De Beers Lab Grown Diamonds
De Beers Lab Grown Diamonds
There are a number of questions to ask when it comes to de Beers lab grown diamonds. There’s the “Lightbox” feature, the price of $800 a carat (or a lot less), Carbon-neutrality, and the ethical concerns. It’s easy to see how these questions may have an impact on your decision.
Lightbox
A unique diamond engineering process developed by Lightbox has produced diamonds that share the same chemical make up as natural diamonds. While diamonds from the earth form over millions of years, laboratory grown stones are formed in a lab in a few weeks. This process yields diamonds that are flawless and chemically indistinguishable from their mined counterparts. In addition, these diamonds are environmentally friendly and more affordable than diamonds from other sources.
A new, US$94 million factory opened in Oregon in October. This facility uses innovative laser-inscribe technology that enables fair and transparent lab-grown diamond pricing. The laser-inscribed quality mark is visible through a 10x loupe and ensures the quality of each stone.
De Beers will continue to invest in new technologies and methods for producing lab-grown diamonds. They are currently offering “Lightbox Finest” diamonds, which use a CVD growth process to create diamonds with the highest color grade for white diamonds. The company says it plans to have 200,000 carats of lab-grown diamonds on hand by 2020.
A new diamond company opened in Gresham, OR last fall with a capacity to produce 200,000 carats per year. The company sells jewelry online and sells loose stones to 120 brick-and-mortar jewelry stores. Although the price of Lightbox diamonds may not compete with mined diamonds, the company has a reputation for quality and transparency.
The new brand also offers a variety of products for consumers looking for a more affordable alternative to natural diamonds. It will offer 2.0-ctw halo-set diamond stud earrings and larger-sized studs. These products will be guaranteed VVS clarity, D-F colour, and Excellent cut. In response to consumer demand, the company is expanding its product range.
With the introduction of larger, higher-carat stones, the Lightbox brand is expanding its product line to include pink, blue, and white lab grown diamonds. The company also plans to offer new stone cuts in 14-karat gold by early next year. The company is also introducing new and more refined technology that creates diamonds of higher quality.
Base price of $800 per carat
In a stunning move, diamond miner De Beers will start selling diamond jewellery made in a lab. After years of refusing to sell lab-created diamonds, the company is now moving to take advantage of the changing jewelry market. The lab-grown diamonds will be sold under De Beers’ Lightbox fashion jewellery brand for less than half the price of mined diamonds.
Diamonds grown in labs are incredibly similar to the mined ones, and the company’s Element Six facility has been growing diamonds for more than 50 years. The diamonds are created by heating hydrocarbon gases in a high-pressure, high-temperature reactor.
The company is targeting younger consumers with its Lightbox diamonds, which will be sold for $800 per carat. This is only half the price of existing manmade diamonds, and a tenth of the price of natural diamonds. A lawsuit filed by the lab-grown industry has accused De Beers of price-dumping and predatory pricing. However, the company’s CEO has insisted that its lab-grown diamonds will be a success, and that consumers won’t need to spend millions of dollars to acquire a diamond.
The company has not disclosed the number of stones it will sell or their quality. It plans to launch its direct-to-consumer e-commerce site in September, followed by an initial retail trial. But many in the lab business are still taking a wait-and-see approach to the company’s plans.
The announcement from De Beers, made in May 2018, has had a profound effect on lab-grown diamond prices. Retailers and traders have sought to keep the price of these diamonds high, but this approach has failed. According to Golan, who collects data from manufacturers, wholesale prices have dropped by 26 percent between Q1 and Q3 of 2018. However, prices continued to decline in the fourth quarter and into Q3 of this year. This is in contrast to the sharp price declines seen last year. Golan attributes this price recovery to strong consumer demand.
A lab grown diamond’s price is much lower than its natural counterpart. It is dependent on several factors, such as its shape, metal, setting, and style. It is much cheaper than a mined diamond, but does not look as fancy as a natural diamond.
