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RAPAPORT... Royal Asscher introduced ''Rebel Chique Diamonds,'' a new luxury brand incorporating man-made diamonds. Rebel Chique aims to capture what the company founders described as being against the notion that diamonds are once-in-a-lifetime heirlooms; instead, the brand wants to tap into a mindset that embraces diamonds as high-end accessories that can change from season to season.
Rebel Chique plans to achieve its branding goal by focusing on the inherent advantages that man-made diamonds have over natural stones: they can be cultivated in colors and sizes very rarely encountered in natural diamonds, offer a more personalized diamond experience and remain affordable, according to the group. Rebel Chique’s approach also extends to its distribution strategy and exists through the online store www.rebelchiquediamonds.com . “Diamonds have traditionally been an expression of purity and beauty,” said Mike Asscher, Rebel Chique's founder and sixth-generation diamantaire. “We want them to be also about confidence and independence. We have grown up in an on-demand, made to order culture. We are a generation that wants to create our own icons. And because all our jewelry is handmade by specialist goldsmiths as well, we can truly promise that all our rings, earrings and pendants are made to order.” Rebel Chique’s co-founder, Walter Kraus, said, “Luxury e-retailers like Net-a-Porter and Yoox have proven that a certain type of consumer is very comfortable buying high-end fashion accessories online. We believe selling online fits our made to order mentality best.” Asscher added that it is a great misconception to assume man-made diamonds are mass produced. ''Man-made diamond producers can influence and steer the process, but we can’t completely control it. Something magical still needs to happen, but by introducing science and trial and error into the calculation we can cultivate extremely rare and unique diamonds. Chemically, physically and aesthetically (optically) man-made diamonds are exactly the same as natural diamonds – they only have a different place of origin and price,'' Asscher concluded. The company added that all man-made diamonds are certified by independent labs to guarantee quality and transparency and to avoid misleading consumers.
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