Lightbox Jewelry, the De Beers lab-created diamond jewellery brand, is planning to open physical stores in the US within the next two years.
“Lightbox is exploring the option of opening one or two own-brand brick-and-mortar stores in the US from 2024 onward in support of building the brand and plans to continue with e-commerce as a focus for the business within the next five years,” a filing in a UK corporate registry dated 1 October reads.
“New B2B customers for branded Lightbox distribution are being identified both inside and outside of North America, and the business is also looking to add more white label customers in the short-to-medium term.”
In 2018, De Beers – the world’s largest diamond mining company by value – launched Lightbox in the US, a lab-created diamond jewellery business. Earlier this week, industry analysts revealed that it has been a year to remember for the industry, accounting for an estimated 10 per cent of diamond sales in the US for the first time.
A De Beers spokesperson said that plans to open brick-and-mortar locations should come as no surprise, particularly following the success of pop-up stores in New York City, Los Angeles, and Florida.
“Since launching Lightbox Jewelry in 2018, we have continued to expand the brand’s offering through new product innovations and retail partnerships and continue to explore a range of potential expansion opportunities for the future,” the spokesperson told JCK Online.
The filing also outlines expectations that the brand will become profitable within “the next few years.”
Lightbox operates out of Portland, Oregon, and produces more than 200,000 diamonds per year.
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