Carbon-neutrality
Creating a diamond involves a lot of energy and heat, and traditional methods can leave a large carbon footprint. However, a lab-grown diamond can be produced in a way that mimics diamond formation. This technique is known as chemical vapour deposition. The process works by placing a single-crystal diamond seed into a chamber with a mixture of hydrogen and carbon-containing gas. This mixture builds a diamond seed layer-by-layer.
The diamond industry has already begun taking steps to become more environmentally friendly, but there is still work to be done. A subsidiary of FTSE 100 mining giant Anglo American, De Beers, has recently announced that it will transition to hydrogen-powered trucks and replace fossil fuelled electricity with electricity produced from dedicated wind and solar power plants. In addition, the company is considering projects to support forest growth and adopt farming practices that help absorb carbon.
De Beers is not alone in pursuing this goal. The company has recently released a roadmap to 2030 and beyond. This document outlines its goals and progress towards carbon neutrality. The company has also appointed a head of carbon-neutrality to oversee the process. In addition, the company has adopted the 3Rs (recycle, recycle, and reuse) strategy. Furthermore, it has begun a research program called CarbonVault.
While mined diamonds may still be the most expensive form of diamonds, lab-grown diamonds offer an alternative that is more environmentally friendly, ethical, and competitive. While they may be cheaper, they are less abundant than earth diamonds and are less environmentally damaging. These factors make diamond lab grown alternatives an attractive option for both jewellery and consumers.
Another major company, Star Rays, a leading diamond exporter in India, has ambitious plans to become India’s first carbon-neutral company. This process involves balancing carbon emissions with carbon savings elsewhere in the world. These carbon savings can come from energy efficiency projects, wind power initiatives, and renewable energy projects. The Mumbai-based company plans to participate in the World Jewellery Confederation’s Greenhouse Gas Measuring and Offsetting Initiative. As part of this initiative, Star Rays has committed to meeting the highest standards for environmental protection.
De Beers is working hand-in-hand with the government to run its diamond mining business. The business now accounts for 25 percent of the country’s gross national product and has created many jobs. Without De Beers, the local economy would suffer.
Ethics
When it comes to ethically sourcing diamonds, there are a few things to look for. Firstly, ethically sourced diamonds are conflict-free, meaning they’re not used to fund civil wars. However, that doesn’t mean they’re totally free from human rights violations or exploitation.
In addition to this, ethically sourced diamonds are often much cheaper than mined diamonds. In fact, lab grown diamonds can be 30% less expensive than mined ones. Secondly, the companies who produce them also give to charity. While donations from lab-grown companies are worthwhile, they won’t compare to the impact of ending the diamond mining process. This suggests that the ethical industry should be developed into a standard that applies to both the natural and man-made sectors.
Another ethical benefit of lab grown diamonds is the reduction in child labor. The Gemology Institute of America no longer refers to lab grown diamonds as synthetic diamonds, and the prices are lower. However, not all laboratories that grow diamonds are responsible for carbon and renewable energy. Therefore, consumers must be aware of their source.
In addition, consumers should look for brands that recycle water and reduce production materials. Furthermore, they should also check for independent certifications for quality and transparency. Ensure the certifications are third-party-verified and look for numbers to prove that a particular brand is ethically sourced. A Sustainable Grown Diamond certification is expected to become available in 2020.
Diamond workers in artisanal and small-scale diamond mining are underpaid, working in hazardous conditions and without proper safety equipment. The unregulated industry also places workers in danger of being caught by powerful groups. In addition, they can also face threats of violence from gangs. Some small-scale artisanal diamond workers have even been shot for their illegal work. The ethical benefit of lab grown diamonds is that the cost is much lower, making them a more affordable option.
Another ethical benefit of lab grown diamonds is that they don’t have the tragic history of natural diamonds. This is an important selling point for consumers. As fewer natural diamonds are mined, more lab grown diamonds will fill the gap. While mined diamonds are not forever, lab grown diamonds will last forever.
De Beers Lab Grown Diamonds