Kimai opens its first retail store in London

Digitally native and traceable fine jewellery brand Kimai, which offers lab-grown diamonds, has opened its first bricks-and-mortar store in London.

Located at 24 Chiltern Street, London, the retail space offers Kimai’s range of 100 percent traceable lab-grown diamonds and recycled 18k gold jewellery, including earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings.

Kimai also adds that it will use the store to help educate its customers on the process of how a lab-grown diamond is made, how it can avoid the devastating environmental and social impacts inherent with mining, and highlight the fact that mined and lab-grown diamonds are chemically and physically identical.

Jessica Warch, co-founder of Kimai, said in a statement: “We’ve built an incredible global digital community, but always wanted to create our own physical world of Kimai. Although our price point is more accessible than Bond Street jewellers, purchasing fine jewellery is still a big decision, laced with emotion.

“Establishing a store felt like the natural next step to expand our offline presence, as we know some of our customers long for personal and professional interactions in real life with these special purchases.”

Lab-grown diamond jewellery brand Kimai opens store on Chiltern Street, London

Kimai were one of the first fine jewellery brands to offer digital consultations, something the brand explains spiked during the pandemic, and its bespoke jewellery and engagement rings continue to form a big part of its business. The new store allows the jewellery line to provide an intimate and inviting experience for bespoke clients and those who want to learn more about fine jewellery, but "without the intimidating experience often associated with Bond Street jewellers".

As well as consultations for bespoke pieces and engagement rings, the store will also offer customers monthly piercing sessions and engraving.

Commenting on the location, Sidney Neuhaus, co-founder of Kimai, added: “Chiltern Street is a place where independent brands that represent quality, craftsmanship and creativity come together, making it the perfect location for our first store. We can’t wait to open our doors and encourage people to join our mission, that diamond mines are not forever.”

Kimai was founded in 2018 by best friends Warch and Neuhaus, who both grew up in Antwerp to families working in the traditional diamond and fine jewellery world. The label was born to reimagine the way fine jewellery is made for a “modern and ethically aware customer,” and counts designer Diane Von Furstenberg as an investor. Kimai was also the first lab-grown diamond brand to be stocked on Net-a-Porter in 2021, and its customers include the Duchess of Sussex and actresses Emma Watson and Jessica Alba.