With the world only becoming more and more conscious about the foods we consume, the products that we use, the items that we wear, and their impact on the world around us, lab-grown diamonds are quickly rising in the ranks as one of the most popular items on the jewellery market. From lab grown diamonds rings all the way to everyday diamond stud earrings, everyone is getting acquainted with the world of lab-created diamonds including jewellery lovers, eco-warriors and even the rich and famous. So, much so that some of the world’s biggest diamond brands jumped on the trend and released their own lab-grown creations.
A fact that comes as a surprise to many is that lab-grown diamonds are REAL diamonds. They share all of the physical and chemical traits of a traditional diamond with one exception, they are produced in a laboratory setting that involves placing a small slither of a pure diamond known as a diamond seed into a special chamber and exposing it to carbon-rich gases such as methane along with intense heat. These gases combined with the extreme temperatures cause carbon atoms to separate and stick to the diamond until multiple layers form and transform into a large square-shaped uncut diamond. It is a stark contrast to mined diamonds that are formed after thousands of years of exposure to extreme heat and temperatures within the earth’s crust.
So, what are the benefits of choosing lab-grown diamonds over mined diamonds? Read on to find out.
Lab-Grown Diamonds Are More Eco-Friendly
As previously touched on, many people choose to buy lab-grown diamonds over mined diamonds as they are often environmentally friendlier. When companies mine diamonds, it not only requires a great deal of manpower and heavy machinery but it utilises a substantial amount of energy. This can mean that diamond mining sometimes leaves a heavy path of destruction that greatly affects many of the world’s natural resources such as water, soil and animal habitats. Contrastingly, while the production of lab-created diamonds does utilise a great deal of energy, it is significantly less than that of mined diamonds and the impact on the natural landscape is pretty much non-existent.
Lab-Grown Diamonds Can Be More Affordable
Diamonds are never going to be cheap. Sure, there are cheaper diamonds depending on their quality and size but generally, any item of jewellery containing diamonds is going to start at around $100 and end somewhere in the thousands, occasionally even millions. Because while there is an abundance of diamond supplies, they are still extremely rare. Lab-grown diamonds are changing all that by offering people good-quality diamonds for a fraction of the price. Jewellery experts estimate that those opting to purchase lab-grown diamond jewellery instead of naturally-mined diamonds could save as much as 25%. But while lab-grown diamonds are cheaper, their value shouldn’t diminish their quality. Lab-created diamonds are simply more affordable as the manpower and machinery used to produce them cost significantly less. Not to mention, lab-grown diamonds are much easier to source.
Lab-Grown Diamonds Give Your More Bang For Your Buck
Lots of people put an emphasis on quality over quantity and lab-grown diamonds very much provide that. Lab-created diamonds are produced in a controlled setting, which offers greater reigns over quality. This means that lab-grown diamonds often produce bigger stones at a more wallet-friendly price that are also often better quality. With mined diamonds, they are produced in nature for thousands of years, so it is difficult to ensure quality. In fact, you would be very lucky to come across near-perfect diamonds. While they may look flawless at first glance, taking a closer look will tell you a different story. Mined diamonds often have tiny specks known as inclusions, inclusions appear as the diamond becomes crystalised and are often visible under jewellery magnifying equipment. While inclusions can be present on lab-grown diamonds, particularly lab-created stones that mimic the process a mined diamond is formed, they are not as prevalent in this case.
Lab-Grown Diamonds Are Often “Conflict-Free”
Perhaps one of the biggest drawcards for lab-grown diamonds is that they are produced in much more ethical circumstances. While it varies around the world, fans of the Leonard DiCaprio 2006 blockbuster, Blood Diamond will know that the diamond mining trade is a very risky business that has been linked to all kinds of questionable issues including war, slavery, famine, political corruption and other human rights abuses. Due to the nature in which they are produced, lab-grown diamonds are often regarded as “conflict-free” diamonds and have a much more transparent journey from their formation to when they finally make their way to the jeweller and then eventually to the hands of the consumer who purchases them.
