5 Ways to Pick the Perfect Sustainable Diamond For the Ethical Fashionista

Diamonds may or may not be your best friend but are surely a timeless addition to your jewellery box. For long these glittering beauties have been mired in controversies over illegal mining, the environmental impact of extracting them and of course, blood diamonds phenomenon.

So, whether you were putting off buying your very own first diamond due to these reasons or just the price tag, meet the green diamonds aka sustainable, lab-grown diamonds. These are just like the real deal in terms of purity, value except...they are created in a laboratory.

"Lab-grown diamonds are optically, physically and chemically the same as mined diamonds. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE, except for its price. The high costs of extraction and trade are eliminated, making them 1/3 of the price of a mined diamond. So why opt for a lab-grown diamond? They are a guilt-free and an affordable option, that keeps the luxury aspect intact- making a diamond that is TRULY forever," says Disha Shah, Founder and Designer, DiAi Designs.

Trillion Encrust Bracelet by DiAi Designs

Meanwhile, Pooja Sheth, MD and founder of Limelight Handcrafted Diamonds likens these to a 'Koh-i-Noor' for everyone. She says, " “The beauty of technology is that it permits you to enjoy something you could never even dream of. Truly, an industry revolution, CVD diamonds turn dreams into reality by offering Type IIa diamonds that belong to the same league as the Koh-i-Noor in the hand of every consumer."   

Limelight Handcrafted Diamonds

So, not only are diamonds affordable, you will taking one step further as an eco-fashionista. "Lab-grown diamonds are sustainable, more kind to the environment and more competitively priced. The only difference in lab-grown and mined diamonds is the origin or location of it being formed. They are real diamonds and completely genuine. A lab-grown diamond has the exact same chemical, physical and optical qualities as a mined diamond... They also come in the same variations in colour, clarity, cut and carat as mined diamonds so purity isn't an issue," says Vandana Jagwani, founder, Vandals.

Model wearing Vandals jewellery.

Well, now that you know exactly where your ethical diamonds are coming from, here's a handy guide on how to pick the right stone for yourself:

Note the 4Cs: Just like natural diamonds, the buying process remains the same and you should pick your jewellery depending on the 4Cs – colour, cut, clarity and carat of the stone.

Get the certification: Always get certification for solitaires and clarify the terms and conditions. Beyond that, they should just make sure they are buying it from a reliable and reputed source.

Research: Educate yourself, read about sustainable diamonds online and be sure of your purchase. Buy a diamond with an excellent cut and white colour, to ensure its sparkle.

Resale is no biggie: "CVD diamonds also have resale value. Brands such as ours, backed by one of the largest CVD diamond growers, offer its consumers buyback and 100% exchange opportunities," says Pooja.