As young people increasingly move away from natural diamonds, could lab grown diamonds be the future? Read more to find out.

Keyword(s): lab grown diamonds

Do you love jewelry? Are you one of the 73% of millennials who want to shop sustainably? 

More and more shoppers are willing to pay a little more to ensure their high-quality pieces follow ethical practices. 

Many jewels historically have a somewhat shady past. Conflict diamonds, stones that are mined using unethical practices; the industry has seen it all. Fortunately, times are changing. To both protect our planet and its people. 

Astounding new technologies enable us to create stones in the laboratory. One of these miracle inventions is lab grown diamonds.

You may think this sounds like a strange concept; how can a naturally occurring stone be grown in a lab? However, these fascinating engineered stones are here to stay and have an array of remarkable properties. 

Read on to find out why lab created diamonds are the future.

How Are Lab Grown Diamonds Made?

Diamonds formed deep in the earth billions of years ago and were brought to the earth's surface with the heat and pressure caused by volcanic explosions. 

Lab created diamonds undergo a similar process. High pressure and high temperatures are used to replicate the same chemical processes natural diamonds go through. It just happens in a machine rather than on the earth.

For this reason, diamonds that are grown in a lab are chemically and physically identical to mined diamonds. You can't tell the difference to look at them either. 

Lab diamonds start life as a seed. It then undergoes the process of making it into the beautiful stone we know and love. Due to the artificial process, the seed goes through, diamonds made in a lab are often referred to as synthetic diamonds.

How Are Lab Diamonds Graded?

Artificial diamonds are also graded in precisely the same way as mined diamonds. They are cut by experts and graded using the same quality criteria as mined diamonds. 

They are rated using the 4 C's: 

• Carat
• Cut 
• Color 
• Clarity 

You would not be able to tell the difference between a mined diamond and a man-made one if you just looked at them. 

Why Are Synthetic Diamonds the Future?

Diamond mining is notorious for being unsustainable, unethical, linked to child labor, as well as war and conflicts. Although the diamond industry has been cleaned up since the Kimberly Process Certification was introduced in 2003, it is sometimes difficult to trace a diamond's origin.  

Many diamond dealers still can't tell you which mine their diamonds originate from. The Kimberly Process is hard to monitor, and many clean diamonds end up in the same shipments as those from less ethical origins. 

If a diamond is grown in a lab, it is easy to trace and harms nobody. Let's take a more in-depth look at why consumers are starting to choose man-made diamonds. 

They Are More Ethical

Even if a diamond claims to be conflict-free and not used to fund corrupt governments and warfare, we can never be entirely sure.

You also don't know if the workers who mine your natural diamond are paid fairly or treated humanely. Many countries where diamonds naturally occur don't have laws to ban child labor or enforce strict minimum wage or labor safety requirements. 

Ethical diamonds are having a moment, and we won't ever go back to the dark days of unethical diamond extraction. 

They Are More Environmentally Friendly 

Mining diamonds also have a significant impact on the natural environment. Digging up the earth to extract a stone is not the most sustainable of practices after all. Hundreds of tonnes of earth need to move to find just one diamond. 

This messes with local ecosystems and can end up displacing wildlife and communities. Local water sources can also end up polluted as a result of diamond mining. Minerals unearthed when the rocks are moved can run off into the water, causing it to become toxic. 

The air miles that a mined diamond costs are also huge. They fly from origin to middle man, to cuter, to trader. 

A lab grown diamond can be made in a few days and sold in the same city it is created. Further to this, a lot less energy is needed to create an artificial diamond. Thus, lab grown diamonds have a significantly lower carbon footprint. 

Artificial Diamonds Are Less Expensive

Lab grown diamonds have the same properties and high quality as mined diamonds but a lower price tag. 

Mined diamonds pass through many hands on their way to the store; each person involved takes a cut of the final price.

There are fewer people involved in creating a lab grown diamond which means fewer people who need paying. This, in turn, lowers the price for the end consumer. 

Diamond Jewelry Is Always In Fashion 

Ever since the 1940s, when diamonds became the height of fashion, they have been a staple in our jewelry boxes. We will continue to collect precious jewels for decades to come. They will be different from the jewels of the past. 

Want to make a statement with your outfit? Say it with diamonds. Want to give a gift that lasts an eternity? Diamonds are perfect. They last indefinitely and are a symbol of class.

Diamonds are also the most popular gemstone used for engagement rings. This stunning stone has represented love for centuries. 

Conscious Consumers Prefer Lab Diamonds 

You don't want your beautiful diamond to have a shady past, do you? Unethical practices and dubious origins are not what this stone should represent. For this reason, lab grown diamonds are the future. 

As consumer demands shift towards more transparent supply chains and the accountability of manufacturers, we need a change in the way goods are produced.

Innovative technologies that create lab-made diamonds can help us take much-needed steps towards a more sustainable and green future. 

