The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently expanded the definition of what a diamond is. That definition now includes synthetic diamonds. This makes some sense for their purposes, but customers still prefer and prize natural diamond jewelry over synthetics. It's crucial for the industry to make clear the differences so that customers can be informed.
Natural Processes Create Beauty
Customers value the industry's ability to be proactive about distinguishing the qualities between natural diamonds and synthetics. Many synthetics lack the natural flaws and impurities that give specific diamonds their rare and unique look. Less than 2 percent of natural diamonds are type IIa, which are those diamond that lack any impurities.
Impurities are what give diamonds color, whether strong or faint. They can change how the light behaves when reflecting off or refracting through the stone. Synthetic diamond jewelry lacks this individual quality for uniqueness. When it comes to diamond jewelry, lab-based perfection in the stone produces unexciting results.
Those natural processes that form each diamond uniquely do matter. They can make the resulting stones more diverse and more compelling in appearance. Maybe one day synthetics will be able to capture the flaws and impurities that give the most prized diamonds their value, but that day isn't here yet and it doesn't appear close.
The Journey is Important
Much of the value of natural diamonds also appends to their history. There's meaning in a stone that's taken millions of years to form in the earth, come to the surface, be mined, cut, graded, and set in an artist's unique vision. That's a story that people connect to, and it bolsters a metaphor of timelessness that reflects the love diamonds are often bought to celebrate.
Synthetics made in a lab lack any such history or meaning. They're artificial. When it comes to diamond jewelry meant to symbolize love, customers often wish to avoid suggesting anything about that relationship or their appreciation for the other person is artificial.
A proactive approach that educates consumers about the differences between mined and man made stones is a must, as is continuing the beautiful story that nature started millions of years ago.
