Pandora is counting on laboratory diamonds
The Danish jewellery company Pandora is changing its strategy. From now on, diamonds created in laboratories will be used for their priced jewellery.
Diamonds are a controversial commodity, as their mining is neither sustainable nor ethical. Talk of poor working conditions and even child labour surrounds the gemstones. These are just some of the reasons why Pandora is using synthetic diamonds in a collection for the first time. The «Brilliance» line consists of rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings in 14 carat white gold, yellow gold or silver. The jewellery designs are set with diamonds (from 0.15 to 1 carat) and range in price from the equivalent of 320 to 1700 francs.
Lab-grown diamonds are part of the sustainability strategy Pandora has been pursuing since last year. By 2025, the Danish company wants to be climate-neutral and only process 100 per cent recycled gold and silver into jewellery. To live up to its words, the brand wants to use 100 per cent renewable energy in its manufacturing by 2022, instead of the current 60. By doing so, the label is expected to reduce its ecological footprint by around 35,000 tons of CO₂.
Synthetic gemstones
The diamonds produced in the laboratory are grown from a hydrocarbon gas mixture using the «chemical vapour deposition» process. Carbon-rich gases, such as methane and hydrogen, are blown into a vacuum chamber and are heated inside an 800-degree-hot plasma cloud, where, as a result, they decompose. Within several weeks, small crystal fragments grow into a rough diamond, which is then cut and polished by hand.
The synthetic diamonds have the same characteristics and 4 C standards – cut, colour, clarity and carat – as the natural ones. Only when a laboratory diamond meets all the criteria is it made into jewellery.
The only drawback: the Brilliance collection will be available exclusively in the UK, one of Pandora’s largest markets, starting May 6. Starting next year, the line will be integrated little by little into other markets worldwide.
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