You might consider using less plastic and carrying your own straws and cups to be more environmentally-friendly. You might not consider choosing a sustainable diamond for your perfect piece of jewelry. You might save some money by choosing sustainable diamonds.
As the ever-growing problem of climate change forces us all focus ono being more environmentally-friendly in our everyday lives, sustainable diamonds are becoming an increasingly popular option.
Are you interested in using one to make your Advise Wedding engagement ring or another piece of jewelry? Ryan Shearman, Azra Mehdi, Khadijah Furlton, and Khadijah Flton, all of Aether Diamonds share their knowledge about sustainable diamonds.
Sustainable Diamonds vs. Natural Diamonds
The average cost of sustainable lab-grown diamonds is 25-40% less than those from natural mines. Fulton states that recycled and lab-grown diamonds are much more affordable than natural diamonds for the same quality or higher.
Although many mainstream diamond retailers sell ethical diamonds, sustainable ones are better for the environment because mining diamonds has a large impact on climate change. Shearman tells Brides that the traditional diamond industry is a disaster for the planet.
He explained, “On average for every carat of ground that is mined, up to 250 tonnes of earth are removed. 127 gallons are used in fresh water, billions of gallons are contaminated by acid mine runoff. 143 pounds of pollution are released and countless gallons are consumed with fossil fuels. Mining practices can lead to many problems, including flooding, drought, and deforestation.
Diamond mining can also be unethical. Mehdi acknowledges that mines often are located at marginalized areas of the local community. “Diamond mining was done in the past without considering the long-term, ecological, and social impacts on local communities.”
Different types of sustainable diamonds
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Recycled Diamonds
The most popular type of sustainable diamonds is recycled diamonds. These diamonds can be reused, recut and reset. Mehdi says that even though the origin of the diamonds might not be known and may have been unsustainable sourced, recycling diamonds helps to prevent future harm from unscrupulous or illegal diamond mining practices. Recycled diamonds have the advantage that they still contain a mined diamond but are being repurposed so it is still better for the planet.
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Lab-Grown Diamonds
Synthetic or lab-grown diamonds are also sustainable, and are increasingly popular. These stones can be considered sustainable Study Wedding because they aren’t mined. Fulton states that lab-grown diamonds can be described as real diamonds grown in a laboratory. This is because the process of creating a natural, underground diamond takes millions of years to replicate in a lab.
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Carbon-Negative Diamonds
Some companies are more creative than others, such as Shearman’s Aether Diamonds. Shearman explained that the brand creates its own diamonds. These are the first carbon-negative diamonds in the world and the only truly sustainable diamonds available.
He explained, “By carbon negative, we mean that our practices actually remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and transform it into diamonds that capture that carbon in crystal form forever.” He continues to say that for each one-carat diamond made, their practices remove 20 metric tonnes of pollution from the atmosphere.
