Call us scientists because we've got some serious chemistry with lab grown diamonds. They're identical to their natural alternatives when it comes to looks, properties and quality – just often a more affordable option. The same high-quality and forever heirloom appeal, without having to mine the earth.
Learn more about why we're using lab grown diamonds in The Tennis Collection, plus our new Product Passport feature for 100% traceability.
What Are Lab Grown Diamonds?
Starting with tiny carbon seeds of pre-existing diamonds, scientists use advanced technology – either extreme pressure and heat or a special deposition process known as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) – to mimic the method of natural diamond formation. Over the course of six to ten weeks, a rough diamond is formed, then it’s cut, polished, and set.
When it comes to grading, lab grown diamonds are assessed in the same way as natural diamonds – with the 4 Cs: carat, colour, clarity, and cut. Our lab grown diamonds are grown via the CVD method; they're 'G/H' for colour and 'VS+' for clarity, the same as our natural diamonds. They're also SCS Global certified, the ultimate benchmark for sustainability and responsibility in production.
We're partnering with Fenix Diamonds to source our lab grown diamonds. It operates on five sustainability pillars: Traceability, Ethical Stewardship, Climate Neutrality, Sustainable Production, Community Investment. Fenix Diamonds operates two locations in India – Sachin, where they are grown and Navsari, where they are cut and polished. Both sites are SCS Global certified for sustainability and SMETA audited. Fenix Diamonds uses 65% renewable power from the wind and the sun. Their remaining carbon footprint, including shipping and employee commuting, is offset with certified emission reductions from the United Nations Framework on Climate Change projects.
Natural Diamonds vs. Lab Grown Diamonds
Lab grown diamonds are considered a more ethical choice, avoiding the issues associated with mining and difficulties with traceability. Moreover, the production process of these diamonds can be monitored and controlled, often resulting in a higher percentage of high-quality stones.
100% Traceable: Our Product Passport is Here
Look out for the 'Trace Me' symbol on new lab grown diamond pieces to discover our brand-new feature. We've teamed up with Vayuu to launch a Digital Product Passport, after previously being the first jewellery brand to work with them to calculate and offset carbon from our deliveries and returns in real time.
A DPP is a transparent digital record of a product’s journey throughout its lifecycle, the key to unlocking 100% traceability. This innovative technology will allow our community to track their new piece’s journey from start to finish – from where the diamonds are grown, through to being handcrafted by our factories' skilled artisans, all the way to the packaging they’ll arrive in. Talk about clear intentions.
Speaking of journeys, this is only the start of ours as we look forward to rolling the technology out to more and more of our pieces.