The world is innovating in many different ways, including the way we get our diamonds. Lab-grown diamonds are rising in popularity due to its more sustainable way of producing our favorite jewelry. Diamonds produced in a laboratory setting can reduce the negative environmental impact and human toll of mining. This way, you can still get your favorite engagement rings with that perfect diamond without your diamond having to be physically mined. With lab-grown diamonds being physically identical to mined diamonds, you still get the brilliance and elegance of a diamond while having less of a negative impact on the earth. By choosing just a carat of lab-grown diamonds over mined diamonds, you save 250 tons of earth, 2,011 ounces of air pollution, and 143 pounds of carbon dioxide released into the air. The result? Beautiful oval engagement rings with real diamonds and better earth.
The HPHT Method
One way that lab grown diamonds are made for oval engagement rings is by the high pressure, high temperature (HPHT) method. This method is a little more costly and isn’t quite energy-efficient, however, it is still different from mined diamonds. It starts by putting a diamond seed into pure carbon and then exposing it to intense pressure and heat. During this thermodynamic process, the carbon attaches to the diamond seed and forms a rough diamond. Although it’s not the most sustainable option, it still might have less of an environmental impact compared to mined diamonds.
The CVD Method
The chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method is much more economical and sustainable. For this process, a sliver of a diamond is placed in a vacuum chamber to convert carbon-heavy gasses into plasma. This process requires less energy consumption than the HPHT method. The carbon atoms then one by one build on top of the diamond slice until it grows into a jewelry-grade diamond that is gem size for jewelry such as oval engagement rings. You can then cut off the original sliver of diamond and reuse it to make another diamond, then another diamond, and then another diamond over and over again. Diamonds created using the CVD method are sustainably grown at places like VRAI because their foundry is hydro-powered. This is how zero emissions are produced and real, sustainable diamonds can be grown with renewable energy. The diamonds are then cut and polished by master craftspeople to make the highest quality jewelry out there.
Can You See A Difference Between Lab-Grown and Mined Diamonds?
One of the best things about lab-grown diamonds, besides them being better for the earth, is that they are nearly impossible to tell apart from mined diamonds. The differences at hand are related to their growth process, not by any means their quality. Both diamonds are real diamonds. That means lab-grown diamonds can have the same “sparkle” or brilliance as mined diamonds. A diamond’s brilliance is determined by its ability to refract light. When light enters a diamond, it reflects off of its facets. This display of white light inside is the telling difference between a real and fake diamond, not the origin of the diamond. Brilliance comes from the quality of the cut. A poorly-cut diamond will have less brilliance than a high-quality cut. Therefore, there is no difference in the brilliance of lab-grown diamonds and mined diamonds due to its origin. With lab-grown diamonds being cut and polished to the highest quality, they will have that “sparkle” you have always wanted in oval engagement rings.
Are All Lab-Grown Diamonds Sustainable?
Unfortunately, not all lab-grown diamonds are the most sustainable option. Many foundries that make lab-grown diamonds run on fossil fuels to produce energy. That means that their carbon footprint can be just as large as traditional mining. There are also lab-grown diamonds that are not certified. When considering lab-grown diamonds for oval engagement rings, they should be certified, meaning the diamonds should go through a grading process that considers the 4Cs, regardless of where they come from. If you are looking for lab-grown diamonds as a more sustainable and environmentally friendly option, then make sure you look into foundries that produce zero emissions and use renewable energy. This actually can help reduce the negative impact on the environment while still getting the real and brilliant diamond you have always wanted.
Lab-Grown Diamonds Are Real Diamonds
With lab-grown diamonds being real diamonds, you can purchase lab-grown diamonds for your own jewelry such as solitaire necklaces, oval engagement rings, and tennis bracelets. Lab-grown diamonds are produced with two different methods: HPHT and CVD. CVD is a more economical process and allows one to use the same sliver of diamond over and over again to produce more sustainably-grown diamonds. There is virtually no difference between lab-grown diamonds and mined diamonds besides their origin. This means you can still get that “sparkle” you have always wanted with lab-grown diamonds. Enjoy sustainably created diamonds and help save the climate one carat at a time.
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at BlueFashion. She has been steering the website’s content and editorial direction since 2013. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra’s expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
