My Ethical Dilemma

From childhood, I harbored a deep appreciation for fine jewelry—particularly diamonds. Their brilliance, rarity, and timeless beauty captivated my imagination. Yet despite this lifelong fascination, I could never bring myself to purchase a diamond piece.

The reason? Two persistent concerns shadowed my admiration: the prohibitive cost of traditional diamonds and, more importantly, their controversial history. I couldn't imagine wearing something so beautiful if it potentially came at the cost of human suffering or environmental devastation. The mental image of conflict diamonds and exploitative mining practices kept me from embracing the very gems I admired from afar.

I couldn't wear something knowing it could have possibly harmed others, especially children. This principle guided me away from traditional diamonds, despite my appreciation for their beauty.

My Eureka Moment

In 2016, my perspective on diamonds fundamentally changed during what began as a casual jewelry course in London's historic Hatton Garden district. Accompanied by a friend, I signed up for the class expecting to learn about craftsmanship and design. Little did I know that this educational detour would alter the trajectory of my life.

The professor guided us through a comprehensive history of jewelry, from the ornate pieces of ancient Egypt to contemporary designs. It was during the final session that I experienced what I now refer to as my "Eureka moment"—the revelation that diamonds could be grown in laboratories using advanced technology.

The implications were immediate and profound: these lab-grown stones eliminated the need for environmentally destructive mining operations that caused groundwater pollution, displaced wildlife, and carried the risk of fueling conflicts. Yet remarkably, these cultivated diamonds were chemically, physically, and optically identical to their mined counterparts.

From Student to Founder

This revelation coincided with my MBA studies in London in 2017. What had started as a "fun course" on jewelry history had unexpectedly provided me with a business insight that aligned perfectly with my values.

I was amazed to discover that lab-grown diamonds are identical to mined diamonds in every way, yet they eliminate the risk of human conflict associated with mining. The absence of mining also means no groundwater pollution, land degradation, or displacement of wildlife. Furthermore, lab-grown diamond jewelry offers the fairest pricing in the market, as it is not subject to the artificial inflation often seen in mined diamond jewelry.

These revelations convinced me that this was the direction I wanted to take in the jewelry industry. The ethical and environmental benefits, combined with the inherent beauty and quality of lab-grown diamonds, made it a clear choice for me to work with them.

Bringing the Vision to Life

With this newfound knowledge and passion, I set out to create a luxury jewelry brand that would exclusively use lab-grown diamonds. I envisioned pieces that would rival the beauty and craftsmanship of traditional fine jewelry, yet align with modern ethical values and environmental consciousness.

That vision became Lark & Berry—a name chosen to evoke both freedom (lark) and natural beauty (berry). I wanted to create a brand that would disrupt the traditional diamond industry while offering an uncompromising luxury experience.

Our brand would stand for several key principles:

• Ethical sourcing through exclusive use of lab-grown diamonds
• Exceptional design and craftsmanship
• Transparent pricing without artificial inflation
• Environmental responsibility
• Modern luxury that aligns with contemporary values

Early Challenges

The path wasn't easy. In the beginning, there was widespread confusion and a lack of awareness about lab-grown diamonds. Many potential customers had never heard that diamonds could be created in laboratories. The concept seemed so sudden and revolutionary, even though the technology had been developing for years.

The traditional diamond industry wasn't eager to embrace this disruption either. In fact, we faced significant resistance from established players who were invested in maintaining the status quo.

One particularly disheartening incident occurred in 2019, when our Bow Suite—our inaugural showcase collection featuring an 11.6-carat lab-grown diamond necklace—was entered into a prestigious jewelry competition by our artisan. The suite won the grand prize, but when we began promoting the fact that it consisted entirely of lab-grown diamonds, our artisan faced mounting pressure and was ultimately asked to forfeit the award.

The industry simply wasn't ready for such a significant change at that time. But I knew we were on the right side of history—just as cultured pearls eventually became the standard, I believed lab-grown diamonds would one day be the norm.

Finding Our Audience

Despite industry resistance, we found that consumers were increasingly receptive to our message. People were becoming more conscious about their purchasing decisions across all aspects of life, including luxury goods. When presented with the choice between identical diamonds—one requiring destructive mining practices and the other grown sustainably in a laboratory—many chose the ethical option.

As awareness grew, we began to see our pieces worn by celebrities on red carpets and featured in prestigious publications. Each mention in Vogue, Forbes, or Harper's Bazaar helped legitimize lab-grown diamonds in the luxury space and spread our message to a wider audience.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented significant challenges, but our resilience and focus on disrupting the traditional diamond industry carried us through. We invested heavily in education, helping customers understand the benefits of choosing lab-grown diamonds.

Looking Forward

Today, I'm amazed at how perceptions of lab-grown diamonds have evolved since Lark & Berry's founding. Numerous companies and brands are now creating high-end pieces using lab-grown diamonds. The understanding and demand have skyrocketed in just a few short years.

What once seemed like a radical idea has now become the mainstream choice. According to The Knot's 2025 Real Weddings Study, 52% of couples surveyed in 2024 chose lab-grown diamonds for their engagement rings. This represents a remarkable 40% increase since 2019. These findings confirm what we've been seeing in our own business, where engagement ring sales featuring lab-grown diamonds have surged dramatically.

I like to believe that Lark & Berry played a part in this positive transformation by being an early and exclusive advocate of using only lab-grown diamonds in fine jewelry collections.

My hope for the future is that there will come a time when all diamonds are lab-grown, similar to how nearly all pearls became cultured. Eventually, the need to distinguish them as "lab-grown diamonds" may diminish, just as today's pearl jewelry is not referred to as "cultured pearls" explicitly. People understand that when they acquire cultured pearls, they are still obtaining genuine pearls.

The journey from that jewelry course in Hatton Garden to leading a global luxury brand has been challenging but immensely rewarding. What began as a personal ethical dilemma has blossomed into a movement that's changing an entire industry—proving that luxury and ethics can not only coexist but thrive together.