Diamonds are a girl's best friend, but the diamond mining industry can be incredibly dangerous and exploitative.
Enter Oscar Massin, a legacy French jeweler that’s designed pieces for royalty since the 1800s that now turns its production to lab-grown diamonds. It’s a modern and sustainable approach to classic styles and designs, and now those forward-thinking pieces can be found at Saks Fifth Avenue retailers.
See also: Brilliant Earth Partners with Tacori For Ethically-Sourced Bridal Collection
The Oscar Massin necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings are the first lab-grown diamonds to be sold at the luxury department store.
View this post on Instagram
The Belgian-born French jeweler for whom the company is named rose to prominence in the 1800s, earning commissions to create a stunning parure for the Royal Court of Spain in 1864, a medallion for King William III in 1879, and a diamond tiara for the First Duke of Fife in 1889 later known as the “Fife Tiara.”
Massin’s designs drew inspiration from nature. The jeweler spent years studying the intricate forms of flowers and worked these into his intricate and delicate work. He passed away in 1913, but the brand lives on, reviving the French jeweler’s innovative techniques and visionary designs of the 19th century.
For the modern collections, CEO Frederic de Narp, Creative Director Sandrine de Laage, and Chairwoman Coralie de Fontenay recreate Massin’s beautiful designs in a modern and socially-conscious way.
On the whole, the materials used in each piece are fully traceable, featuring 100 percent climate-neutral Latitude diamonds with fully-recycled gold and platinum. Since the diamonds are lab-made, they are known as grown, meaning they have no post-growth enhancements, resulting in the highest type IIa level, which puts them in the top 1 to 2 percent of diamonds across the globe.
The lab-grown diamonds will be both physically and chemically identical to their mined counterparts. Spotting the difference between natural and lab-grown diamonds will be nearly impossible.
The Oscar Massin jewelry is now available for pre-order on Saks’ website, and will be available in-store at New York City and Beverly Hills locations starting in the Spring. The collection features earrings, rings, necklaces and more in white gold or yellow gold.
For more information on lab-grown diamonds or to check out the latest jewelry, visit Oscar Massin’s website.
Photography by: Courtesy of Oscar Massin
