Everyone loves diamonds—the rare, shiny rock that can be found in all types of jewelry. Known as a girl’s best friend, it is believed to represent true love that lasts a lifetime, especially when it’s on wedding rings.
Mined diamonds are particularly known for their rarity and high demand, along with their expensive prices and long lasting value. Unlike lab grown diamonds—which lose value very quickly—natural diamonds are said to be an investment that will grow in value for generations, leading many people to buy diamonds as an investment for their children. But as the production of diamonds becomes more and more deteriorative to the environment, will there even be a world to invest in?
The mining of diamonds can result in the destruction of acres of prospering land and the release of harmful chemicals into the environment—which can end up killing animals and poisoning them. According to a report published in 2021, mining for just one carat of diamond requires the extraction of 1,000 tonnes of earth and uses over 3,900 liters of water. This greatly affects the environment around the mining site and wastes resources.
Though lab grown diamonds are not rare, that does not mean that they are of low quality—it’s actually quite the opposite. Lab grown diamonds are known for their perfect and flawless look. These diamonds are made of pure crystallized carbon, which allow them to have the exact same chemical, physical and optical properties as mined diamonds. Natural diamonds give you the illusion of luxury, you are paying almost 80-95% more for natural diamond, just because it is limited in supply and was mined from the earth. According to Nathan Alan Jewelers, The only difference that natural diamonds have against lab-grown diamonds is that they contain tiny bits of nitrogen, which adds no value to diamonds other than giving the diamond its color.
A natural 1.5 carat diamond’s price is about $6 to $15 thousand or more, depending on the cut. However, lab grown diamonds usually don’t go over $2,000, with the cheapest ones being around $200 to $300. The price difference between them is insane, which is why most people assume that lab grown diamonds are of lesser quality. From a financial standpoint, getting a lab grown diamond is a much better decision for most people as it is not only cost effective but also a better fit for jewelry.
Not only are natural diamonds physically flawed, but many consumers unintentionally support child labor by increasing the demand for diamonds. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, many organizations that supply and sell diamonds use children to mine the diamonds. Countries like Congo, Guineu, Liberia and the Central African Republic use children for mining and make them work for long hours with very little pay. Some countries, such as Angola and Sierra Leone, traffic and force children to mine for diamonds with no pay at all.
Mining for diamonds is very deleterious to the earth. Despite the resources taken and harm done to labor workers, many people still dream of a “natural” diamond. The idealization of natural diamonds has spread as an exclusive luxury item, which makes natural diamonds more appealing for the younger generation. We should stand against abusing labor workers and care more for the environment and our future by buying lab grown diamonds instead.