How the Mined Diamond Industry is Fighting Back Against Lab Grown Diamonds
The recent surge in popularity of lab-grown diamonds has resulted in increasing differentiation for leading brands. While lab-grown stones are easier to source, a real stone can still command premium positioning. In order to highlight the mining process and its impact on sustainability, leading brands can use the Everledger Platform. This digital platform allows brands to showcase diamond characteristics and their sustainable footprint. It also lets consumers interact with the diamond. Furthermore, the platform can be customized to match brand guidelines.
Carbon emissions of lab-grown diamonds
A new study shows that mined diamonds are more carbon-efficient than lab-grown ones. It also shows that natural diamonds require fewer resources, including water, in the production process. Moreover, 83% of the water used in the extraction process is recycled. What’s more, natural diamonds don’t produce toxic chemical byproducts and can be easily extracted from their host rock.
A mined diamond emits 125 pounds of carbon, whereas a lab-grown diamond emits just 6 pounds. The former also produces a lesser amount of Sulphur oxide, while the latter produces none. A mined diamond disturbs approximately 100 square feet of land and generates nearly five tons of mineral waste. In comparison, lab-grown diamonds disturb just 0.07 square feet of land and produce less than one pound of mineral waste.
Despite the environmental issues raised by diamond mining, the diamond industry has taken steps to mitigate their impact. De Beers, the world’s largest diamond producer, has pledged to build a carbon-neutral mine by 2017. Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission has warned companies selling lab-grown diamonds about misleading claims about their environmental impact.
Diamonds are an increasingly popular purchase for consumers, but the production process itself is extremely damaging to the environment. A conventional diamond mine disturbs one hundred square feet of land and creates five thousand pounds of waste. Furthermore, diamond mining impacts biodiversity. Fortunately, lab-grown diamonds do not have these negative impacts, and are a more sustainable alternative.
The first lab-grown diamond was made using an HPHT system. The seeds of the diamond are placed in pure graphite carbon and exposed to temperatures of up to 1.5 million pounds per square inch. Another process, Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), involves placing the seed in a chamber filled with carbon-rich gases. The gases start to adhere to the seed and gradually grow into the diamond.
According to the report, mined diamonds emit more carbon than lab-grown diamonds. This is because mined diamonds require thousands of tons of rock to produce them. Furthermore, the industry has not provided sufficient disclosure about its environmental impact. However, the International Grown Diamond Association has said that it is working with its members to address this problem.
Despite this, the traditional diamond industry contributes to the society in which it mines. For example, DPA members invest in conservation and certification schemes, which create US$3.9 billion in direct and indirect benefits for their local communities. These practices help communities thrive by providing safe and high-quality jobs.
Using lab-grown diamonds has many advantages over mining. These diamonds are more durable than natural diamonds and reduce the energy lost as heat. They can be used in electronics as they are ten times more efficient than natural diamonds. In addition, they also save a lot of money, as compared to mined diamonds.
Cost of lab-grown diamonds
The price difference between natural and lab-grown diamonds can be as much as 1,000 percent. This disparity has contributed to a decline in the wholesale prices of lab-grown diamonds, which have helped retailers and traders cut their margins. In addition, the prices of lab-grown diamonds are expected to continue decreasing in the future. As a result, more consumers are likely to purchase lab-grown diamonds.
As lab-grown diamonds are made using advanced technologies, they can be grown at much lower cost and faster than their mined counterparts. This has fueled competition between mined and lab-grown diamond companies. A one-carat lab-grown diamond can range anywhere from $2,500 to $18,000, and the price will vary based on the quality of the diamond, cut, clarity, and color.
While lab-grown diamonds are cheaper than mined diamonds, they don’t have the same rarity factor as natural diamonds. A natural diamond is a rare and precious stone, and will retain its value better over time. Because of the finite supply of natural diamonds, there is an increasing demand for them. This can cause their prices to decrease, and even lower the resale value.
