A diamond is a diamond no matter where it comes from. Yes? It depends on whether you’re asking a jeweler, a bride-to-be, or someone interested in sustainability practices in mining and manufacturing. Distinguishing between synthetic and natural diamonds can be difficult, but there are some key differences in country of origin that can affect what you choose to buy and what you buy.
How are lab-grown diamonds made?
Sustainable diamonds. The term gives off a good feeling. In general, lab-created diamonds have advantages over the methods used to mine natural diamonds. They do not cause the same level of environmental damage as mines, which remove dirt and consume fresh water and fossil fuels. air pollution acid mine drainage Mining can pollute water sources, and unethical diamond mining practices lead to human rights violations and destroy the ecosystem. The US Geological Survey estimates that for each diamond recovered through mining, 200 to 400 million times as much rock must be extracted.
However, as an independent industry, the methods used in diamond manufacturing laboratories also raise concerns.
Manufacturers promote synthetic diamonds as sustainable, suggesting they are a more responsible choice for some consumers. But how accurate are these designations? Greenwashing can occur in any industry, including diamonds, and the definition can be vague when companies use the term “green.” You want to make sure the company you buy from can legally back up its sustainability claims.
Here’s what happens in the controlled environment of a diamond lab:
- The process that takes millions of years underground and uses natural heat and pressure from the environment to create natural diamonds is mimicked in the lab in just a few weeks.
- Factories usually do not have assembly lines, but machines Needs constant energy, producing gems 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This source of energy is important to the ultimate sustainability of the gemstone.
- Laboratories use giant microwave heat generators to replicate processes on Earth through high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) production, which requires maintaining temperatures above 300°F, or chemical vapor deposition (CVD), which relies on temperatures as high as 1500°F.
The process is relatively simple and so is the environmental impact. When diamond manufacturers use renewable energy, the process is more sustainable than diamonds made using fossil fuel energy.
Pros and Cons of Lab-Generated Diamonds
If you are considering purchasing a sustainable diamond, we applaud your conscious decision to minimize your footprint. After all, when you give someone a piece of jewelry that you hope they will wear for decades to come, you want them to feel good when they see them wearing it. It helps to know that you’ve made an informed decision about where to buy.
How a lab-grown diamond is made is important. Because some laboratory practices may not be any better than the side effects of conventional diamond mining, and may be even worse. Here’s what many consumers consider when searching:
- Advantage: It costs less. lab grown diamond price 10% to 30% reduction You can get stones that are larger than what Mother Earth creates, you can upgrade the clarity and color to have a truly unique stone, and you can enjoy less impurities.
- agree: They are real diamonds. Laboratory diamonds have nearly identical physical, chemical, and cosmetic properties to mined diamonds. It may be brighter with better clarity. They are not fake.
- criminal: They are not worth much. Manufactured diamonds may look pretty, but they do not have a high resale value. Many people do not believe that synthetic diamonds are real diamonds because they do not come from the Earth, but manufacturers promise that they are visually and chemically identical.
- criminal: Their carbon footprint is not large. More energy could be generated if the synthetic diamond manufacturing process used energy generated from fossil fuels. carbon dioxide emissions Rather than mining natural diamonds; Most factories still rely on fossil fuels to power their nuclear reactors.
all A study comparing lab-grown and mined diamonds Consulting firm Frost & Sullivan found that diamond mining generates 4,383 times more waste, uses 6.8 times more water, and consumes 2.14 times more energy per carat produced than manufactured gemstones. Lab Brown Diamonds also prevent more than half of all sulfur oxide and nitrous oxide emissions associated with mined diamonds.
Are you actually buying sustainable diamonds?
Just because a diamond is grown in a lab doesn’t automatically mean it’s sustainable. Don’t be afraid to ask jewelers, gemologists and manufacturers questions about their production process or carbon sources. These answers are easy to come by for companies focused on environmental responsibility because they strive to improve their manufacturing practices every day.
If you choose synthetic gemstones, keep the following in mind:
- Find a jeweler who is willing to document the provenance of your jewelry.
- Find out if your diamond source is working to reduce its carbon footprint.
- Find out about the manufacturing process for diamonds and whether it is as energy efficient as possible.
- Please remember: recycled diamonds It may not have been sustainably or ethically sourced to begin with. In fact, its origin may be unknown.
Do your research and only work with trusted jewelers. Diamonds are a big and important purchase. Even if you want the most sustainable jewelry, its origins may not be as simple or environmentally responsible as depicted. There are always claims that synthetic diamonds are more sustainable than traditionally mined diamonds. But the people who buy the diamonds and the unique methods they use to trace the gem’s origins reveal the real story of their production.
Impact of diamonds on the environment
The amount of energy required to create a lab-grown diamond is: exorbitant, although they continue to be discovered at half the number of diamonds mined. Some companies are working on using it. renewable energy CO2 is captured from the atmosphere to make jewelry, but more of this conversion is needed to reduce the impact on the climate.
Likewise, some traditional diamond mining companies have been working to offset the social impact of their industry. This includes buildings. school and Improved environmental impact In areas where diamonds are mined. Given the diamond industry’s long history of indifference to human impact, it makes sense to leave mining out of the process.
There is something to be said about a one-of-a-kind stone made from the ground. This is what makes this stone so rare, precious and expensive. People who pursue sustainability in all aspects of their lives may find themselves deciding between natural and synthetic diamonds, as well as whether they are willing to purchase any type of stone. If you choose diamonds, choose synthetic stones made using 100% renewable energy to lower the environmental impact of your jewelry.
Editor’s note: This article, first published August 23, 2021 and updated May 2024, was submitted by Clean Origin, which sells environmentally friendly products. diamonds grown in a lab and engagement ring.
