DAZZLERS FROM THE LAB

Yes, diamonds are forever. But these days they needn’t take forever.

DAZZLERS FROM THE LAB

What do celebrities Meghan Markle, Lady Gaga and Penelope Cruz have in common? For one thing, they’ve all embraced a glittering new trend: man-made diamonds. For them, as for many others, diamonds grown in a laboratory have become a way to combine the passion for that special sparkle with a respect for the planet and its future.

The lab-grown diamond measures up in stellar looks and in physical and chemical composition too. Just like a mined diamond, it is graded for cut, color, carat and clarity. Yet all this comes without the humanitarian and environmental concerns that are associated with diamond mining. It’s no surprise, then, that man-made diamonds are hotter than ever with Gen Z and millennial folks, those most likely to be in the market for an engagement ring.

Speaking of heat, that’s part of the secret. You may wonder how a lab can replicate the magic by which—over millions of years—the Earth creates a diamond. In one popular method, small bits of natural diamond are used as diamond “seed.” They’re combined with methane and hydrogen gases and superheated to temperatures of 900 to 1200 Celsius. The diamond “grows” by bonding with carbon atoms that the gases help release. The whole process takes weeks, not eons.

Lab-grown diamonds can be as much as 30 percent cheaper than natural ones, but for most of their advocates that’s not the big draw. Instead, it’s the dazzling manufactured diamond itself—and the way it fits today’s belief in sustainability. If you’re a couple committing your lives to each other, you want to bring your best selves to the occasion. Why not honor your values with the most precious symbol of your love?