stand behind their truth, says Forbes. The campaign—which won a prestigious Clio advertising award—tapped into the global movement for female empowerment and individuality, highlighting women of a variety of ages, ethnicities, and occupations wearing Luminous Diamonds jewelry. It ties fluorescence, a diamond’s secret inner light, to a woman’s inner strength.
A number of prominent upscale independent jewelers, including Hale's Jewelers in Greenville, SC; Lux, Bond & Green in CT; and others, are authorized retailers of the collection.
"Having the right partner opportunities is central to Luminous Diamonds' success. We're thrilled to be part of the Centurion Show, which allows us to introduce Luminous Diamonds to jewelers who are leaders in their communities," says Rebecca Foerster, president of Alrosa USA. Luminous Diamonds will be exhibiting at the upcoming Centurion Show in Scottsdale, in booth F305.
A Luminous Diamonds billboard for Hale's Jewelers in Greenville, SC
Meanwhile, Luminous Diamonds is building recognition in the fashion world. It is collaborating with the Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF), a U.S. nonprofit that awards more than $1 million in fashion scholarships annually. Five students who demonstrated their understanding of the brand’s philosophy by incorporating jewelry in their sketches are to receive financial stipends to further their studies in the total amount of $40,000, says Forbes.
Designer Christian Siriano, a mentor in the Luminous Diamonds/FSF collaboration, featured the jewelry brand on his runway models for spring/summer 2022. Image, Getty for Christian Siriano, via Forbes.