I’ve been hearing a lot online recently about the benefits of laboratory diamonds and I thought it would be helpful to talk a bit more about them, alongside the pros and cons. They are often sold as the perfect solution to a mined diamond, but in my opinion, it’s a bit more complicated than that.
Pros
Less expensive – you can get a much bigger diamond for a lot less money
No mining – less environmental damage
More sustainable – they aren’t a natural resource that can run out.
Cons
If they aren’t traceable to the factory/lab of origin you have no idea what the working conditions are, whether child labour is involved, if there are human rights abuses, fair pay etc, or where or how they are cut (think health and safety and child labour)
If they aren’t traceable you don’t know where they originate from – most lab diamonds come from China and India (alongside Russia and the USA).
Lab diamonds are made in one of two ways HPHT (high pressure high temperature) or CVD (chemical vapour deposition). HPHT technology uses a lot of energy to create those white diamonds, which means high emissions. CVD technology uses less energy, but those diamonds need to be heated to make them colourless (white).
My advice
So, yes lab diamonds are cheaper and they avoid mining. However if you care about where things come from and want your purchase to be sustainable and ethical, you need to have traceability.
If I was buying loose (i.e not already set into a piece of jewellery) lab diamonds, the “best” option would probably be to get one from the USA, though with the current state of affairs in the USA, it’s becoming debateable. As far as I’m aware, there is currently no supplier of loose, traceable lab diamonds in the UK.
However, Skymined produce lab diamonds in the UK, they are owned by Dale Vince (of Forest Green Rovers and Ecotricity fame). They only sell direct to the customer, so I can’t buy loose lab diamonds from them. You personally can though, and if a lab diamond ring is what you want, this is the best place to go and get one.
Alternatively, consider a diamond recycled from antique or vintage jewellery, or a traceable artisanally mined coloured gemstone such as sapphire.
Moissanite is another often used substitute for diamond. Unlike diamond (which is made of carbon) moissanite is made of silicon carbide. It is a synthetic gemstone and is rarely found ocurring naturally. It’s sold by Charles and Colvard (and others) in the USA.
I’d love to know what you think and what your preference would be.
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