But what if that ring, that brought so much joy for the couple, brought bloodshed and misery for another? Diamond mines have earned a reputation for corruption, exploitation, environmental destruction and bloodshed. While efforts have been made in recent years to increase the working conditions for diamond miners, more than one million live in extreme poverty, earning less than $1 a day.
Lab created diamonds are helping couples make sure that the diamonds on their ring does not have to come at the expense of someone else’s happiness.
Lab created diamonds are markedly different from synthetic diamonds like moissanite and cubic zirconia. Firstly, these are not carbon crystals like diamonds but different chemical compounds. These can be distinguished from natural diamonds on sight and have different thermal conductivity and refractive properties.
Lab created diamonds are utterly indistinguishable from natural diamonds. They are the same chemical compound, carry the same thermal conductivity properties and the same single refractive properties. They are both chemically and physically identical to their mined counterparts. The only difference is their beginnings.
Lab Created vs Synthetic
Guaranteed Origins
Unlike mined stones, the diamonds created in a lab are guaranteed to have a clean, ethically clear history. Even mined diamonds that come from sources that are not marred in conflict still come with the risk of exploitation, child labor and poor working conditions.
Lab created diamonds, on the other hand, all come from trackable sources, without the danger of exploitation and abuse.
Diamond mines require the removal of immense quantities of earth. They are deep pits, up to 1,700 miles deep and up to a mile in diameter.
The removal of this amount of earth requires heavy, fossil-fuel-burning machines. It is estimated that in India, every diamond mine required the destruction of 492,000 trees. This model of diamond sourcing is not sustainable for the future of our planet.
Grown lab diamonds, however, do not require thousands of acres of forest to be demolished for their production. Many, in fact, are using renewable energy to power their labs, making it a more sustainable and environmentally friendly process.
Environmental Sustainability
Affordability
Lab-sourced diamonds are around 10-30% cheaper than mined stones. In cases where customers are looking for colored diamond, they stand to save even more. When mined, colored stones fetch thousands (or even millions) due to their rarity. Lab created colored diamonds can be purchased for a fraction of the price.
Because lab created diamonds are crafted in a lab, they are fit for purpose and built with the same chemical and physical properties as natural diamonds. As a result, lab grown diamonds often contain better purity and clarity grades.
Lab grown diamonds are at the forefront of modern technology. Given the unsustainability of the mining sector, there can be little doubt that lab created diamonds will be the future of the jewellery industry.
Play your part in that sustainable future and make sure your next diamond is lab created instead of mined. Ensure that your treasured item of jewellery is borne from a place of pride, innovation and technology, instead of bloodshed, destruction and exploitation.
