Same quality.
Minus the impact on our planet.
Above ground, also known as lab-grown or man-made diamonds are diamonds, identical to a mined diamond. They are nearly impossible to differentiate from mined diamonds and even experienced gemmologists may not be able to tell the difference, making them the ideal sustainable and ethical option. In fact, the only way to distinguish a lab-grown diamond from a mined diamond is by examining the diamond with specialised laboratory equipment.
Lab-grown, man-made or ethical diamonds, are created in a lab in the same way as they are in nature; using extreme heat and pressure, with the same materials used to create mined diamonds. They are made from pure carbon, crystallized in an isotropic 3D form.
The end result is a brilliant, high-quality ethical diamond with the exact same visual performance as any other diamond mined from the ground.
Ethically sourced diamonds have the exact same visual performance as a diamond mined from the ground.
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EXPLORATION - MINING
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SORTING - CUTTING & POLISHING
DIAMOND TRADER- DIAMOND TRADER
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GOLDSMITH - DIAMOND SETTING
- POLISHING
- brand
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RETAILER
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LABORATORY - CUTTING & POLISHING
- GOLDSMITH
- DIAMOND SETTING
- POLISHING
- LEIL
repeat up to 15x’s
2003As knowledge about conflict diamonds increases, so too does public outcry. In an effort to regulate the sale of conflict diamonds, the Kimberley Process is formed. The process is an international certification system created in an attempt to reassure consumers that the diamonds they bought were conflict-free. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) definition of conflict diamonds is “a rough diamond mined in an area controlled by insurgent forces whose sale is used to finance anti-government military action”.
2008Cracks begin to emerge and it becomes apparent that the KPCS certification process doesn’t account for broader human rights issues such as worker exploitation or the mass exodus of local communities to make space for mining. The certification process also occurs in batches, which allows individual stones to be cut and sold all around the world with no effective tracking process in place. In 2008, KPCS authorise the export of conflict diamonds from two companies operating in the Marange diamond fields in Zimbabwe where 200 miners were killed after the Zimbabwe army seized control. This area is one of many regions still affected by conflict today.
2008Global Witness, a key leader in the campaigning against conflict diamonds, severed their partnership with the Kimberley Process as a result of the events of 2008 and the growing awareness around the ineffectiveness of the KP certification program.
2019In March 2019, the UN’s Plenary agenda sought to broaden the definition of conflict diamonds beyond the current interpretation. The UN general assembly called on the Kimberley Process to widen its definition. Unfortunately, delegates at the Plenary could not reach a consensus, and the current definition remains today. This definition can allow conflict diamonds to circulate widely. Despite efforts to form new certification schemes, no such international scheme has been formed, leaving no reliable, widely accepted certification scheme in place to stop the spread of conflict diamonds.
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LAB GROWN
DIAMONDS |
NATURAL
DIAMONDS | |
|---|---|---|
| CHEMICAL COMPOSITION | C | C |
| CRYSTALLINE STRUCTURE | CUBIC | CUBIC |
| REFRACTIVE INDEX | 2.42 | 2.42 |
| DISPRESION | 0.044 | 0.044 |
| HARDNESS | 10 | 10 |
| DENSITY | 3.52 | 3.52 |
Above ground diamonds are new age diamonds. They are “smarter” diamonds, particularly when it comes to value. LeiL diamonds are of the highest quality, created to the same exacting standards as mined diamonds, resulting in stones of exceptional quality. Above ground diamonds are made for a new age luxury market who treasure fine things yet also prioritise value.
Above ground diamonds offer the buyer immense value; they’re created with a shorter supply chain and are sold in a highly competitive market. While not necessarily “cheap”, above ground diamonds allow you to own a far higher-quality stone in comparison to purchasing a mined diamond.
Our new age diamonds are scaled using the same rating system as mined diamonds. Above ground diamonds have the same hardness, density and chemical composition as diamonds found underneath the ground.
While the above ground diamond industry is growing at an astounding rate, many people are still romanced by the allure of mined diamonds.
While whatever stone you decide to choose is a highly personal choice, the simple fact remains that purchasing above ground diamonds will allow you or your significant other access to a larger and higher-quality stone for less.
The stone you purchase to sit within a beloved jewellery piece is often selected for a lifetime of wear. Whichever stone you settle with should be chosen, loved and cherished without the faintest trace of guilt or uncertainty about its origins.
The need for above ground diamonds has grown dramatically in recent years, due in part to an increasing awareness around conflict diamonds and a growing consumer conscience concerned with the origin of mined diamonds sold all around the world. Consumers are stepping away from mined diamonds due to their humanitarian and environmental cost.
LeiL diamonds are 100% conflict-free, and represent a more responsible choice of stone. Increased demand and the growth of the above ground diamond industry is a testament to the changing consumer perceptions around diamonds, highlighting the desire for change and the desperate need we feel to forge the foundations for a kinder world.
Our pieces are created with 100% transparency. At LeiL, we’re committed to transparency and open to discussing anything to do with our brand; from our diamonds to our processes and everything in between.
Diamonds from us straight to you, without the middleman
Mined diamonds use an astronomical amount of resources to source. By comparison, above the ground diamonds offer a far more sustainable choice. Diamond mining can often involve the removal of vast amounts of soil in areas so large they can be seen from space. Despite efforts being made to try to reduce the environmental impact of diamond mining, these diamonds still represent a heavy cost to the world around us.