“Diamonds are forever” — but does the same go for lab-grown diamonds? Ever since De Beers came up with their famous tagline, diamonds have become synonymous with love, commitment, and wealth.

When technology that enabled the creation of lab-grown diamonds emerged, it rocked the diamond industry to its core. Some critics scoffed at the idea that man-made diamonds could ever replace the ultimate symbol of scarcity and value. But this notion didn’t account for the emergence of ethical consumers who are increasingly challenging this assumption.

So what lies ahead for the future of lab-grown diamonds? Are consumers in the Middle East ready to embrace them?

Lab Vs Mine Diamonds – What’s The difference?

Lack of knowledge surrounding lab-grown diamonds has led to certain misconceptions in the eyes of the consumer. They’re just as “real” as naturally formed diamonds, and if you saw them side by side, you wouldn’t be able to determine which one was lab-grown with the naked eye. This is because lab diamonds have the exact same physical, chemical, and optical properties as their mined counterparts.

Lab diamonds may have taken a different journey to reach your hands, but they are still diamonds. They are indistinguishable from mined diamonds; the only difference lies in how they were formed. Lab diamonds are carbon-based stones that are created in a laboratory using very high heat and pressure, whereas mined diamonds are formed deep within the earth over millions of years.

Naturally formed diamonds must go through an arduous journey, excavated from the depths of the mines by human hands, before being refined and cut for use in jewellery. The natural conditions that created diamonds no longer exist, so all the mined diamonds in the world have already been formed, just waiting to be extracted from beneath the Earth’s crust. The cost and labour involved in mining natural diamonds means they are marginally more expensive than ones created in a lab, but this price gap is slowly closing.

The Sustainability Revolution Is Here

As the younger generation across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations become more aware about the value of sustainability, it’s changing the way they think about lab-grown diamonds. It’s common knowledge that mined diamonds have been synonymous with unethical practises from major corporations that have had a tight grip on the market. But as consumer demands grow louder and become more impactful than ever before, companies are taking heed and increasingly shifting towards a future of ethically sourced diamonds.

Lab-grown diamonds present an immediate solution to the ethical question surrounding their alternative. They’re completely conflict-free, which means that you can wear a beautiful piece of jewellery without worrying about where your diamond has come from. And while lab-grown diamonds still represent value, their production consumes fewer resources than it takes to mine a natural diamond.

While it’s certainly not the end of mined diamonds just yet, lab-grown diamonds have a bright future ahead. They’re an ethical choice for both jewellers and consumers in the Gulf, which means they play a vital role in maintaining sustainable practises within the industry. And as more people become aware of their value, expect lab-grown diamonds to soon occupy an equal share of the diamond market as their mined cousins.