Couples are buying larger diamonds for their engagement rings than ever before, with nearly half choosing lab-grown diamonds.
That’s according to The Knot’s Real Weddings Study, which polled over 9,000 US couples about every element of their wedding day.
According to the study, one in every three engagement rings now weighs more than 2.0 carats, including side stones and embellishments,
The rise of lab-grown diamonds contributes to this increase, and it’s for a reason.
They are cheaper than mined diamonds.
Lab-grown diamonds are an excellent choice for people on a tight budget or who wish to save money while maintaining the beauty and glitter of a genuine diamond.
This is because laboratory-grown diamonds are less expensive than mined diamonds. If you visit many stores, you will find that they can cost 30% to 40% less than naturally mined diamonds of the same size and grade.
In addition, 2-carat lab diamond rings cost almost the same as a 1-carat mined diamond.
This means that you don’t have to break the bank to have a large diamond ring.
They are produced within a short time.
Mined diamonds take millions of years to form in nature, however lab-grown diamonds are made in considerably less time.
Plenty of reports have been made where manufacturers take only five days to develop the rings.
This is due to the fact that lab-grown diamonds are produced under controlled circumstances in a laboratory, resulting in a more efficient, scalable, and rapid production process.
Mined diamonds, on the other hand, require complex geological processes and the correct conditions over a long period of time to form in their natural environment, making them far rarer.
They don’t ruin the environment as much.
Diamond mining has a severe impact on ecosystems, often polluting local water supplies and soil.
For example, hundreds of cattle died in Zimbabwe after drinking water from the Odzi River, which flows downstream of a diamond processing plant.
Similar instances have occurred in other mining zones of Africa, where inadequate water supplies force locals, livestock, and wildlife to drink tainted water.
Some people argue that lab diamond rings are made using electricity, which is harmful to the environment.
You should note that lab-created diamonds require 250 million joules per carat. Seems like a lot? Mined diamonds require 538.5 million.
However, certain lab diamonds, such as those produced by environmentally conscious companies, are created entirely using renewable energy. If you are looking to conserve the environment, always ask how the rings are made before making the purchase.
Other than electricity, lab-created diamonds use substantially less water per carat than mined diamonds—18 gallons vs. 126 gallons—and emit dramatically less carbon dioxide.
Bottom line: If you believe in global warming, there’s no better way to show your support than with a large, gleaming, lab-created diamond engagement ring.
They are as natural as mined diamonds.
Lab-grown diamonds look identical to mined diamonds. They each have the same glitter and fire, as well as differing colors and levels of clarity.
Lab-grown diamonds are not the same as diamond simulants such as cubic zirconia or moissanite. Both have identical physical, chemical, and optical properties.
One advantage lab-grown diamonds have over mined diamonds is that they are generated in a controlled environment, allowing for greater clarity and fewer defects.
With the naked eye, you cannot detect the difference between mined diamonds and lab-created diamonds since they are physically and chemically identical.
It is only by employing specialized technology and testing that skilled gemologists can tell the difference between a lab-grown diamond and a genuine diamond.
You should note that both lab-grown and mined diamonds are evaluated using the same 4Cs — cut, color, clarity, and carat weight.
This means that the GIA’s quality grading criteria apply to both lab-grown and natural diamonds, assuring that one is not superior to the other.
You can easily customize them to your preferences.
One advantage of lab-grown diamonds is that they may be made to your exact specifications.
Manufacturers can develop lab-grown diamonds based on your specifications, which can be useful if you require a specific shape or color of diamond that is difficult to locate.
They are as durable as mined diamonds
When purchasing a diamond, many people consider how long it will survive.
You should know that lab-grown diamonds are just as strong as mined diamonds. In reality, they are produced from the same ingredients and have the same Mohs hardness as natural diamonds.
This means that lab-grown diamonds are as scratch, abrasion, and break-resistant as mined diamonds.
Thinking about buying a lab-grown diamond for your better half? Be confident that lab-grown diamonds will survive as long as natural diamonds.
They are more ethical.
Lab-grown diamonds are considered more morally responsible than mined diamonds, which have frequently been linked to unethical labor practices.
These include the use of child labor and the sponsorship of war-torn nations through the selling of conflict diamonds, sometimes known as blood diamonds.
As a result, the United States passed the Clean Diamond Trade Act in 2003, making the selling of blood diamonds illegal. Furthermore, numerous governments partnered through the Kimberley Process to prevent conflict diamonds from being marketed.
Despite these precautions, mined diamonds may be connected with negative associations, prompting a preference for a more socially responsible engagement ring stone.
Lab-grown diamonds, on the other hand, are synthesized in a laboratory under-regulated settings by trained, decently compensated workers, removing the possibility of supporting unethical actions.
Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) and High-Pressure High-Temperature (HPHT) are the two processes used to make lab-grown diamonds, and neither uses detrimental environmental practices nor exploits labor.
If you value ethical sources, lab-grown diamonds are a great option for non-traditional engagement rings as a socially responsible alternative to mined diamonds.
Parting shot
If you are looking for a diamond engagement ring, you can’t go wrong with a lab-made ring. As mentioned above, such a ring comes with plenty of perks. To get the most from it, ensure that you buy it from a reputable store with a proven record.