Diamonds have always been prized for their brilliance. The sharper the shine, the rarer the stone—and the higher the price. But, that is an equation which is no longer true. Shattering this historical connection and disrupting the price barriers are the new diamonds that are as clear as the proverbial Kohinoor but for one thousandth the price. And they are sustainable too!
Lab-grown or Carbon Vapour Deposition diamonds are the new, lean, mean and hungry option, and are as pure as the type IIa diamonds which were found historically in the Golconda mines. These diamonds are grown in a lab and not found in mines, hence, they are leaving the earth free of mining manipulations. To add to that is the decrease in costing which happens due to the fact that these diamonds incur zero mining costs. Besides their price, what appeals to its true audience, the millennials, is the fact that these diamonds help in sustaining the environment instead of depleting its resources.
To abridge their benefits in a quick factoid: CVD or Carbon Vapour Deposition diamonds are not just beautiful, they also save 109 gallons of water per carat, 10,193 square feet of land and 1,750 tonnes of land extraction! This is significant given that land mass and water are the most precious and stretched resources today.
My brush with these stones happened when I met Pooja Sheth, a young banker from the UK who came home to support the lifelong research of her uncle who was perfecting the art of ‘growing’ diamonds in his lab in Surat. A student of business from LSE, Pooja was fascinated by how these stones were, in their own small way, giving back to Mother Earth, yet were as stunning as their natural avatars. All they needed was to be crafted into a stylish collection of jewellery. Inspiring, beautiful and totally couture.
A young professional, Pooja states, “Millennials view jewellery in a new light. While their spending is the second highest on accessories, they respect stones that save the environment and are also chic and stylish in their design and appeal. Limelight Diamonds wishes to talk to these caring, young citizens of the world.”
Analogous to the concept of test tube babies vs naturally born babies, these CVD diamonds have the same optical, chemical, thermal and physical features as mined diamonds but, unlike them, handcrafted diamonds will allow customers to preserve their brightest shine forever.
“As resources get stretched and dwindle, the call of the hour is to use technology to create a new kind of heritage that is also conscious of the world and its ecological needs,” shares Pooja.
In fact, she shares that many girls go for solitaires which are lab-grown. “It is like acquiring your first diamond with your first salary. It takes away the reverence of possessing a diamond as well as the wait for it.” The Limelight design cell tries to create pieces that are as precious in their setting as are their rich natural cousins. Single and double strings of solitaires, pendants with diamonds cut into innovative shapes, hoops and chandeliers and a very stylish series in engagement rings. “My dream is to see a girl ask her fiance to save the earth and ask her to ‘say yes’ with a CVD diamond ring!” says Pooja.