Glamorous diamonds are only a girl's best friend if they're gotten without any conflicts, earth-destroying mining ops or being bathed in blood. A great way to know for sure? By rocking a "cultured" diamond.
Created by replicating the conditions in Mother Nature's subterranean lab, a small diamond "seed" is first placed in a controlled environment that contains carbon and then pressurized. And atom by atom, layer by layer, the diamond begins to grow, eventually emerging as a rough stone with the same physical, chemical and optimal properties as the "wild grown" stones - down to the hardness, specific gravity, refractive index and dispersion factor. Even the way the stones are cut and polished is identical, as is the fact that the final product is accompanied by a grading certificate from the International Gemological Institute.
The largest source of cultured bling currently is Gemesis Diamond Company, which has a full line of colorless and fancy-yellow stones, equal to the best mined-diamonds but with one important difference: the point of origin is human- & eco-friendly! They offer either ready-to-wear jewelry or an option where you can select your stone(s) and design something uniquely you. For Earth Day, what better - or more sparkly - way to rock your green (or in this case, sparkly yellow) flag?
- Lesley Scott
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