The ecological potential of synthetic diamonds, which is so often talked about, turns out to be not so unambiguous.
The slogan "A diamond is forever", invented in 1947 by De Beers, is no longer a mantra for modern women.
What was unthinkable until recently is becoming a reality today. When choosing a piece of jewelry with a symbol of eternal love – a natural diamond, it is likely that you will be offered to purchase a jewel with a synthetic stone.
AFFORDABLE LUXURY
Since its creation in 1954 by American chemist Tracy Hall, synthetic diamond has become a potential competitor of a natural mineral.
The prospect that opened up at the same time turned out to be so tempting that De Beers itself could not resist. After many years of neglect of artificial stones, which were branded with the label "For Industry", in 2018 the company itself began to grow diamonds for jewelry, announcing the launch of a retail brand of colored synthetic stones for a young audience "Lightbox Jewelry".
TWIN BROTHERS?
Chemically, natural diamond, like synthetic one, is formed as a result of carbon crystallization under the influence of extremely high temperatures and pressure. The only difference is the place where this process takes place.
As it is known, natural diamond originated in the bowels of the Earth 2.5 billion years ago. His rival, grown in laboratory conditions in just a few weeks, is a pure artifact.
If a natural diamond is associated with exclusivity and eternity, then a synthetic one is rather perceived as a product of alchemy.
What is the basis for the success of a grown diamond?
Firstly, it is not perceived as a product reserved for the elite, and is sold for 30-40% cheaper.
Secondly, synthetic diamond is not linked to production associated with environmental scandals. In order to obtain several carats of natural diamonds, it is necessary to extract millions of tons of ore in ecologically vulnerable areas, the restoration of natural ecosystems of which takes decades.
Unlike its older "brother", the grown diamond has nothing to do with the Kimberley Process, an international negotiating forum bringing together representatives of states, industry and civil society, which was created about twenty years ago to monitor the transparency of the diamond industry.
As a result, a laboratory diamond is not in danger of a negative image, while a natural diamond is definitely vulnerable in this regard. But it seemed that Marilyn Monroe, who sang the song "Diamonds are the best friend of girls" in 1953, forever secured the glory of eternal value for natural stones.
But times have changed. In 2006, the film "Blood Diamonds" showed the appalling working conditions in diamond mines. Impressed by his role, Leonardo DiCaprio becomes a fierce opponent of natural diamonds, and since 2014 - a shareholder of Diamond Foundry, a major producer of synthetic diamonds in the United States.
RETALIATORY STRIKE
At the global level, the Natural Diamond Council demonstrates its ambitions to dominate the market with the slogan: "Only natural diamonds".
For its part, Diamond Collective, which unites industry organizations, publishes a study by Trucost, a world leader in environmental risk assessment.
The results of this study are designed to draw public attention to the "reverse" side of the synthetic diamond, latribune.fr notes.
In particular, it is indicated that the process of its production does not meet environmental standards. Thus, CO2 emissions from the cultivation of synthetic diamonds by the HPHT temperature gradient method, as it turns out, are almost three times higher than in the extraction of natural diamonds.
Critics of laboratory production also note that it is poorly regulated. Most of the production centers are located in China and India, and for this reason it is impossible to control how the work is organized there both from an environmental and ethical point of view.
In addition, the quality of synthetic diamonds is limited in size and color. The largest synthetic diamond weighs only 9 carats, while the weight of the largest rough diamond mined in Botswana in 2021 reaches 1,174 carats.
Natural diamonds also offer a much wider palette of shades.
Finally, the competitor of natural diamond provides employment to only a limited number of people, while the diamond industry also provides employment for the indigenous inhabitants of the areas where diamond mining is carried out, whether in Africa, Canada, Russia or Australia.
Thus, a natural diamond still successfully withstands competition with its synthetic counterpart.
So, 65% of French respondents aged 25-34 said that they would like to buy a natural diamond "at least once in their life".
The market share of synthetic diamonds, according to a study conducted by the publication National Jeweler, is still less than 10%. At the same time, it has increased fivefold in five years, exceeding 6 billion US dollars.
However, taking into account the fact that grown diamonds have also become the subject of controversy, their position may well be shaken.
Therefore, the global diamond industry, most likely, will have to find a consensus option that allows seducing future generations of lovers, without relying on ethical and environmental aspects that risk discrediting both natural and synthetic diamonds.
Alex Shishlo for Rough&Polished
