Humans have always tried to imitate what nature has created. It is certainly because of our desire to create, to innovate, to improve and to express ourselves. However, it is also because the Earth's resources are limited.
There have always been many alternatives to diamonds: zircons, white sapphires, white spinels... But all of them have been considered imitations or were not up to par. Today, however, a new option has been added to the natural diamond. It is the laboratory or synthetic diamond.
We explain what a natural diamond and a lab-grown diamond are, how they are formed and how they differ. We also explain why we, at Roosik & Co, will continue to work with natural diamonds . Let's be there.
What is a natural diamond?
A natural diamond is crystallized carbon and is considered the hardest natural element in the world.
Natural diamonds are created 165 kilometers below the Earth at extremely high temperatures and pressures. Their formation process is very long, it can last billions of years. These diamonds manage to reach the surface thanks to volcanic activity, on a journey of more than 75 million years. You can see them shine in our engagement rings.
What is a synthetic or lab-grown diamond?
A lab-grown diamond is a synthetic diamond .
In 1950, the system for producing diamonds, HP HT (High Pressure and High Temperature), was discovered, but the amount of energy and technology it required only allowed the creation of very small crystals. It was not until 1990, with the incorporation of a new technique called CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) and the improvement of HP HT, that diamonds large enough to be worked into jewelry could be created.
At that time, the production cost to create a synthetic diamond was very high due to the large consumption. To give you an idea, the price of a lab-grown diamond was almost the same as a natural one… Faced with the choice, there was no debate. But the process of creating a lab-grown diamond encouraged pioneering companies to continue with their development.
In fact, since the 1990s to the present day, more and more companies have joined this project and, thanks to the use of renewable energies, they have managed to develop synthetic diamonds of up to 15 carats at a cost much lower than in the 1950s.
The fall in the price of lab-grown diamonds has led many companies in the jewelry sector and new jewelry brands to opt for using this type of synthetic gem .
Main differences between a natural diamond vs a laboratory or synthetic diamond
Appearance
There is no visual difference between a natural diamond and a synthetic one, in fact, a synthetic diamond is a diamond because it is crystallized and formed by the same chemical structure. The only difference would be in its growth process, one is formed on Earth and the other in a laboratory.
The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) has even developed an expensive scanner system to be able to distinguish them.
The price
The prices of synthetic or lab-grown diamonds will be cheaper year after year, and the price difference compared to natural ones will be accentuated.
In addition, in the medium-short term, a sharp drop in laboratory diamond prices is expected since the pioneering diamond company De Beers has invested more than 90 million euros in a plant in the USA for the synthesis of diamonds.
To give you an idea, a few months ago, De Beers was selling a 1-carat diamond, with H color and VS2 clarity, lab-grown for $4,200, while the same natural gem was priced at $6,000. A short time later, the same gem was already selling for $800.
It is worth noting that the prices of laboratory diamonds are set by companies, they are not governed by market prices as is the case with natural diamonds.
Sustainability
A priori, the lab-grown diamond is positioned as a sustainable diamond thanks to very good marketing campaigns. However, it is worth delving into this topic in more depth. This is because:
- To produce a lab-grown diamond using the Hp HT technique requires an enormous amount of energy. Imagine, it's the same amount of energy that a natural diamond needs over billions of years!
- For the synthesis of diamond with HP HT, metals such as cobalt, nickel, iron and manganese are needed. These are metals whose mining and extraction has a high impact, is not regulated and the conditions are very precarious.
- If it is synthesized with the other method, CVD, it does not require metals as catalysts but consumes the equivalent energy of a house for a month.
- Most diamonds are made with HTHP because the process is cheaper.
It is said that this large amount of energy is obtained from renewable energies.
For its part, natural diamonds consume a large amount of water to extract the diamond from its parent rock: kimberlite. However, this water is constantly recycled and reused. In addition, the commitment of mining companies today is very high and their impact is regulated so that it is smaller every year.
But, beyond environmental sustainability, the natural diamond industry is committed to the sustainability and social dignity of countries of origin such as Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. Countries that, thanks to the extraction of this gem, enjoy good working conditions, have been able to access education and public healthcare in 80% of households and have access to clean water and electricity in 90% of homes.
In other words, natural diamonds help the growth and socioeconomic development of these countries and are their main economic source.
Sustainability: the Kimberley Treaty
When it comes to diamonds and sustainability, we can't ignore the Kimberley Process. It's a certification system created to prevent conflict diamonds from entering the diamond market. This way, customers can be assured that they are not funding wars or human rights abuses with their diamond purchases.
All Roosik & Co diamonds come from countries within the Kimberley Treaty.
The value of the diamond
Natural diamond is one of the most desired gemstones, but it is a finite mineral resource. Consider that diamonds of the quality we work with at Roosik & Co (DEF colors, purity higher than VVS2 and triple excellence) are part of 0.02% of the world's diamond extraction. That is why, year after year, the price of a diamond increases and becomes more exclusive; owning the most beautiful of gems is not within the reach of everyone.
Well, until now.
And this is where synthetic diamonds come into play, as mass production will reduce the price of lab-grown diamonds, a diamond that looks the same as natural diamonds and is very attractive to jewelry companies.
This also makes us reflect on another issue: what value will these synthetic diamonds retain over time?
In this sense, it also comes into play to talk about the durability of the artistic object itself: the jewel. Natural diamond has always been used in jewelry for its beauty, its optical properties and its hardness.
Once the artist or goldsmith, in our case Jordi Rosich, designs and creates a piece of jewelry, it is a piece forever. And its artistic value is also closely linked to the use of the materials used. That is, durable materials such as noble metals (gold and platinum) and natural diamonds. These materials will always have a higher value, and the growth of their value (regulated by the market) is exponential. The value of this work of art, the jewelry, grows year after year.
Why at Roosik & Co do we work with natural diamonds and not lab-grown ones?
For us, each piece is unique, it is made by hand, with all the care and time in the world... We do not feel comfortable today creating our pieces with synthetic diamonds.
Jewelry is synonymous with emotion, love, family tradition, legacy... Each piece is an expression of ourselves and the person who wears it, it accompanies us throughout our lives and those of those to come. Is a ring with a serial diamond synthesized by man up to the task of expressing a feeling as noble and unique as that of our love at the same time as asking for commitment? What is the point of offering a piece of jewelry with a laboratory diamond beyond its aesthetics?
We believe that a jewel is something deeper… It is a small object that allows us to remember our most precious people and experiences, and forever. The value of this memory seems impossible to transfer to a diamond that the Earth has not generated for billions of years, a treasure of nature that has overcome all the inclemencies of extremely high temperatures and pressures, like every obstacle or success overcome on our paths and that we seal with a brilliant jewel.
A diamond tells a story and values. Also, your story and your values.
On the other hand, regarding the debate on sustainability, we are very aware of the communities that live and depend on natural diamonds around the world, which is why we have been working for years to offer you and trace the origin of our diamonds.
Thanks to the diamond industry, countries such as South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Canada, all within the Kimberley Treaty, have improved the socio-economic conditions of the country and the well-being of its citizens.
In fact, diamonds are their main source of income. Without diamonds, how would they manage to live in the sub-arctic zone of northern Canada or in the arid and desert lands of Namibia? Did you know that millions of South Africans work in the industry of the most brilliant of gems and their salary conditions are dignified and commendable?
If natural diamond mining is stopped, the well-being and development of more than 10 million people is put at risk. All the work achieved so far may be undermined by the growing proliferation of new companies entering the synthetic diamond business.
Do you want to know more?
Request an appointment or call: shop@roosik.com · WhatsApp 683 54 53 48
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