Feel inspired to browse some ethically sourced diamonds? Check out our collection of diamond rings. 

If you are not into natural or lab grow diamonds there are options for you! Swarovski Crystals are beauiful, affordable and are sure to draw admiring eyes! 

Millennial women aren't buying into the buying habits of their parents. Here are 5 reasons millennials are moving away from high-end jewelers.

Keyword(s): high-end jewelers

Some might think that the millennials are materialistic. This is thanks in part to the rise in social media use that cultivated the “showing off” culture. However, recent data suggests otherwise.

According to news features, millennials are now killing the diamond industry along with a bunch of others. Additional reports have stated that this affects the high-end jewelry industry, as well.

The fact is that the times today are a lot different than before. Aside from that, though, what are the real reasons why they're veering away from high-end jewelers?

1. Millennials are Delaying Marriage

Millennials are marrying at a later age compared to previous generations. This means they also delay buying engagement rings. This then affects the diamond and the whole jewelry market as marriage is the key driver of the industry.

According to the Census Bureau, the average first-time bride today is about 28 years old. About 10 years in the past, the average was 25.5 years old. The average first-time groom is 30 years old compared to 27 years old also 10 years earlier.

This can become a huge hit for jewelers, especially when millennials who aren’t married yet would rather spend their money on other things.

2. Millennials Have Less Disposable Income

Millennials are spending less, whether it’s on homes, retail, new cars, and such. This is due to the simple fact that they have less money to spend, according to the Federal Reserve.

They have less wealth in general, having lower income and fewer assets. Baby boomers and Generation X, as per the collected data, have a higher income.

For this reason, millennials may be more careful about where they spend their money on. They may be more attentive to the brands they buy and the types of items they can afford.

As such, they prefer more practical alternatives to high-end products. After all, some expensive items don’t have much benefit other than the brand name.

It helps that they’re the first tech-savvy generation. Having direct access to the internet means they can compare prices, look for better deals, and so on.

3. Natural Diamonds Aren’t High on the Priority List

Millennials would rather spend their money on experiences rather than material things. They would rather take a vacation in another part of the world than to buy expensive jewelry, for example. As such, they save their money for these experiences and not for things they can own, except for gadgets.

Gadgets are practical today; laptops, smartphones, and cameras enhance their experience. Not to mention that they’re a necessity for work and they make lives easier, too. This is why even though millennials are not big on material things, gadgets are an exception.

This generation is also more eco-conscious than the ones before them due to their easy access to information. They're some of the most active ones in pushing for a global change in waste management.

Not only that, but they are also making small changes within themselves to help, as well. This includes using glass or metal straws in favor of disposable straws and being critical of companies with questionable ethics.

As you know, diamond mining is in a lot of hot water over its impact on the environment. Those who only support companies that are in line with their ethics would then think twice before buying diamond jewelry.

4. More Attractive Alternatives are Everywhere

Nonetheless, it’s not as if millennials don’t have much of a choice regarding jewelry. There are plenty of alternatives in the market. Today, there are even lab-grown diamonds that are starting to hurt the industry.

One of the most notable things about lab-grown ones is that it’s hard to tell it apart from natural diamonds. Even professionals might not be able to tell by its looks alone.

The most important advantage it has, however, is that it has less impact on the environment. Its process is more sustainable, and you won’t have to worry about the whole “blood diamonds” issue. It’s cheaper to an extent, too, and it might only get cheaper as the technology becomes more advanced.

As this generation also likes breaking tradition, many are now considering other gems in their jewelry pieces than sparkling white crystals. Ruby, emerald, and amethyst rings are popular for their rich colors. Sapphire is also a popular choice as it comes in different hues, including pink, yellow, and such.

If you want something that looks like a diamond, moissanite might be the one for you. It’s almost as hard as diamond, it’s clear as a diamond, but it doesn’t come with the price tag of a diamond. People even mistook it for diamonds when they first discovered it.

5. Old-World Luxuries are Failing to Attract This Generation

Another reason why millennials are deviating from luxury jewelry brands is that the brands themselves are failing to market to them the proper way.

This generation prefers cheaper options. That's not the main reason why luxury brands are failing, though. The only reason might be that some high-end brands don’t have the right appeal.

For instance, even if some millennials have the money, they may choose smaller brands. The internet is also useful for them in this regard. They have access to more options other than the popular ones from the past centuries.

Jewelers may have to update their brand to be more modern and contemporary to attract the younger crowd. Their stores will need updating as well to expand customer awareness. All these are possible without losing the luxury brand.

Still, it’s not a guaranteed solution as millennials, as we stated above, value function and technology over things like shiny jewelry.

Alternative to High-End Jewelers

With that said, millennials still see the value in nice-looking things. This is why brands that look luxurious and like they come from high-end jewelers yet have affordable price tags are especially attractive to them. There are still timeless jewelry pieces out there that don’t break the bank.

If you’re interested in what we can offer, check out our other guides today and contact us for any inquiries.

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