What exactly are lab-created diamonds?
To understand conflict-free diamonds, we first have to understand what conflict diamonds are. Many diamonds that have been mined from violent conflict zones have led to the diamond industry's scrutiny. Rebel groups control various diamond mines and use diamond proceeds to finance their wars against various governments, brutalize local populations, and construct factional armies. These warzone diamonds are called conflict diamonds or blood diamonds.
One significant example involves Sierra Leone, whose diamond revenue was used to buy weapons in order to pay for the 1990s deadly and devastating civil war. The diamond industry funded the civil war that saw more than 75,000 people killed and countless displaced. Natural diamonds are often extracted from countries that have poor labor conditions and poor pay. As stated in an article for Time magazine, "hundreds of miners die every year in tunnel collapses that usually don't make the news because they happen all the time."
About 65% of diamonds in the diamond industry worth $81.4 billion originate from African countries. A few years back, the United Nations, as reported by Reuters, found that about 140,000 carats of conflict diamonds, worth $24 million, were smuggled out of the Central African Republic, which was a war-torn nation.
What exactly are natural diamonds?
A natural diamond, also known as a mined diamond, forms deep within the earth over billions of years. When carbon deposits buried beneath the earth's surface are subjected to intense heat and pressure, the carbon atoms gradually bond, creating a crystal structure. These diamonds reach the surface only through rare volcanic eruptions, making them accessible for mining. However, the extraction process can have significant negative impacts on the environment.
Advantages of Lab-Grown Diamonds Compared to Natural Diamonds
The truth of the matter is, diamonds no longer need to be mined from the earth since they can also be produced in labs. That makes them a conflict-free, modern luxury that presents a new interpretation of elegance—sustainable, responsibly sourced alternative to traditional mined diamonds.
What are the advantages and benefits of lab-grown diamonds over natural diamonds?
Affordable
The first primary advantage is price. Since cultured diamonds are cultivated in controlled conditions and produced in a responsible way, they are not burdened with the costly implications associated with the mining of traditional diamonds. Natural diamonds have become rare. With the growth in the expenses and decreased profitability of mining sites, the value of mined diamonds is constantly escalating. Conversely, lab-grown diamonds are up to 50% less expensive than comparable quality natural diamonds due to the lack of traditional supply chain constraints.
No Impact from Mining
Another significant advantage is that cultured diamonds do not bear the detrimental environmental impact related to conventional mining. Diamond mining can cause extensive destruction to the local ecosystem and may result in deforestation, soil erosion, and pollution of nearby water bodies. It may also affect the local communities dwelling around the mines through air and water pollution. Lab-grown diamonds are, on the other hand, grown in controlled settings without the necessity of mining.
More than that, lab-grown diamonds are conflict-free. Unlike the conflict or "blood diamonds" mined in war zones and sold to finance armed conflicts against legitimate governments, the lab-created diamonds are free of any association with violence or exploitation. This makes them a more ethical choice for conscientious consumers.
Despite these differences, lab-grown diamonds have the same physical, chemical, and optical properties as natural diamonds. They are just as hard, durable, and brilliant. The only difference is in trace elements within the diamond, which can only be detected using specialized equipment. To the naked eye, lab-grown diamonds are indistinguishable from their natural counterparts, offering beauty and ethical peace of mind in one stunning package.
Comparing Lab Grown vs Mined Diamonds
Lab-grown diamonds possess the same physical and chemical properties as natural, mined diamonds, making them equally hard and durable. The primary difference lies in the trace elements present within the diamond. These subtle variations are not visible to the naked eye and require specialized equipment to distinguish a lab-grown diamond from a naturally mined one.
| Compare the Differences | Mined Diamonds | Lab Created Diamonds |
|---|---|---|
| Is it considered a diamond? | ||
| Chemical Composition | ||
| Source | The Earth | A Laboratory |
| Time Taken to Create | 1 to 3 Billion Years | Several Weeks to Months |
| Independently Created | ||
| 100% Conflict-Free | Depends on Source | |
| Does it test as a real diamond vs simulated diamond? | ||
| Price Comparison | $$$$ | $$ |
Impact on Nature
Soil erosion, deforestation, and ecosystem damage are only a few of the many negative effects of diamond mining on the environment. Water resources are also impacted by the extraction. The ecosystem’s water supplies and water quality are both impacted by mining. In the end, these facts mean that many effects of extracting diamonds are very bad for the environment. This brings us to another good question, what's the bottom line? If you're looking for a high-quality diamond that is both ethical and more affordable then a lab grown diamond is the perfect choice for you. Lab grown diamonds offer the same intrinsic beauty and durability as traditional, mined diamonds, only with fewer downsides.
The truth is that a lab grown diamond is indistinguishable from a mined diamond in nearly all ways, offering buyers an ethical, yet affordable mined diamond alternative that will make the perfect focal point of any engagement ring or other piece of fine jewelry.