Lab Diamond Vs Mined Diamonds
Diamond mining has faced significant backlash in recent years due to environmental and ethical concerns. As a result, many people are now seeking alternatives. Lab-grown diamonds offer the best of both worlds: exceptional quality combined with moral transparency. However, as lab-grown diamonds are a relatively new concept, some uncertainty and misinformation still exist. We’re here to clarify that for you. Welcome to Diamonds 101, your comprehensive overview of lab-grown diamonds.
WHAT ARE LAB-GROWN DIAMONDS?
Lab-grown diamonds are chemically, physically, and optically identical to their mined counterparts. However, they are not extracted from the depths of the earth; instead, they are created in a lab using cutting-edge technology that replicates the natural diamond-growing process. Think of lab-grown diamonds like an ivf baby: they share the same chemical compound but are created in a laboratory in a different way.
Lab-grown diamonds are produced by mimicking the conditions found in nature within a controlled laboratory environment. It’s essential to emphasise that natural and lab-grown diamonds are fundamentally the same, both composed of 100% carbon formed under high pressure and high temperature. The only variable that differs between the two is the environment in which they are created.
Currently, lab-grown diamonds can be produced through multiple methods, primarily High Pressure-High Temperature (HPHT) and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). Recent advancements in technology have led to rapid progress in the lab-grown diamond sector, increasing competition with mined diamonds. As this is a comparatively new process, it’s vital to explain the creation process in more depth to avoid the misconceptions that often circulate online.
WHY CHOOSE LAB-GROWN DIAMONDS?
Lab-grown diamonds offer greater transparency in an industry often shrouded in secrecy. Mined diamonds frequently originate from unethical supply chains in conflict regions, characterised by poor working conditions, low wages, and human rights violations. Moreover, between 88,000 and 176,000 pounds of earth must be sifted through to uncover a single 1-carat diamond, all in the name of 'rarity'. The environmental consequences include soil erosion, displaced earth, deforestation, and ecosystem destruction.
By controlling the production process, we can establish a fully transparent supply chain that is less harmful to the environment and its surrounding communities. This is just the beginning of the ‘Diamond Revolution’. While there is still much work to be done, it represents a significant step in the right direction. Lab-grown diamonds are undoubtedly more ethical and environmentally friendly than their mined counterparts.
LAB-GROWN DIAMONDS:
- Full control over the production process
- Transparent supply chains
- Fair wages and good working conditions
- Reduced energy consumption
- Less harmful to the environment and surrounding communities
- Chemically and physically identical to mined stones
- Graded and certified using the 4Cs of Diamond Quality: cut, colour, clarity, and carat weight
- More affordable, often offering better quality for the same or lower cost than mined diamonds; most customers opt for larger, better-quality stones
MINED DIAMONDS:
- Complex, untraceable, and often unethical supply chains from conflict regions
- Poor working conditions, low wages, human rights violations, and child labour
- Significant environmental impact, causing soil erosion, displaced earth, deforestation, and ecosystem destruction
- Sourced through a disruptive and environmentally harmful process
- Higher costs due to 'rarity', mining challenges, and savvy marketing techniques; only 30% meet standard gem quality
- Mined diamonds market price destabilisation resulting from the growing popularity of lab-grown diamonds.
- Every 1 carat of mined diamond sold offsets 8.17 kg of carbon produced