DeBeers was once known for their commitment to offering their customers only “authentic” mined diamonds, however they are now surrendering to the allure of man-made diamonds. These artificial rocks are produced in less than three weeks in a laboratory using technology similar to what is used in 3D printing. Ironically, the brand that created the slogan “A diamond is forever” is marketing these new products with the claim that this is “affordable fashion jewelry that may not be forever, but is perfect for right now.”
“They’re not to celebrate life’s greatest moments, but they’re for fun and fashion,” said Bruce Cleaver, DeBeers chief executive officer. “We have always said we are a natural diamonds business. We remain a natural diamonds business.”
The company’s lab-made diamonds will be part of a line called Lightbox and will be offered in colors like pink, blue and white. These are being marketed not as special occasion jewelry items, but as casual fashion items. The stones themselves will bear the Lightbox logo to differentiate them from real diamonds.
If you’re in the market for a diamond, then you should know that lab-made diamonds and mined diamonds have exactly the same structure and chemical composition. In fact, lab-made diamonds can be perfectly flawless, something you won’t often see in natural diamonds. While mined stones have a higher value, they are almost indistinguishable from lab-made stones (special machinery is required to tell the difference).
[Via:TheGuardian]
