Diamonds, Eco Conscious, Synthetics and Simulants

The holidays are upon us and many of us want to celebrate the special women in our lives with jewelry. Based on the commercials and marketing, a diamond is a girls best friend and diamonds are forever. Thats nice and all, but how do you (or she) feel about them? The subject of Blood Diamonds (or conflict diamonds as they are also known) has been raised to a much higher mainstream level of consciousness, so there are social responsibilities to consider, but what about ecological? Mining isn’t exactly eco-friendly, and its not something that many think about when purchasing jewelry. So what are we left to do to ice out or make our girls feel special?

Ok, I’m done asking questions and it’s time to start providing answers. I’m going to cover mined diamonds, reclaimed diamonds, synthetic diamonds, and diamond simulants. Each has its own benefits and varying impacts on the environment to produce, just think of how educated you will become!

Mined Natural Diamonds

First lets start with real diamonds. The process of mining isn’t pretty, not only are you creating huge holes in the earth, but there is a lot destruction of rivers, ecosystems around mines, pretty much leaving the area around them one big fat dead zone. The diamond industry has attempted to address the blood diamond issue (slave labor used by militant factions to fund wars, destroy countries, etc.) by introducing the The Kimberley Process which brags conflict-free diamonds. Its a start, but hasn’t stemmed the flow (or tracking) of the diamonds past or originating country. But all hope is not lost!

Your best option, if you must have a mined diamond, is to choose an ethical jeweler with an independent trusted source for fair trade diamonds such as Brilliant Earth, or go through ethical diamond mining sites such as Pride Diamonds which promote sustainable communities and mine with care. Additionally, one of the most important things to do when purchasing a conflict-free diamond is to require a written warranty verifying the diamonds source and chain of custody. This will hold the jeweler responsible for their claim of labeling and selling a conflict-free diamond.

Alternatively, there are plenty of diamonds out in circulation already, case in point, i plan on remounting the vintage diamonds my grandmothers wedding ring in a more modern setting for my own wedding. If you don’t have your own heirloom diamonds, Green Karat features recycled and reclaimed jewelry including engagement rings and diamonds. If you are feeling adventurous, check your local pawn shops- be sure to get an appraisal so you know what you are getting though.

Synthetic Manufactured Diamonds or Cultured Diamonds

This may sound a little strange, but we actually have the technology and processes to create a real diamond. These are created using intense pressure and heat and a small real diamond ’seed’. The seed is to provide the molecular structure building block for the sheets of carbon placed over the seed to duplicate. This takes care of the mining and social responsibility issues of a natural mined diamond, but is it eco-friendly? It is an energy intensive process duplicating the natural heat and pressure that forms natural diamonds, only its in a laboratory using 58,000 atmospheres of pressure at 2,300-degrees Fahrenheit until the material crystallizes.

I would imagine that uses more energy than a 100watt light bulb, but probably nothing near the scale of the energy used for a mined diamond. Three major companies involved in manufacturing these gem quality true diamonds are Apollo, Gemesis and Chatham Created Gems. Due to current manufacturing restrictions, only colored diamonds are available in sizes larger than one carat. Because the diamond is created in a controlled environment, they are able to create a near perfect diamond every time. The cost for these cultured diamonds is approximately 15% less than a natural mined diamond, but the quality is usually superior.

Moissanite (Silicon Carbide)

While classified as a diamond simulant, the moissanite jewel also occurs naturally, and is in fact much more rare than a diamond. First discovered within a meteor crater in 1893, it was mistaken for a diamond. Today they are created much like a cultured synthetic diamond. Having a higher refractive index than diamond, moissanite is the most brilliant of colorless jewels. Optically, moissanite has more light return (brilliance and luster) and 150% more white light refraction (known as fire) than diamonds. The carat size for a moissanite is a bit larger due to its density and optical properties. Clarity and color is comparable to a high quality diamond with VS clairty and I, J, or K in color. It is also much harder than all gems (natural and synthetic) second only to a diamond (9.25 on the Mohs scale of hardness). The only manufacturer of moissanite is Charles and Colvard, but you can find them at many jewelers.

Cubic Zirconia Diamond Simulant (Zirconium Dioxide)

The ever popular and economical choice known as a cubic zirconiam is a synthetic gemstone with varying qualities. You can find these in costume jewelry stores, your local mall, clothing stores, really just about anywhere. There are varying grades of cubic zirconia, some resemble diamonds so much that it may be undetectable without using specialized equipment.

Creating a Cubic Zirconia

Physical and optical properties of cubic zirconia vary due to the recipe of stabilizer used by the individual manufacturers and can take on properties all ranges of clairty & color. High quality CZs actually are somewhat superior to diamonds in their color (they can reach a perfect ‘D’ colorless), dispersion (reflection off the surface of the gem), clarity (they can be internally flawless, and have a lower refractive index (more ‘fire’). The downside is the hardness of CZs is about an 8, which makes it more vulnerable to scratching and dulling from everyday wear and tear. Available in just about every color, this is a low cost alternative to diamonds and other mined gems. The creation process is similar to that of moissanite as it is grown in a labratory.

Whatever your fancy, there is a greener option out there for jewelry, diamonds and gems- whether you prefer a traditional diamond or a cultured alternative. I know what I’m giving my lady, but I’m not telling!