Frank Jewelers gives us the inside scoop about the growing popularity of lab grown diamonds
Diamonds have a beauty that’s unlike any other. They’re sparkly, stunning, and simply chic. But if you’re shopping for a diamond, whether it’s for your engagement ring or any other piece of diamond jewelry, you may be wondering whether you should go with a mined diamond or a lab grown diamond. So, which should you choose? Is a mined diamond better than a lab grown diamond? Definitely not! And, in fact, we’d argue the opposite: that there’s a lot to love about lab grown diamonds.
There’s so much buzz out there about lab grown diamonds— and for good reason! Lab grown diamonds are 100% real and are just as gorgeous as mined diamonds. Then, they also have several added benefits that give them a leg up over mined diamonds, aesthetically, financially, and ethically. Wondering what those benefits are? Read to learn why lab grown diamonds are a better choice than mined diamonds!
Lab grown diamonds shine just as brightly and beautifully in engagement rings, as seen in this classic round diamond engagement ring.
Lab Grown Diamonds are Real and Absolutely Beautiful
When you hear the words “lab grown,” you may think that that moniker means a diamond is fake. But that’s actually far from the truth! While there are a lot of diamond knock offs out there (such as cubic zirconia), lab grown diamonds are identical to real diamonds chemically, physically, and visually. The only difference between lab grown diamonds and mined diamonds is how they’re made.
While mined diamonds are formed in the earth, then unearthed through intense mining practices, lab created diamonds are grown in a lab. New technology allows scientists to replicate the way diamonds are formed in the earth in a clean, safe lab environment. Then, because scientists can control the heat, pressure, and environment in their lab, they can also control how large and high quality a diamond is. So lab created diamonds are not only real, but also tend to be more high quality than mined diamonds!
The better price of lab grown diamonds can help you fit more sizable center diamond, like the one seen in this stunning three stone engagement ring, into your budget.
Lab Grown Diamonds are More Affordable
A huge benefit of choosing a lab grown diamond over a mined diamond is its price. On average, lab grown diamonds are 20 to 30% less expensive than mined diamonds.
The lower, more affordable cost of lab grown diamonds can benefit you in one of two ways. One, you can save 20 to 30% on your diamond jewelry and still get the exact size and quality diamond you budgeted for. Or, two, you can use that extra breathing room in your budget to get a bigger, better diamond!
Wondering why lab grown diamonds are more affordable than mined diamonds? While producing a lab grown diamond isn’t cheap (since it requires a lot of expensive materials and equipment), there are far fewer people involved in the lab diamond creation process than there are in the diamond mining process. This reduced supply chain means that lab grown diamonds pass through fewer hands before reaching you, which allows stores to offer much better prices for lab grown diamonds.
Selecting lab grown diamonds can help you feel confident that your diamond jewelry is ethical and eco-friendly, whether you’re shopping for diamond studs or looking for a beautiful halo engagement ring like the one pictured above.
Lab Grown Diamonds are More Ethical
So, lab grown diamonds are real and they’re more affordable than mined diamonds. But there’s one more big benefit of opting for a lab grown diamond over a mined diamond (and this benefit is the deciding factor for many people): that choosing a lab created diamond is a more ethical and environmentally friendly choice.
While diamond mining companies are always working to lessen the impact mining takes on a region’s environment, any type of mining always takes a toll on the environment. Mining always requires an enormous amount of energy. Then, it can also cause things like soil erosion, deforestation, and ecosystem destruction. On the other hand, creating a diamond in a lab requires far less energy than mining a diamond. And lab created diamonds never cause damage to a country’s landscape or ecosystem. So lab created diamonds are, inherently, much more eco-friendly than mined diamonds.
Additionally, mining diamonds is not always an ethical practice. You’ve probably heard of “blood diamonds,” which are diamonds that are mined in a war zone and are used to fund conflicts. Blood diamonds are more rare today, thanks to the Kimberley Process that helps jewelers avoid buying blood diamonds. But the Kimberley Process, a certification process that helps jewelers ensure they only sell conflict-free diamonds, doesn’t take every type of ethical issue into account. It really only filters out blood diamonds, rather than any diamond that may be tainted by things like violence, child labor, poverty, or terrible environmental practices.
With all that said, some mined diamonds are mined ethically. But, unfortunately, it can be very hard to tell whether or not a mined diamond was mined ethically. However, lab grown diamonds are always completely conflict free. So when you buy a lab grown diamond, you always have 100% assurance that the diamond was ethically sourced.
The more ethical and eco-friendly nature of lab grown diamonds is a huge selling point for many consumers. This has led to lab grown diamonds becoming much more widely available, at big and small jewelers alike. Many retailers, like Frank Jewelers, have started to carry lab grown diamonds to give their customers the opportunity to select the type of diamond that’s right for them.
