Synthetic diamonds, often known as lab grown diamonds, are gaining popularity and preference as a replacement for naturally mined diamonds. These diamonds are supposed to be chemically and physically identical to those that are mined. Its reputation may or will never equate with the natural ones because of its origins. But it can surpass its impression by the advocacy that it carries. This is brought by ethical concerns involving positive effects on the economy, environment, and human safety. It is no wonder that lab-grown diamonds deserve the spotlight and popularity it gets in the glam industry nowadays.
Why Choose Lab Grown Diamonds?
As mining natural diamonds has been connected to unfair labor practices, political unrest, environmental damage, and human rights violations. there are also ethical concerns that are associated with the production of lab grown diamonds. The sector has a reputation for being secretive and unscrupulous. In comparison, lab grown diamonds provide a more ethical and transparent option with no social injustices. However, there might be some environmental impacts through the sourcing of the raw materials and the pollution from factories and manufacturing laboratories during the production operation of these diamonds. Hence, it is still important to carefully consider the ethical issues surrounding lab-grown diamonds because there are no clear-cut details on their production procedures.
Some Dilemmas in the Lab Grown Diamond Industry
Some facts impose that lab grown diamonds are not fully environmentally friendly is one of the main objections leveled at them. These diamonds require a substantial amount of energy and water to produce and in fully-operational facilities form and compose. Additionally, the process produces greenhouse gas emissions, which aid in the process of climate change. Environmental contamination can also result from the recycling and disposal of the chemicals used in the manufacturing process. Meanwhile, these aspects do not take place during the formation of natural diamonds. But as compared by different government sectors, lab grown diamonds have fewer negative outcomes to the environment and some associated agencies than mining of natural diamonds.
Lab grown diamonds are formed based on the details of the global demands. This pertains to and depends on the budget of the purchasers, the desires of the commercial market customers, and the orders of other industries. Natural diamonds on the other hand inevitably form by themselves without the possibility of controlling their properties and characteristics such as 4Cs, firmness, and compactness. Diamonds have different characteristics that indicate their rarity, value, and price worth. Thus, this is why beyond these ethical concerns surrounding lab grown diamonds, it is so convenient because it is guaranteed that all that has been produced will be sold and will generate income. If people want the rarest properties, manufacturers can produce them from colorless and flawless 4Cs grades to the lowest qualities of properties. Diamond comes in different clarity levels that contribute to their physical appearance and opulence such as FL, VVS1, VVS2, VVS, SI, etc. Find the VVS Diamonds meaning on Rare Carat and understand the diamond’s clarity of its 4Cs property.
On the other hand, frauds and scams can be possibly welcomed in different establishments or individual sellers claiming that lab grown diamonds are natural diamonds. This will cost some diamond buyers a lot of money by paying the price of natural diamonds for ethical diamonds. Since there are little differences in identifying these two kinds, it is possible to some buyers will be deceived.
The diamond mining industry is one of the major sources of income for millions of people, particularly in developing countries, however, the influx of synthetic diamond production could lead to losses in mining jobs and economic decline in these countries. Moreover, these countries could experience losses of revenues which may result in a severe impact on economies.
On the Positive Side
Lab-grown or synthetic diamonds do not involve human rights abuses or unethical practices, unlike diamond mining, which often takes place in countries with poor labor laws and political instability. These diamonds can be produced in any country under safe and ethical conditions, and can also provide employment, generate income, and come up with research opportunities to improve the technicalities in the industry.
After all, these diamond variants offer a more practical alternative to consider over the natural ones. But it is always important to take note that buying lab-grown or natural diamonds, always ask for the certifications to guarantee that you are paying the price of what you get and know it details.
