The negative effects of diamond mining on not only our beautiful planet but also on local communities, definitely outweigh their beauty, so lab-grown diamonds are the way to go, and you’ll feel great about choosing them.
For decades, we as consumers have been buying into the ‘diamond is forever’ tagline, spending thousands of dollars on something that society has deemed essential when it comes to marriage. Little do many of us know about the negative and extremely detrimental effects that diamond mining has on the world. With the introduction of lab-grown diamonds, we have more options available for less expensive, conflict-free alternatives to earth-mined diamonds. Take a look below at 5 reasons why you should choose lab-grown diamond jewellery over earth-mined diamonds. It’s time to make the switch!
1. Lab-grown diamonds are guaranteed conflict-free.
When you shop at a lab-grown diamond jeweller such as MiaDonna, you are guaranteed a conflict-free diamond. This means the environment and society were not harmed or affected by the creation. MiaDonna defines a conflict diamond as, “any diamond that is unsustainable, thereby contributing to a negative impact on the environment, society and/or economy.” By choosing a conflict-free diamond, you know that your purchase didn’t add to any existing negative effects that the diamond mining industry has created.
2. Lab-grown diamonds tend to be less expensive than earth-mined diamonds.
Even when locals are mining for these diamonds in their own community, it’s very rare that they get compensated properly for their work. The supply chain for earth-mined diamonds is extremely long, and often, you’re not able to directly trace a stone back to the place of origin. With lab-grown diamonds, the suppliers and gemologists can 100% confirm the origin of that diamond. Because of the shorter supply chain, the costs are cut, making it more affordable for the consumer, a.k.a. you! It’s shown that lab-grown diamonds can cost up to 30-40% less than their earth-mined diamond equivalents. If you get a higher carat lab-grown diamond for a lower price, why wouldn’t you choose them?
3. You can get the exact same quality from lab-grown diamonds that you get from earth-mined diamonds.
The grading scale used to grade lab-grown diamonds is the same as they use to grade earth-mined diamonds! When you purchase a lab-grown diamond, you should receive a diamond grading report from either the IGI or GCal. Every lab-created diamond, just like every earth-mined diamond is graded on its 4 C’s (colour, cut, clarity, and colour). The grading report you receive with your purchase will show all measurements, proportions, finish, and identifications of the diamond graded. The quality is comparable between the two diamond types, and the grading is the same. So the only differences really are price and the environmental/humanitarian effects.
4. Lab-grown diamonds impact the environment significantly less than earth-mined diamonds.
According to the 2014 Environmental Impact Assessment by Frost and Sullivan, the usage of water when creating lab-grown diamonds is 7x less than the usage for excavating earth-mined diamonds from the ground; 70 litres per carat for lab-grown versus 480 litres per carat for earth-mined diamonds. Additionally, when it comes to air pollution, lab-grown diamonds produce 0.028 grams of carbon emissions per carat, whereas earth-mined diamonds produce 37,000 grams per carat. These facts alone can show the difference between choosing lab-grown diamonds over earth-mined. Of course, there are still minor environmental effects when producing anything, but the numbers are much smaller here when you compare side by side.
5. At many lab-grown diamond companies, your purchase helps give back to others.
When you shop somewhere like MiaDonna, a percentage of your purchase will be used to help give back to diamond mining communities across the world. MiaDonna’s charity foundation, The Greener Diamond, works in countries such as Sierra Leone and Liberia, Africa to provide locals with alternative career paths besides diamond mining, and they create sustainable projects and initiatives that work to rebuild those natural lands and areas disrupted by diamond mining. Your purchase won’t just be for the beauty, but it helps in giving back, too.
When it comes down to it, doing your research on where you’re getting any jewellery, fashion or home goods from, can really surprise you. You may not know what’s going on behind closed doors of the diamond industry, and with all of the recent growth and progress of the lab-grown diamond industry, you should be in good hands for the future.
To learn more about MiaDonna and follow along with their ethical, conflict-free jewellery, follow them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Thank you for raising these very important issues – it is crucial that people shopping for diamonds understand the history of the diamonds they purchase, to avoid inadvertently supporting damaging environmental practices and to ensure they are ethically sourced without putting communities around the world at risk. There are some helpful guidelines set out by the World Diamond Council, and the Kimberly Process also adheres to the relevant U.N. resolutions. See http://www.stopblooddiamonds.org for more information.
Comments are closed.