Are Lab-Grown Gemstones more Ethical?
Lab-grown gemstones are man-made gems produced in a lab. Just like natural gemstones, lab-made gems can be created ethically or unethically.
While some facilities use renewable energy and pay their workers fairly, others release toxic chemicals into the environment, use massive amounts of water and energy, and pay their workers next to nothing in terrible working conditions.
Just like natural gemstones, it’s all about the individual mine, or in this case, lab. Ask questions to find out the truth of how these gems are being produced and what they’re doing to protect the environment and their workers.
We don’t generally work with lab-created stones at Gem Breakfast simply because we love the unique, earth-made magic of natural gemstones that can never be replicated in a lab. However, if you’re set on a lab-made gemstone, or want to compare the two options, we’re happy to chat!
Your ethical gemstone questions answered
Are sapphires ethical?
Sapphires can be sourced ethically or unethically depending on that mine’s practices. Ethically sourced sapphires have a clear orgin, are traceable from the mine and all throughout the supply chain, are mined, cut, and traded with fair and safe labor standards and working conditions, and will have been mined with environmentally responsible practices. Learn more about ethical sapphires in our in-depth blog and shop our collection of one-of-a-kind ethically sourced Montana sapphire rings here.
What is the most ethically sourced gem?
The most ethically sourced gems will be completely traceable from mine to market, use environmentally responsible mining practices, and have fair working conditions and labour practices all along the supply chain. Montana sapphires are a good example of this with transparent origin, environmentally sound mining techniques, and fair labor practices.
Do ethical gemstones exist?
Yes, ethical gemstones absolutely exist, however they aren’t the mainstream stones you’ll find in the average mall jeweler. Ethically sourced stones are harder to find and sometimes more expensive as the workers are paid a fair wage, corners aren’t being cut with the environment, and they are traced all along the suppy chain.
How to know if gems are ethically sourced?
An ethically sourced gemstone will have a transparent supply chain with traceable orgin, will be mined with environmentally responsible mining practices, and will have fair, safe, and ethical labor standards for workers all along the supply chain.
Is sapphire more ethical than diamonds?
About 3/4 of the world’s sapphires are mined by small-scale mining operations, making them generally less damaging to the environment and more likely to benefit the miners who found them than the large-scale, highly mechanized diamond industry.
