What Are Conflict-Free Diamonds? | GLDN

Written by GLDN Team — October 18, 2024

Simply put, a conflict-free diamond is a diamond that doesn’t fund conflict (like wars or terrorism) and doesn’t contribute to human rights violations. For many of you reading this, this may come as a shock—how could something so beautiful have such a dark history?!

The positive spin, though, is that we all have the opportunity to change this and invest in diamonds free from corrupt mining practices…instead turning to ethical and sustainable lab-grown diamonds that have more benefits than you could even imagine.

Are conflict-free diamonds lab grown?

Not all conflict-free diamonds are grown in a lab, but purchasing lab-grown diamonds is a surefire way to ensure your diamond is conflict-free! Because lab-grown diamonds are created (and not mined), there’s no need to worry about labor standards and the environmental impacts of mining.

That said, if you really want a mined diamond, you can look for diamonds certified through the Kimberley Process. They aim to regulate the diamond trade—which is a great start—but some customers have found that they still aren’t strict enough on sourcing and the impacts of it.

Therefore, our argument is this: lab-grown diamonds are your best bet for truly conflict-free, environmentally friendly diamonds that are visually, physically and chemically identical to mined diamonds in every way.

The best part? They’re typically way more affordable, too!

Here’s a quick cheat sheet on the terms:

Lab-grown diamond or lab diamond: a diamond that has been created in a lab, not extracted from the earth
Mined diamond: a diamond that has been extracted from the earth
Conflict-free diamond: a diamond that doesn’t contribute to war or human rights violations; can either be mined or lab-grown, though not all mined diamonds are conflict-free

Are conflict-free diamonds real?

Yes, conflict-free diamonds are real diamonds that are not used to fund social conflicts or war. These can either be mined or lab-grown, though many argue that purchasing a lab-grown diamond is the only way to ensure your diamond is truly conflict-free.

Are lab diamonds real?

In every sense of the word, yes! Lab-grown diamonds are 100% real diamonds, and are chemically, physically and visually identical to earth-mined diamonds. The demand for lab-grown diamonds has skyrocketed in recent years (due to ethics and sustainability concerns of mined diamonds) and the engineering methods of lab-created diamonds have been perfected to produce beautiful, economical, real gemstones for life’s biggest moments.

Are lab diamonds more ethical?

Lab-grown diamonds are verifiably more ethical than earth-mined diamonds. Purchasing a lab-created diamond is the #1 way to ensure your diamond has been ethically produced and ethically sourced. Lab-grown diamonds don’t require mining (which, as we now know, damages our ecosystems, pollutes our water and releases greenhouse gasses into our atmosphere).

How are lab diamonds made?

Lab-grown diamonds are created in a laboratory using mined diamond “seeds” instead of being extracted from the earth. This is a state-of-the-art technology that replicates the natural conditions under which diamonds were formed in the earth. The result? A more sustainable diamond with the exact same lattice crystal structure as a mined diamond.

So, why should I choose a conflict-free lab diamond?

TL;DR? Here are three reasons why choosing a conflict-free, lab-grown diamond is the way to go.

Ethics: does not fund war, conflict or human rights violations (otherwise known as “blood diamonds)
Environment: does not contribute to disruptive and pollutive mining practices
Price: depending on the retailer, can cost anywhere from 20-85% less