What Are Lab-grown Diamonds?

Gold, diamonds, and colorful gemstones are the defining elements that come to mind when we think of precious jewelry. However, these are finite resources that have formed over thousands of years as a result of a series of complex natural events and they coexist with other minerals in a state of perfection. 

Unfortunately, the industrial processes and crude methodologies involved in their extraction and processing commit a serious degree of environmental damage and pose a humanitarian crisis. From causing acid mine drainage that pollutes ground and surface water reservoirs with toxic chemicals to inducing erosions as tonnes of solid earth are removed and discarded, the unregulated mining of precious metals and stones is an alarming threat to our ecosystems and communities. 

So, how can we bring to life adornments in a responsible and conscious fashion? And is a piece of jewelry really beautiful and precious if we have to sacrifice life on Earth to produce it?

We believe it is vital that we nurture communities, support economic growth and protect the environment throughout all business life cycles. Within this framework, the Responsible Jewelry Council provides a comprehensive Code of Practice, in line with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals defined by the United Nations for the jewelry sector. 

An integral part of this process, and any sustainable business lifecycle, is waste management and the infamous reduce, reuse and recycle motto is a crucial strategy that determines its success.

Here, we are at the heart of the matter. With advanced technology and the application of refined scientific methods, producers can now recycle gold and create lab-grown diamonds to reduce their consumption of natural resources, minimize their carbon footprint, protect the environment and generate innovative economic opportunities. These practices are the ultimate modern-day alternatives to traditional mining practices. 

What are lab-grown diamonds?

Lab-grown diamonds introduce an environmentally-friendly and ethical approach to sustainable jewelry production. Diamonds are carbon-based solids that have naturally formed on a subterranean level following a series of geological events. Most of them are identified as billions of years old. As scientists have unlocked the secrets of geology, diamonds can now be created with advanced technology that also speeds up their time of growth.

Two processes are used to grow diamonds; these are High-Pressure High-Temperature (HTTP) and Chemical Vapor Disposition (CVD). While the latter uses a starter diamond seed and initiates the growth process within a high-pressure and high-temperature environment, the former makes use of gases that are rich in carbon and sheets of diamond crystals for the growth process. Lab-grown diamonds carry the same glimmer and pristine look as natural diamonds and they are here to stay with their elegance, emphasizing the fine relationship between beauty, science, and sustainability. 

Life on Earth is precious and maybe it would be better and wiser to reassess the values through which we define beauty. With our collective impact on the environment becoming ever so clear, we believe the art of sustainable jewelry rests along the fine lines of ethical production defined by business life cycles that place a strong emphasis on community development, the implementation of environmentally-friendly, scientific methodologies, and the enhancement of nature’s rhythmic cycles by focusing on the principle of preservation.

Through the dedicated guidance of global organizations such as the United Nations and the Responsible Jewelry Council, advancements in science and technology, and the willingness of companies to transform their businesses with innovative and ethical solutions, the world of jewelry can be your trusted avenue for finding nature’s grace designed as the most elegant form of adornment.