Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** In this interview, entrepreneur and designer Leo Eberlin challenges long-held perceptions about lab-grown diamonds, arguing that true luxury and romance are defined by design and intention, not origin.
Leo Eberlin Interview: Why Lab Grown Diamonds Are Finally Redefining Modern Luxury
by Ann-Christin Gebhardt
July 17, 2026, 4:02 PM UTC
We spoke with entrepreneur and designer Leo Eberlin about the magic of lab grown diamonds, dispelled old prejudices, and learned why romance ultimately doesn’t come from the earth, but from the heart of design.
© Getty Images/Jeremy Moeller
Leo Eberlin is the queen of diamonds – and with her fine instinct, she repeatedly proves that tradition and trends never have to be mutually exclusive.
When people think of diamonds, they often picture millennia-old earth and priceless luxury. But for jewelry designer Leo Eberlin, founder of Leo Mathild, modern luxury has long been defined differently:
With her second label, LM Studio, the entrepreneur was one of the first to focus on lab grown diamonds. A decision based on a mix of intuition and strategy – at a time when laboratory-grown stones were still an absolute insider tip.
The notion that synthetic diamonds are inferior to their natural counterparts in any way is a myth. Chemically, physically, and optically, they are absolutely identical.
The fine difference lies solely in the origin and a new value consciousness, the so-called “fifth C” (Consciousness): the conscious decision for transparency and sustainability. A topic that has gained even more importance for Leo Eberlin since the birth of her children:
She also elegantly dismisses the prejudice that lab-grown stones lack a romantic soul. Romance, after all, does not come from the origin of the stone, but from the design, the emotions, and the personal meaning a piece of jewelry holds for its wearer. Even a charming vintage effect can be effortlessly created through delicate settings and proportions. An unbeatable advantage of lab-grown diamonds: large, glamorous stones suddenly become much more accessible. Designs that would be priceless with mined diamonds become a wearable dream.
Her personal favorite for years has been the elegant oval cut, which visually elongates the finger and looks both modern and timeless. And what does the expert recommend for a first-ever diamond piece?
Just like Leo’s own engagement ring, which she wears daily, as well as pieces from her current “Sugar Cane” collection. Because in the end, that’s what jewelry is all about: keepsakes full of meaning that will still bring a smile to our faces ten years from now.