5 Compelling Reasons to Buy Lab Grown Diamond Engagement Rings

Technology advances allow the creation of spectacular diamonds in a lab environment. These diamonds have not only the same physical but also chemical properties as diamonds and come with additional benefits. Lab grown diamonds are ethical, sustainable, high-quality, and will save you some money. Keep reading to learn about selecting lab grown diamonds for your engagement ring.

Ethical and Environmental Sustainability

Lab grown diamonds get created in a controlled environment, which means they're free from any ethical considerations with natural diamonds and are more environmentally friendly. The resources necessary to produce laboratory diamonds are less than the damage from natural mining operations that impact ecosystems, wildlife, and human populations. Two standard natural diamond mining methods, open-pit, and underground diamond mining, hurt the environment. Open-pit diamond mining requires digging large pits up to hundreds of meters deep. They dig up millions of years' worth of sediments and displace hundreds of acres of earth. This devastates the natural environment and disrupts fragile ecosystems, which impacts the area's wildlife. Underground mining begins once an open-pit mine has been depleted or when the diamonds are too deep below the surface to reach through an open pit. This process costs more than open-pit mining.

Natural diamond mining also emits carbon. Mining companies typically move about 250 tons of earth per carat of mined diamond. Moving this much digging requires substantial amounts of fossil fuel resources. Plus, using fossil fuels releases carbon and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. It also requires energy to run the diamond mining facilities.

Another benefit of lab grown diamonds is that they're conflict-free, and you know exactly where they were made. Conflict diamonds (also called “blood” diamonds) refer to gemstones that are mined in war zones to perpetuate war or to fund warlords and insurgents. The origins of most natural diamonds are unknown. Purchasing a lab grown diamond means you aren't supporting conflict diamonds.

Quality and Purity

Lab diamonds typically have higher quality and purity because their creation is controlled in a lab. They're free from the impurities and inclusions found in mined diamonds. For this reason, you'll also get consistent quality and purity for lab diamonds. Lab grown diamonds can't be distinguished from natural diamonds with the naked eye. The only way to tell the difference between natural and lab diamonds is with a microscope. Natural diamonds will have tiny amounts of nitrogen, whereas lab grown diamonds will not. At With Clarity take special care about quality and purity when it comes to lab grown diamond engagement rings.

Cost Savings

Selecting a lab grown diamond allows you to get a bigger, higher-quality diamond for an affordable price. They typically cost 30-50% less than earth-mined diamonds because the manufacturing process cuts out lengthy supply chains and eliminates expensive mining costs. Use the money you saved to get a more elaborate, personalized setting. Another point to mention in terms of cost is that lab diamond pricing tends to be more stable than natural diamonds, which helps you plan your budget (and stick to it). The prices of mined diamonds tend to fluctuate and have had some price manipulation issues in the past.

Customization and Variety

Lab grown diamonds come in a varied range of colors, shapes, and sizes. You hear a lot about colorless lab-made diamonds, but you can also find them in various colors. You have more options for lab diamonds in terms of quality, shapes, and sizes because they're created in a lab environment. These many options allow you to create a unique, personalized engagement ring with your perfect center stone. At With Clarity, you can affordably customize an engagement ring by selecting the setting, total carat weight, metal, and center stone to create a one-of-a-kind piece that reflects your and your partner's style, personality, and preferences. Our expert gemologists can answer any questions that you might have about customizing a ring.

Transparency and Certification

Look for certified lab diamonds if you're browsing for loose diamonds. This means that the diamond is verified as being either 100% natural or lab-grown and that the quality of the diamond (color, clarity, and cut) meets the desired standards according to a qualified, experienced gemologist. Well-known organizations that grade diamonds include GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and the (IGI) International Gemological Institute. Certification also ensures that you can pinpoint the origin of the diamond - they're traceable and conflict-free. We at With Clarity, make sure you get certified lab grown diamonds without burning a hole in your pocket.

Closing Thoughts of Creating Awareness

It's essential to understand the distinction between mined and lab grown diamonds to make an informed decision based on your values, preferences, and priorities. By selecting a lab grown diamond, you're making a more sustainable option because fewer natural resources are used to create a diamond in a lab versus mining. Lab grown diamonds are also an ethical choice because their origin is known, and they didn't play a role in social conflicts or blood diamond mining. More modern couples are choosing lab grown diamonds because they feel like this type of diamond aligns with their values. In terms of quality, lab made diamonds come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. You can even find fancy lab diamonds in vibrant colors. They have consistent quality and purity because of the controlled environment where they're created. You also have more stone options, and you'll pay less for a lab made diamond.

You can work alongside With Clarity to create a perfect lab grown diamond engagement ring for your loved one and feel satisfied that you designed a ring that aligns with your values to symbolize your lifetime commitment to one another.