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Whether you’re looking for a diamond for an engagement ring, jewelry for a loved one, or a bit of self-care bling, there are many details to think about when you consider buying a diamond. You’re probably at least a bit familiar with the bleak history of mined diamonds, but you might wonder whether it’s still prevalent today and if it should factor into your choice. Fortunately, because lab-grown diamonds are a popular and accessible option today when it comes to buying gems, you can research the difference between lab-grown and mined diamonds.
What separates the stone types, and how can you know which one to choose? Whether or not you’re familiar with lab-grown diamonds, there are many benefits to purchasing diamonds created in a lab. Let’s explore four advantages of buying lab-grown diamonds that make a significant difference in your decision-making process. Once you’re aware of their many benefits, buying a lab-grown diamond will feel like an obvious choice.
1. A Positive Environmental Impact
Mined diamonds have a widespread negative environmental impact that’s impossible to ignore when purchasing one. The amount of fossil fuel required to mine diamonds from the earth with heavy machinery is significant, especially considering that mining often occurs in polar regions; due to the harsh conditions, non-renewable energy is burned at intensive rates. The process also requires massive pits to be dug into the ground, which is damaging to natural ecosystems.
Aside from soil erosion, deforestation and damage to local populations are additional impacts of diamond mining. Inhabitants of diamond mining areas are often forced to relocate because of the devastation to their environment. Unfortunately, diamond mining commonly occurs in developing countries where the population is already vulnerable.
When you purchase a lab-grown diamond, you sidestep all of the negative environmental impacts of mined diamonds, instead selecting a sustainable, ethically-created gem. In fact, your lab-grown diamond might even be adding to a positive environmental future; VRAI lab grown diamonds are created through a process that crystallizes greenhouse gas. What better use could there be for greenhouse gasses to prevent them from reaching the atmosphere and adding to the greenhouse effect? Sustainability is a major selling point for lab-grown diamonds.
2. Purer Than Mined Diamonds
Diamonds are formed through carbon being exposed to intense heat and pressure until the carbon atoms bond together, creating a diamond’s interlacing appearance. This same process can be followed in a lab, making them literally lab-grown instead of earth grown. In all aspects of appearance, mined and lab-grown diamonds are identical, yet lab-grown diamonds are purer due to the way that debris, like dirt and other inclusions, can get trapped during the long formation process in the earth. This is prevented in lab-grown diamonds, so they usually are given higher purity ratings than their mined counterparts. More purity means brighter and whiter stones.
3. More Affordable
Physically, lab-grown diamonds look indistinguishable from mined diamonds, but lab-grown diamonds are more affordable. Mined diamonds have certain costs associated with them due to labor-intensive mining practices and limited supply. Lab-grown diamonds are created through advanced technology, making their production a streamlined process, which lowers their price. A more affordable diamond means you can purchase a larger, more brilliant lab-grown diamond for the same price as a mined diamond, or you can put the money you save toward other important expenses.
4. Knowledge About Your Diamond’s Origin
It’s a widely known fact that the mined diamond industry is rife with ethical issues. When you purchase a mined diamond, you have no knowledge of the origin behind your stone. Mined diamonds share some common history, which includes child labor, poor and unethical working conditions, blood diamond (or “conflict diamond”) trading, and other dark background circumstances of corruption and violence.
When you buy a lab-grown diamond, you bypass all of the uncertainty about what your money is supporting. Instead of wondering about the potentially sordid history of your gem, you can rest assured that your lab-grown diamond was created by experts in their field under ethical working conditions.
Conclusion
When it comes to selecting a diamond, there are many factors to consider—now you know just how many, including negative elements you might not have been aware of. Unfortunately, even with initiatives like the Kimberley Process attempting to correct the corrupt history of diamond mining, these mined gems are unsustainable and come with layers of baggage. These four advantages to buying lab-grown diamonds tell you everything you need to know about why choosing a lab-grown diamond is the better choice!