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What are lab grown diamonds and why should you care about them?

WORDS BY GENEVIEVE PHELAN

The budget-friendly and ethical bling you might not know about. 

If someone I loved was to (hypothetically of course) propose to me today, I wouldn’t probably cause too much fuss around the rock on my finger. But that rock is permanent-ish, on display full-time and something you’d hope will last a lifetime. If I ever wear one, I hope it glistens, feels like ‘me’ and catches the light just right. 

Many of us would be too beguiled by the shine and sparkle of that gleaming bling to consider exactly where that little diamond came from, or how it was spawned. Turns out, there’s a brand whose forte is just this.


For more fashion news, shoots, articles and features, head to our Fashion section.


Kavalri is a lab-grown and naturally mined diamond jewellery label, known for its custom made engagement and wedding rings. Like me, you probably had no idea diamonds could be made artificially, nor have you ever wondered what impact your jewellery has on the earth

But when it comes to choosing between a naturally-mined or lab-grown diamond to propose to your lover, Kavalri and its kin have either option covered.

Turns out, the diamond industry has taken some big strides over the last decade, involving a lot of complex new tech advances that allow for lab-grown diamonds to rival the original, mined kind. And despite their differing origins, the similarities are pretty uncanny.

But what are lab-grown diamonds exactly? 

Lab-grown diamonds are, in fact, still diamonds. They’re conjured up in a lab and grown in a way that replicates how natural diamonds are born below the earth’s surface.

Without getting overly technical on you, this process takes a ‘natural diamond carbon seed’ and exposes it to a LOT of heat and pressure. From here, that teenie seed transforms (over time) into a rough diamond from which a dazzling ring can be made. 

So, why labs over mines?

Lab-grown diamonds don’t require any arduous mining missions and aren’t sold to finance an insurgency or an army’s war efforts, making them ‘conflict-free’ to produce. Physically, they are a match for the mined stuff, with identical optical and chemical characteristics.

Lab-grown diamonds are made of pure carbon – the same mineral earth-mined, natural diamonds are made of. They’re also graded the same way as the natural ones, and the bonus perk is they come in around 50 to 60 per cent cheaper than the earth’s kind. Att: 20-something hopeful home-buyers looking to put a ring on someone without hemorrhaging their life savings.

Kavalri ensures all lab diamonds come complete with an IGI diamond certification and each individual diamond is laser-inscribed with a one-off certificate number denoting that special stone. This means everything’s traceable and rigorously regimented, so you can be sure you’re flaunting a one-of-a-kind ring on your finger.

What’s the verdict?

Chemically and physically, the natural stones and man-made stones are nearly identical.

So, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly but beautiful diamond, or you’ve been propositioned as the best friend who helps their mate’s partner pick out *the perfect ring*, hit them with this idea: why not choose a diamond that could be glitzier, whiter, brighter and kinder to the earth? Plus, you’ll save some extra dosh for the pub on announcement night.

To learn more about Kavalri, or to book an appointment at its Brisbane or Melbourne showroom, head here.

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