As the world moves towards sustainability, more people are choosing to purchase jewelry that has been created using sustainable practices. Whether looking for ethical wedding rings, fair trade lab grown diamonds Perth, or eco-friendly gemstones for their engagement ring, these brands have created some of the most beautiful and durable pieces that will stand up to the test of time.
There has been a growing push for consumers to move away from “mined” or “natural” diamonds and to buy more lab-grown diamonds because they are better for the environment. However, the conversation has been muddied by organizations and platforms that have called lab diamonds “greenwashing.”
This is a dangerous narrative because it can lead to ill-informed consumers who end up avoiding lab diamonds for the same reasons they choose to avoid natural ones – and this is bad for the jewelry industry.
Besides the environmental impact, there are also concerns about a lack of transparency in the lab diamond industry. Some companies are claiming they are using 100% renewable energy, but it’s difficult to know what kind of renewables they use without asking them.
The simplest and most common method for creating lab-grown diamonds is chemical vapor deposition, miming the environment under which mined diamonds form underground. This process involves putting a diamond seed crystal in a chamber filled with a series of gases heated to the desired temperature. Once the temperatures are right, layers of carbon form on the seed crystal.
It can take up to two years for a laboratory diamond to fully mature. Once it reaches this stage, it is usually sent to a jeweler for grading and inspection. The results are often optically identical to natural diamonds, and they can be sourced in a variety of sizes and shapes.
In addition, they can be more affordable than mined diamonds. This is due to the fact that lab-grown diamonds are not as expensive to produce as mined ones.
The diamond-making process is also more environmentally friendly, as it doesn’t require the use of any harsh chemicals or processes that can cause damage to the environment. It also uses 250 million joules of electricity per carat, which is much less than the 538.5 million joules used by mined diamonds.
They are also more affordable than natural diamonds, so many consumers choose man made diamonds. This is a trend that’s only going to grow and will have an effect on the jewelry market, as more consumers are willing to pay a bit more for a piece of jewelry that has less of a negative impact on the environment.
Another benefit of lab-grown diamonds is that they are more durable than natural ones. They don’t break as easily or wear out as quickly, and they are much easier to care for than mined diamonds.
