What are ethically sourced diamonds?

July 29, 2020

Written by Lani Williams

July 29, 2020

Written by Lani Williams

Diamonds have long held their position as one of the world’s most precious gemstones. They have long been the go-to stone for wedding bands, engagement rings, and high-quality jewellery and commodities.

Consumers and jewellery shoppers are becoming more and more interested – no, demanding about knowing the origins of their products, and the production of ethical diamonds is on the rise.

Nowadays, ethically sourced diamonds and alternatives – including recycled and lab-created diamonds– are more popular than ever amongst newlyweds and jewellers alike.

What are ethically sourced diamonds?

To categorise an ethically sourced diamond, it must be mined through fair humanitarian practices. The miners wages and conditions when sourcing raw diamonds is crucial for the classification. After the diamond is mined, it must be ethically valued and processed, otherwise the qualification is impure.

In these modern times, it is almost impossible to source un-ethical diamonds due to the very strict protocols in place and we always work only with reputable suppliers to prevent any contact with such.

What are conflict-free diamonds?

With any highly sought after and valuable resource, acts of violence and terrorism aren’t far away. So when we talk about conflict-free diamonds, these are diamonds that are mined in an area which is free from any kind of ‘blood issues’ caused through terrorism or terror-related crimes.

The good news? It is pretty much impossible to buy or trade these kinds of diamonds due to the very strict protocols and practices in place within the diamond industry.

How can you ensure diamonds are being ethically sourced?

Most jewellers, including us here at Windfall, have taken preventative measures to ensure that their diamonds are ethically sourced, valued and delivered by working with reputable suppliers.

At Windfall, we take sustainability seriously, which is why we work with ethically sourced diamonds, as well as lab created alternatives, heirloom, antique and recycled diamonds, to ensure that there is something for everyone.

Diamond alternatives

If you’ve got your heart set on a diamond but want to ensure it’s an ethical choice or don’t have the budget for one, here’s some diamond alternatives to seek out.

Recycled diamonds

Recycled diamonds are a popular sustainable choice for engagement rings. These are diamonds that are previously owned and have been reintroduced to the diamond industry’s supply chain.

The best part? They have zero environmental and social impact, but it’s always best to check with a reputable vendor before purchase. We can source these for you or if you have an heirloom jewellery piece passed down from your family that features a diamond you’d like to re-use, we can do that and recreate a new heirloom piece.

Lab-created diamonds

Not to be confused with Moissanite, lab created diamonds are actually real diamonds that are both chemically and optically the same as diamonds created by mother nature. In fact, many gemologists have real trouble distinguishing between the two. Their only real difference is how they are born: lab-created diamonds are grown in a controlled lab environment over a series of week, rather than naturally forming over millions of years in the Earth’s crust. Both share a hardness rating of 10 on the Mohs scale, and both are graded based on the 4 c’s: colour, clarity, cut and carat.

Lab grown diamonds are less expensive than their natural diamond siblings despite being equivalent in colour, cut, clarity and carat size. However, they are still considered a premium valuable stone and are therefore much closer to diamond prices than moissanite, which are only a fraction of the cost.

Moissanite diamonds

Moissanite is a silicon carbide (SiC)construct and the best alternative to diamonds that modern technology can offer. Though Moissanite is in fact a naturally occurring substance, there is so little of it in its natural mined state, that it cannot be mined and used for jewellery. Instead, all Moissanite you see in jewellery pieces is largely man-made.

Moissanites are grown in a carefully controlled laboratory setting. The lab we use has 18 years of experience and high quality control standards. Formed from a specific structural configuration of silicon carbide, they are optically very similar to a natural diamond, but with some added features. Moissanite naturally has more fire dispersion and brilliance than most natural diamonds. It also has a hardness rating of 9.25 on the Mohs scale which makes them an excellent, hard wearing alternative to natural diamonds.

The carat is the traditional unit of measurement for a diamond's weight. Moissanite is not measured in carats because it weighs approximately 10 percent less than diamond. For example, a 6.5mm round diamond would weigh 1.0ct, while a 6.5mm round Moissanite would weigh 0.88ct. The two stones would be the same size - 6.5mm in diameter. For this reason, all Moissanites for sale are listed on our website with their size in millimetres.

If you have a particular brand of Moissanite you wish to use in your dream piece (Eg. Charles and Colvard, Supernova etc), please contact us prior to placing your order as we can source and bring in the stone for you and can re-quote you your piece based on using these branded Moissanite. Also, Moissanites are available in grey and black and from time to time we are also able to get other coloured Moissanite in. Contact us if you are interested in placing these options into your ring.

Why choose lab-created diamonds?

If going down the path of diamonds, you may ask yourself why you would get a lab grown or Moissanite diamond over a natural diamond, or vice versa. There is no right or wrong answer there. Different strokes for different folks as they say. Ultimately, the final decision will really be based on your budget and what’s important to you.

You may consider natural diamonds because let’s face it, they’re beautiful. Plus, having a little piece of mother nature to call your own – all while knowing that the stunning rock was created all by the wonders poured into mother nature herself –is rather enchanting. Some people also prefer the natural energy within these diamonds, which cannot be found in lab-created diamonds.

Moissanites are also the perfect alternative for those who want the white diamond look but not the price tag that comes with it. Moissanites are a fraction of the cost to natural diamonds, but are equivalent in size, colour and clarity.

Finally, lab grown diamonds aren’t far off the price of naturals in many instances, so you may just decide, why not the real natural deal?

Buying the diamond that feels right for you

At the end of the day, ‘diamonds are forever’, so it’s important to choose and buy the diamond that feels right for you and your partner. Ethical, conflict-free, lab grown, antique or recycled – there are so many options out there.

We recognise growing consumer consciousness around large scale diamond mining and are proud to offer an alternative as part of our range.

You may consider lab grown diamonds if you would prefer them for ethical reasons. Even though we of course only use conflict-free and ethically sourced diamonds, some clients do not want to contribute money towards the mining industry as a whole.

If you’re after a lab or natural white diamond, we can do this in any of our styles or a complete custom design for you. Contact us for more information or come in for a consultation and we can get the ball rolling on sourcing your desired stone.