The value chain of a diamond is long, involving miners, cutters, polishers, retailers, and jewelry makers. Because natural diamonds are priced by weight, their prices will be higher than the costs of lab-grown diamonds. However, man-made diamonds will still be cheaper than mined diamonds. In addition, there are less environmental and humanitarian costs compared to mined diamonds.
In a recent study, Bain & Company (a consultancy firm specializing in diamonds) found that the retail price of lab-grown diamonds would be about 35 per cent of the equivalent mined diamond in 2020. Earlier, this difference was at least 50 percent, and by 2017, the gap had narrowed to 65 percent.
Another factor affecting the cost of lab-grown diamonds is the use of electricity. This process requires up to 250 million joules of electricity. By comparison, mined diamonds require up to 538.5 million joules of energy. Lab-grown diamonds can be produced with 100% renewable energy.
The price of lab-grown diamonds has been an ongoing debate in the mined diamond industry in recent years. However, it is important to remember that diamonds are commodities and their value changes according to the current market trends. Knowing this is important if you’re planning to sell your lab-grown diamonds. For large diamonds with fancy colors, the resale value is typically between 20 and 60 percent of the original purchase price.
Lab-grown diamonds are becoming increasingly popular. As a result, their prices have fallen drastically in the past few years. This trend is expected to continue, and the cost of lab-grown diamonds is likely to continue to fall as more growers and wholesalers improve their techniques.
Millennials’ embrace of lab-grown diamonds
Millennials’ growing awareness of the environment and the cost of natural diamonds is prompting an upsurge in the popularity of lab-grown diamonds. These diamonds are far more affordable than natural diamonds, and their sustainability is the primary attraction for millennials and Gen-Z consumers. As a result, lab-grown diamonds have experienced the fastest growth in the industry.
Compared to the mined diamond industry, the lab-grown diamond market is relatively small. According to Morgan Stanley, it represents less than one percent of the industry’s total rough-diamond sales. Nevertheless, this is a growing trend and may prove to be beneficial for the industry for several years.
Another benefit of lab-grown diamonds is that they do not cause any damage to the environment. They are also 50 to 70% cheaper than mined diamonds. This means that millennials are more likely to purchase an engagement ring containing a lab-grown diamond.
While millennials do not buy into the misconception that lab-grown diamonds are inferior to natural diamonds, they do disapprove of the fact that they are not rare. They also believe that mined diamonds are more expensive than lab-grown ones. In addition to that, millennials are concerned about environmental damage and human cost. They are also fixated on responsible sourcing and manufacturing. Lab-grown diamonds are the best way to meet their concerns.
However, Millennials are increasingly accepting the use of lab-grown diamonds as a replacement for mined diamonds, which is a welcome development. De Beers, which controls about 35-40 percent of the mined diamond market, has recently announced the launch of its Lightbox Jewelry brand. The new brand will promote colored and clear white diamonds, but will not be exclusively made from lab-grown diamonds. It will initially offer necklaces and earrings, but not rings.
Millennials’ environmental awareness and cost-consciousness are also driving a shift in consumer preferences. Lab-grown diamonds are cheaper than mined diamonds and are increasingly becoming the choice of eco-conscious buyers. This will inevitably result in a decline in the mined diamond industry.
The price difference between mined and lab-grown diamonds remains a factor in the popularity of these stones among millennials. While grown diamonds have a lower price tag than mined diamonds, their manufacturing time is still comparable. And given the price gap, millennials are more likely to pay more for an eco-friendly product.
Although many consumers prefer natural diamonds, many lab-grown diamonds are socially conscious, cheaper, and easier to audit. This has led to a huge increase in lab-grown diamond sales over the last year, with a projected growth of up to five-hundred percent in the next three years.
Millennials are driving the industry’s shift away from mined diamonds and are pushing it into a new era of diamond creation. The new technology can create diamonds with a chemical composition similar to mined diamonds. However, unlike mined diamonds, these diamonds are not imitations or fake knockoffs. Millennials believe that lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds.