We believe in quality and value and crafting jewelry that will become family heirlooms over generations. Would they be something they could be proud of forever? Natural diamonds help support 10 million people globally. Diamond revenues give every child in Botswana, the second largest diamond producing country in the world, a free education. For every acre mined, De Beers donates five acres for conservation.
This is just a small portion of the good that is being done in the diamond industry. How You Changed Our Minds. Because our skepticism about lab grown diamonds was based on our worries about whether we would be offering real value, we began asking our customers what they thought about lab-grown diamonds. Many of our customers said yes.
They were impressed by the innovation that man-made diamonds represent. And they welcomed the fact that they could afford a bigger, better quality diamond for the same price, even if the resale value someday might not be as high. Ultimately, for all these reasons, we decided to listen to our customers and offer lab-grown diamonds in all our engagement rings and other jewelry designs.
You can choose lab-grown in all our handcrafted custom jewelry designs too. We believe that the value of diamonds comes from their powerful symbolism as a rare gift from the earth. We wear diamonds because of what they mean, not how they look. It is because of a diamond's unbreakable spirit they have come to be the ultimate representation of love, commitment, and achievement against the odds and a legacy that lasts generation after generation.
But wearing lab grown diamonds can also be a story of human ingenuity, progress, and respect for the planet. Lab-grown diamonds look forward instead of back.
You can write the story of the future of diamonds. What Do Diamonds Mean to You? Your purchase of a natural diamond helps support 10 million people globally. Buying a lab-grown diamond is often marketed as a greener choice. Although mining the chemicals used in diamond manufacturing require less earth moving than mining diamonds, manufacturing synthetic diamonds requires large amounts of energy.
The richest diamond mine in the world, Jwaneng, in Botswana. Photo by: DeBeers Group. Creating diamonds in a lab, on the other hand, is much more sustainable. Lab Diamonds take between a week and a few months to grow, depending upon size and method. Scientists use common elements to create Lab Grown Diamonds. There are currently two methods of creating Lab Diamonds. In one method, scientists place natural graphite like the carbon in your pencil tip!
This high pressure, high temperature HPHT process causes the graphite to turn into diamond. When the gases are heated, they begin to form layer upon layer of carbon onto the seed crystal, making it grow.
Many gem labs grade Lab Diamonds differently, however. As we discussed in our diamond certification post , a GIA Certified diamond has the strictest grading. IGI was the first lab to grade lab diamonds, and in our experience, has taken the task seriously. While perhaps not quite as strict, they are definitely more well known, and have more extensive experience grading Lab Diamonds.
Couples that desire broad recognition should consider IGI. Not usually! Because Lab Diamonds are also crystal carbon, they have the same types of inclusions as Natural Diamonds, like feathers, clouds, and pinpoints. The answer is, sometimes.
Because of the way Lab Diamonds are made, certain Lab Grown Diamonds have small metallic inclusions, flux-like inclusions, or crystal strain that mined diamonds do not. Also, due to the way some lab grown diamonds are laser engraved with their inscription, some lab diamonds also show reflections of their black certification number. Couples choose Lab Diamonds for a variety of reasons. Cost is king to many newly engaged couples.
A big look for less money? Yes, please! Other couples like knowing that their Lab Diamond did not need to be mined from the Earth. This can be due to their preference that the Earth be left in its natural state, or because they want diamonds free from conflict. We also proudly offer natural Canadian Mark and Recycled Diamonds for those wanting additional reassurances as to the ethics of their Natural Diamond.
For some, it is a family tradition. Others really enjoy wearing something that is so rare. For many, it is the mystique that the Earth produced this clear, sparkly gemstone. These couples enjoy learning about the nuances of their specific stone, and how it could have formed that way. Finally, some couples feel it is a matter of value, and the consistency in Natural Diamond pricing is a comfort.
Not unless you tell them, that is. The price of lab-grown diamonds is falling at an alarming rate, and shows no signs of stopping or reversing. The difference in resale value between natural and synthetic diamonds is even greater than the difference in price. You lose a massive percentage of its value the moment you make the purchase. We also must consider how the cost of real diamonds vs.
With lab-created diamonds dropping in price, and natural diamonds historically rising in value, your synthetic diamond will almost certainly be worth less than a natural one of similar grade, even before considering the difference in resale value.
Some may have concerns over the environmental and humanitarian repercussions of natural diamond mining processes. But it stands to reason that man-made diamonds offer more in the way of long-term sustainability than those pulled from the earth. There is some contention over this issue. In fact, the FTC warned a number of jewelers about making unsubstantiated claims of their jewelry being sustainable or eco-friendly.
A report from the Diamond Producers Association claims that natural diamonds are, in fact, better for the environment than synthetic diamonds, due to the carbon-intensive process of producing lab diamonds.
All in all, it appears there is not a consensus just yet on whether lab diamonds are actually a more sustainable option. See this article for a comprehensive guide on ethical issues in diamond buying. Lab diamonds and mined diamonds are, for the most part, identical to the naked eye.
While diamonds generally should not be seen as an investment, there is also sense in purchasing a piece of jewelry that is likely to retain its value over the years. If this is a priority to you, opt for natural diamonds. Couples who are strapped for cash may be able to find a beautiful ring that would otherwise be far out of their price range by going with a lab-created diamond.
But just be aware that you may see the exact same diamond on sale for a fraction of the price in the future. These diamond simulants are also lab-created but are not composed of carbon atoms, and therefore are not real diamonds. Unlike lab diamonds vs. Simulants do not have the same brilliance and sparkle as real diamonds. The refractive index of cubic zirconia is lower than a diamond, 2.
Moissanite actually has a higher refractive index 2. The higher refractive index of moissanite means it gives off a vibrant colored reflection, in dazzling colors that is a little too much for some people. There is also a difference in hardness. Diamonds score a perfect 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness, while moissanite is between However, there is a drop off in quality between lab diamonds and diamond simulants, as you are not actually getting a real diamond.
They are also cheaper, and some consider them a more environmentally conscious choice. However, the long term value of lab diamonds is significantly lower than natural diamonds. Lab diamonds are as strong and as hard as natural diamonds, both scoring a 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness. But with specialized equipment, a gemologist may be able to tell small inclusions that identify a lab-created diamond. Lab diamonds are real diamonds, made from pure crystallized carbon, and will pass any tests to prove such.
Yes, lab diamonds carry the same shine and sparkle, the same color and clarity as mined diamonds. There is no difference, other than the creation process. Lab diamonds are graded on the same scale of Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat weight as natural diamonds.
0コメント