As you probably know, I have very much shunned the current Lab Grown, sorry manufactured, diamond trend in favour of believing in and valuing natural mined diamonds.
Let’s talk about something that’s been gaining a lot of traction recently: lab-grown (manufactured) diamonds. Yes, those sparkling little gems that seem almost too good to be true. And you know what they say, if it’s too good to be true, it usually is!
I understand the appeal. These manufactured diamonds are often promoted as the perfect answer to achieve your dream diamond. They’re more affordable, they’re claimed to be more "ethical," and they can be just as dazzling as natural diamonds. But before you reach for your credit card, let’s dig a little deeper, pardon the pun! I’m aware that there are many different areas within the jewellery trade which can and do use lab diamonds, but for the sake of this short piece, I will be focusing on engagement ring diamonds. After all, that’s my specialty.
For those who don’t know, a lab diamond is an artificial product that has the same chemical composition of a mined diamond, but its mass produced in a factory, using machines to imitate the conditions of pressure and temperate. A bit like a micro-wave. These can take around 2-4 weeks to form.
To the naked eye, they appear identical. However, the difference becomes easily noticeable with the right equipment. Fortunately for you and me, we have all the correct equipment to test these stones here at the London Diamond Bourse. For those interested, this is because the carbon in lab-grown diamonds and natural diamonds forms with entirely different growth patterns, which in turn affects the carbon structure.
Let's address the elephant in the room: the so-called "ethics" of lab-grown diamonds. You've probably heard the claim that they’re the "eco-friendly" option. But let's be real, those labs aren’t exactly powered by bio-friendly vegetable oil and sunshine. The energy needed to create diamonds in a lab is immense. And don’t forget the environmental impact of building and maintaining these high-tech facilities.
Moreover, most lab-grown diamonds come from massive, coal-consuming factories in China and India. I'm not naïve, I know that natural diamond mining isn’t perfect. But it is a heavily regulated industry that’s continuously improving its practices. With the growing pressure to reduce carbon footprints and enhance biodiversity, these mines can’t simply exist without giving back. When you purchase a natural mined diamond from a reputable jeweller, you're supporting communities and contributing to education, healthcare, and much more in diamond-producing regions. That’s real, positive impact, not just a greenwashed marketing claim. The money also helps the communities with their infrastructure. Let’s not forget too that the huge hole created to mine the diamonds is replenished and reforestation is all part of the pledge to leave the land as it was found.
Simply put. There is no ethical benefit to purchasing a manufactured diamond. The only real reason why anyone would opt for one is because they can’t afford a diamond of the size they want. That’s fine, just don’t come at me with the whole ethical debate to paper over your financial situation. After all, nature creates diamonds, I bring them to life.
