Smiling Rocks is a beacon of positivity and innovation in the world of jewelry. Co-founded by Zulu Ghevriya, a visionary with over two decades of expertise in the Diamond and Jewelry Industry, Smiling Rocks is the fruition of a dream to make a meaningful impact on the world through the lens of affordable luxury. With a commitment to audited, conflict-free lab-grown diamonds, the brand seeks to redefine elegance while championing environmental stewardship and community betterment, which they share with us today:
The idea that diamonds are for all is at the center of your company ethos. Can you share more about the philosophy behind this, and how it reflects in your business practices?
Diamonds has always been projected as a dream or aspiration for women and because of the cost or created scarcity of availability, it has always been seen as untouchable/unreachable for some. With the beauty of lab-grown diamonds, the same characteristics (physical, chemical, and optical) are being made by human beings at an affordable cost. Women are now able to get the most desirable diamonds in their price range. To get a diamond, we don’t have to sell our treasure and our hardworking salaries. Hence, we are very proud to trademark this motto, “Diamonds Are For Everyone, Forever”.
Not all lab-grown diamonds are the same. What makes your company stand out from other growers?
Smiling Rocks is not a generic lab-grown diamond company, but a brand that stands strongly behind sustainability. Our company is a proudly certified Butterfly Mark brand by Positive Luxury. We have gone through our ESG+ assessment through Positive Luxury and SCS. Our factories have been audited to claim our products as sustainable. Every Smiling Rocks diamond has a confident mark of Smiling Rocks, which proves the authenticity of the stone with a branded laser inscribed logo. Smiling Rocks is also a brand with a philanthropic business model.
Could you elaborate on the processes and technology you use to produce your lab-grown diamonds, for those who want to learn more?
Smiling Rocks uses CVD (Chemical Vapour Deposition) and HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature) to grow lab-grown diamonds. These two methods simply mimic the process happening below the Earth’s crusts when forming diamonds. It starts with a seed that is then exposed to strong temperatures of 1500 degrees Celsius (approx) and after three weeks (or more) processed inside the machine, it slowly forms into a rough diamond.
Zulu Ghevriya’s vision for Smiling Rocks was to leave a positive footprint for future generations. How has this vision influenced the operational and ethical standards of the company?
Zulu had a vision for the brand to not only do business but give back, with its business model being set, the brand is giving back 1% of loose Smiling Rocks diamond and 3% of jewelry business to its charity partners focusing on 4 different sectors (Education Support, Environmental Protection, Medical Support, and Animal Protection). Every employee is part of the chain of smile, which means that any effort within the company will be translated into a beautiful ending with someone smiling at the end and benefitting from our hard work.
With the unique approach of donating 3% of purchases to charity, how do you engage your customers in the giveback journey, and how can they participate in selecting charities?
Today, Smiling Rocks is working with our retail partners and giving back to multiple charity partners throughout the year. Consumers can inform their jeweler (where they purchase from) their preference for the charity sector. Consumers can always check our efforts behind philanthropy and sustainability work through our impact page on our official website.
What do you believe are the most significant benefits of choosing lab-grown diamonds over mined diamonds for consumers, and to what extent are they similar/identical to mined diamonds?
Lab-grown diamonds are 100% diamond. They are physically, chemically, and optically diamonds, with the difference from mined diamonds being the origin. With consumers planning to purchase lab-grown diamond, there are many benefits they can find. Lab-grown diamonds can be environmentally-friendly for consumers who are looking for sustainable options, and are with Smiling Rocks. They are pocket-friendly, as they are much affordable compared to mined diamonds.
Would you say consumers and vendors are still hard to convince on the benefits of lab-grown, or are you seeing change?
We have seen a shift in consumers’ preference (especially today’s new generation) when it comes to selecting an engagement/wedding ring. They are leaning towards lab-grown diamonds as it allows them to be able to buy a larger carat diamond with the same budget they had for a mined diamond, and use the savings to spend on other interest/products. Consumers are becoming mindful of their spending and are doing research to find options available to them. Vendors, with the success of consumers’ interest in lab-grown diamond and their curiosity to know more information, are keeping lab-grown diamond inventory in their stores to present both options to their consumers. Also, according to the data and research done by multiple sources, there is a 70% + rise in the engagement category for lab-grown diamonds.
Can you discuss how, as a member of 1% for the Planet, you pledge a portion of revenue to environmental causes, and what this does for your overall mission for sustainability?
Smiling Rocks is a proud member of 1% for the Planet, we are giving our 1% of our loose diamond business revenue to environmental causes. Every year, we are supporting organizations such as One Tree Planted, Trees for the Future, and Space for Giants with their initiatives in protecting the environment and wildlife respectively. These missions support our main aim to reduce the carbon footprint, rebuild parts of the world where it has seen deforestation, and protect wildlife that is in danger (for example, Elephants and Rhinos in Africa). By supporting these initiatives, the brand is standing behind its mission and purpose by making our small contribution to bigger causes.
Your Zenith project represents a new era of technological advancement in the diamond industry. What led up to commissioning the first-ever lab-grown diamond painting, and what message do you hope it conveys?
Zenith is a painting we are proudly carrying in our brand and it has become our brand identity. We have commissioned this painting by Reena Ahluwalia, an amazing artist and painter who has believed in Smiling Rocks since its inception. We came up with this beautiful and remarkable painting, which represents our first step to celebrating the breakthrough in human innovation and spirit.
How do you stay ahead of the latest fashion trends, and what tips can you share for styling lab-grown diamond jewelry with everyday wardrobes, not just on special occasions?
Diamond is for everyday! We have always kept our eyes on upcoming trends and bring innovative styles into our brand. Smiling Rocks is proud to be able to bring Bridal, Fashion, Men’s Jewelry, and High Jewelry within the brand’s style and offering. Smiling Rocks collectors should think of these styles that are coming up this 2024: Links – perfect to wear with casual jeans and spring outfits! Bold jewelry – we have our bestselling Frame Collection that is perfect for anyone who wants to show their personality loud and clear, stacking our frame rings and necklaces! Essentials jewelry – hoops, studs, bands etc., are perfect to wear at office times or even to dinner with friends/family.
What are the most popular lab grown diamond styles you are seeing in the market.
We definitely are seeing lots of designs using miligrain, bringing styles back from the vintage era. We have designed our latest Bridal collection name Luminous with these delicate miligrain effects.
We are seeing playful enamel colors in jewelry and with that, we have launched our Candy collection- exploring fun colors with solitaire diamonds.
Semi-precious stones with diamonds are another strong trend we are seeing, especially with Malachite and Mother of Pearl. We are definitely excited our introduce our Flora collection with these stone mixtures!
Colored diamonds are coming back in trend, such as blue, pink, and green that represent emotions and personal taste.
Ethics is at the center of all the work Smiling Diamonds does. With a commitment to sustainable, affordable, and conflict-free lab-grown diamonds, the brand seeks to redefine elegance while championing environmental stewardship and community betterment. To keep up with their work visit https://smilingrocks.com/
