Before discussing this issue, we need to understand what is a laboratory-grown diamond?
Someone will definitely ask, “Are laboratory-grown diamonds real diamonds?” I can answer you for sure, cultivated diamonds are real diamonds.
The only difference between laboratory-grown diamonds and natural diamonds is their origin. It is “grown” in the laboratory, and then uses cutting-edge technology to replicate the growth process of natural diamonds. Cultivated diamonds are the same as natural diamonds in terms of chemical, physical and optical properties.
Stephen Morisot once said: “(Laboratory-grown diamonds) are not fakes. Their composition is not a cubic zirconia. They have the same physical and chemical properties as mined diamonds.” Stephen Morisot is from the United States A spokesperson for the Gemological Institute, a non-profit organization that oversees the international diamond grading system. Therefore, his words are representative and provide a guarantee for consumers who want to buy cultivated diamonds.
Sometimes laboratory-made diamonds are also called artificial diamonds. This statement is inaccurate. The word “man-made” may be the reason why people think laboratory-made diamonds are “fake”. Its correct name should be laboratory-grown diamonds. If we compare them with other popular diamond simulants such as Moissanite, zircon, etc., it is obvious that cultivated diamonds are real diamonds.
What are the benefits of cultivating diamonds in a laboratory?
1. Environmental protection
The mining of diamonds has a significant impact on the environment. For every carat of diamonds mined, nearly 100 square feet of land are disturbed and nearly 6000 pounds of mineral waste are generated.
To be fair, diamond mining companies are fully aware of this impact and try to take steps to reduce their impact on the surrounding ecosystem.
However, compared with laboratory-grown diamonds, this remedy is minimal. Because the energy required to grow diamonds in the laboratory is much less than the energy required to dig them out of the ground. In fact, laboratory cultivation of diamonds saves money and reduces costs.
2. Moral source
All in all, when diamonds are mined, 1 in 1,000 workers are injured, and laboratory-grown diamonds cause zero injuries.
A few years ago, the diamond mining industry was censored for unethical production. These diamonds are sometimes called blood diamonds or conflict diamonds, and they exacerbate violent conflicts and exploit miners and their families.
If avoiding conflicts or blood diamonds is important to you, then lab-grown diamonds can give you a calm mindset that natural diamonds cannot do, and you may feel at ease after knowing the exact source of the grown diamonds.
3. Competitive price
Due to the short supply chain of laboratory-grown diamonds, the price is often lower than that of natural diamonds, which may be 20-30% or cheaper than natural diamonds.
The mined natural diamonds have a long supply chain. To transform a diamond from its original form into a gem for retail, miners, distributors, cutters, polishers, jewelry manufacturers, and retailers need to work together. On the other hand, laboratory-grown diamonds skip the mining process and the supply chain is much shorter. In short, cultivating diamonds reduces costs by touching fewer hands.