All That Glitters: High-End Jewelry Brand Vrai Is Bringing Its Lab-Grown Luxury to Rittenhouse
The 2nd floor space at 132 S 17th Street has had more costume changes than a Broadway understudy—but this time, we think it’s found “the one.”
The 2nd floor shop at 132 S 17th Street across from Gomo Nails has seen more turnover than the cast of The Bachelor. First came Coeur, the lingerie boutique that held down the fort for quite some time. Then West Coast Optical moved in for a solid few-year run. Most recently, boutique 70six tried their hand at the space but sadly closed the same year.
But—cue the rom-com music—fast forward to early 2026, and high-end jewelry brand Vrai is moving in. Given what we know about the brand, we’re betting the space has finally found its perfect match.
The Diamond Disruptors
This will be Vrai’s 10th global location, joining their showrooms in cultural hotspots like LA’s Melrose Place, NYC’s Meatpacking District, Boston’s Newbury Street, London’s Mayfair neighborhood, and Madrid’s Calle Serrano. The name comes from the French word for “true”—which feels pretty on-brand for a company that’s disrupting the diamond industry.
Here’s what makes them different: Vrai started as an ethically-sourced mined diamond company but made a complete pivot in 2016 when they were acquired by Diamond Foundry—the lab-grown diamond producer backed by Leo DiCaprio. (Yes, seriously, the Titanic guy is now in the diamond business, and honestly? Character development.) They went all-in on lab-created stones and it’s clearly worked out well for them.
From Lab to 17th Street
Vrai is vertically integrated, meaning they control everything from growing the diamonds to cutting them with fourth-generation Belgian craftspeople to setting them in recycled gold. Their designs range from classic engagement rings to fashion-forward pieces—diamond stud earrings, solitaire necklaces, and customizable tennis bracelets that would make Serena Williams proud.
The celebrity fan club doesn’t hurt either. Jennifer Lopez, Reese Witherspoon, Kendall Jenner, and Megan Thee Stallion have all been spotted wearing Vrai—which is basically the jewelry equivalent of getting a Michelin star.
Why This Location Might Actually Stick
Here’s why we’re optimistic about Vrai’s staying power in this notoriously tricky space: it’s a showroom, not a traditional retail store relying on constant foot traffic. With 50% of diamonds sold in the US now being lab-grown, and Vrai positioning itself as the Tiffany & Co. of that market, they’re riding a major wave.
ETA is early spring and we’ll be tracking construction progress. In the meantime, if you spot any updates, drop us a line at rittenhouseramblings@gmail.com!
