Lab Diamond Pendants: The Sustainable Choice
Timeless and versatile, diamond pendants radiate fiery beauty. Unfortunately, some pieces have troubling origins due to the way their diamond gemstones are mined. For people who are concerned about the potential environmental toll of natural diamonds, John Atencio offers an exquisite selection of lab-grown diamond jewelry. Among his most stunning examples, John’s lab diamond pendants blend scintillating, sustainable beauty with uniquely artful designs.
What Are Lab Diamond Pendants?
Lab-grown diamond pendants are coveted for their exceptional quality, brilliant sparkle and minimal environmental impact. For people in search of more economical, eco-friendly alternatives to traditional diamonds, lab-grown gems are a fantastic option.
Grown in dedicated facilities using specialized technology, lab diamonds are created using incredibly high heat and pressure, along with responsibly sourced raw materials. While the process may seem complex, the final results are simple and stunning: Lab diamonds are physically, chemically and optically identical to naturally mined diamonds.
One of the big benefits of lab diamond pendants is that, to the naked eye, their stones are indistinguishable from natural diamonds. Even the most experienced master gemologist is unable to identify lab diamond gemstones. Again, lab diamonds are physically, chemically and optically identical to naturally mined diamonds. The only actual difference is that the lab diamonds have microscopic inscriptions. Without a microscope, however, it’s simply not possible to distinguish lab diamond pendants from necklaces made with natural diamonds.
Held to the exact same standards as natural diamond gemstones, lab diamonds are rated based on the all-important 'Four Cs' (cut, color, clarity, and carat weight). Just like natural diamonds, lab diamonds must be cut and polished by skilled cutters to make beautifully faceted gemstones for jewelry. That said, not all lab diamond pendants are created the same.
When it comes to designing diamond necklaces, many jewelers have a limited imagination. Not so, with John Atencio. When crafting his diamond pendants, John applies the same uniquely bold creativity he uses for each and every jewelry piece in his collection. This gives you an astounding diversity of options, whatever your personal taste or individual style.
A Sustainable Choice
When it comes to purchasing natural diamonds for their jewelry, not every jeweler maintains John Atencio’s strict adherence to stringent ethical and social standards. For instance, John adheres to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), a worldwide effort aimed at eliminating the trade of "conflict diamonds.” John has also established relationships with ethical miners to ensure that all of his natural diamonds are responsibly sourced in ways that will not harm the environment.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the case with every jeweler. Many natural diamonds are often used to fund wars and illegal acts. They are also frequently linked to human rights issues and troubling environmental consequences. Likewise, when irresponsible miners extract diamonds from the earth, they can pollute the soil, poison local water supplies and cause other disturbing damage to the environment.
Since lab diamonds are made in a controlled setting, these concerning environmental and ethical issues do not exist. Lab-grown diamonds also typically cost about 30% less than natural diamonds of comparable size and quality.
Buying lab diamond pendants eliminates any worries over the environmental impact and human toll of mining diamonds. Simply put, John Atencio’s lab diamond jewelry is the current standard of responsible ethics and environmental stewardship in the diamond trade. John's lab diamonds are also just as brilliant and beautiful as the very finest natural diamonds, differentiated only by origin.
John Takes Things Further
When diamond gemstones are mined irresponsibly, nearly 100 square feet of land is damaged or, at the bare minimum, disturbed. But diamond mining isn’t the only thing that impacts Mother Nature. Unethical metal mining can also be highly destructive to the environment. Many countries have endured serious soil erosion, shocking deforestation, and other tragic consequences due to irresponsible gold and silver extraction. Chemicals such as mercury and cyanide are also usually involved in the metal mining process. This can damage ecosystems, impacting everything from food production and wildlife for up to 100 years.
When crafting his jewelry pieces, John Atencio utilizes recycled gold which helps fight this troubling trend by reducing the need for more gold mining. Most recycled gold comes from catalytic converters, circuit boards and various computing components. It may sound unglamorous, but in the hands of John Atencio, this fine gold is transformed into breathtaking jewelry pieces that are elegant, lustrous and much more environmentally friendly.
If you're looking for a stunning, environmentally-friendly alternative to natural diamond jewelry, John Atencio’s lab diamond pendants are a perfect choice. Do a lab diamond search, explore our striking selection of lab diamond jewelry, or make an appointment at one of our many nearby locations, where our knowledgeable team can help you find a fine piece of diamond jewelry that reflects your one-of-a-kind style.
Listen to our podcast episode on Lab Grown Diamonds.
