Recycled Diamonds

Today, the word purity is almost synonymous with diamonds. That clean white flash and brilliant sparkle, the crystal-clear clarity, the meticulously cut facets that are fashioned into crisp, bright diamond cuts! Diamonds are pure class, pure sparkle, and pure dreamy accessories. But surprisingly, diamonds aren't always pure morally...and that's where ethical diamonds come in.

Unlike the much dreaded blood diamond, ethical diamonds actually are pure (morally, that is). Whether they're whipped up in a lab with precision and care or clawed out of the earth under conditions that don't make your conscience squirm, these gems are born under conditions that uplift and support others instead of treating them like cogs in a machine.

And it's not just people we're talking about here-it's the whole picture. No, these landscapes, these communities, they get a boost. Ethical diamonds come from operations that don't just take; they give back, making sure they're not leaving the world worse off for their sparkle.

And look, we get it. Ethical diamonds can be confusing. Greenwashing, and the newer termed kindwashing are very much things to look out for, and it seems like there are a million different websites saying a million different things about what makes an ethical diamond. Luckily, knowing the following types of ethical diamonds can help you sniff out what is suss and what is stand-up, allowing you to get your sparkle fix without that nasty side of guilt.

Lab Grown Diamonds

One of the more popular types of ethical diamonds, lab grown diamonds are simply diamonds that are created and manufactured in a lab setting rather than the earth. These diamonds are chemically and physically identical to naturally mined diamonds, all that is different is how they were made.

Natural Conflict Free Diamonds

Conflict free diamonds are diamonds that have been mined in a way that does not support human rights abuses or environmental damage and do not contribute to the funding of armed conflict in the territory that they were mined.

While all lab grown diamonds are naturally conflict free (you know, because of the whole lab situation) natural diamonds are not always. To ensure a flood of conflict free diamonds on the market, The Kimberley Process (KP) was passed in 2003. This process has increased the transparency and oversight in the diamond trade process, resulting in a massive decrease of conflict and blood diamonds on the market.

Recycled Diamonds

There's this saying in the fashion industry, "What's new is old and what's old will come back new again", and, darling, it's the same for diamonds. Recycled diamonds, or as we call them at Frank Darling, twice loved diamonds, are diamonds that have been previously owned before returning once more to the market. Truly, a sustainable slay.

Yes, recycled diamonds are ethical! In fact, recycled diamonds could practically give a masterclass on reducing, reusing, and, well-recycling. They aren't digging new holes in Mother Earth and aren't stirring up any new conflicts-heck, they're not even demanding new resources. They're like the party guests who bring their own drinks and offer to help clean up afterwards, considerate queens who are low impact and eco-friendly.

And let's not forget about the workers and communities usually caught in the crosshairs of the diamond trade. With recycled diamonds their welfare remains untouched because it isn't adding to the demand for more mining.

So sure, recycled diamonds may have some mileage on them, but trust us, they pack an ethical punch. And maybe they don't have the tabula rasa appeal of a fresh-from-the-earth stone but their ethical credentials are top-notch and their sparkle is as vibrant and bright as the day they were first mined or grown.

So is a recycled diamond ethical? Only as ethical as they come! And whether you're rocking your great Aunt's emerald cut stunner, an antique Old mine cut, or just any previously loved gem, you can rest easy knowing that your diamond is as ethical as it is beautiful.

Alright, when we’re throwing lab grown diamonds and recycled diamonds into the ethical wrestling ring, remember this: Both these contenders have solid claim to the ethical heavyweight title. They're the good guys in a world of questionable champions. But now, you’re asking who would win in a match of ethical muscle-bending? Let’s break it down.

In the first corner, lab grown diamonds. These sparkling beauties come with an impressive tag of 'ethical purity' thanks to being born within a scientific lab and not deep within the earth.

In the second corner, we have recycled diamonds. These guys are the thrifters of the diamond world, leaving no environmental footprint to sidestep that whole mining spiel. Diamonds are forever, and these ones prove it by living multiple lifetimes.

Yet, when it comes to picking sides, lab grown diamonds can toss a curveball with their carbon emissions game. The thing is, while these science-grown beauties don't scar the Earth, they still need an energy kick to go from carbon to crystal. And depending on where and how that energy's sourced, the carbon counter can tick from eco-hero to eco-zero real fast. That’s where Frank Darling's smarts come into play, grading their lab guys on not just where they grew up, but also on how green their birth was.

Each Frank Darling diamond supplier is graded on a scale of 1 to 4 based on the sustainability and traceability, with a different rubric for both natural and lab grown diamonds. Recycled diamonds will always be given a score of 4, the highest available, while any lab diamond can land anywhere on that range from 1 (this is a lab grown and certified ethically sourced diamond) to 4 (the lab this diamond was created in is carbon neutral).

Bottom line? Picking between lab grown and recycled diamonds is like choosing between two of your best fighters. Both fight the good fight—the best choice rests on which ethical emblem shines brightest on your chest (or ring finger).

If you, like us, had your mine blown in high school geometry when you learned that all rectangles are squares but not all squares are rectangles, you're in for a treat. Yep, that's right. Antique and recycled diamonds follow a similar mind-bending rule - all antique diamonds are recycled diamonds but not all recycled diamonds are antique diamonds.

We'll explain.

See, antique diamonds are simply diamonds that were cut and faceted anywhere between 1300 and 1939. These ageless stunners were most likely cut by hand and as such, show off softer and larger faceting patterns than their precision-focused, laser-cut descendants. As such, it's not all that uncommon for antique diamonds to maintain a different type of flash and sparkle. For example, old mine cut diamonds glitter most brilliantly in candlelight, which isn't surprising considering that the cut was designed pre-electricity.

Because antique cut diamonds are so old, it's a pretty safe bet to say that they've been around the block a few times. In fact, if you have your heart set on an antique diamond engagement ring then it's about 99.99999999% likely that you'll be sporting a recycled diamond.

So if all antique diamonds are recycled, why doesn't that mean that all recycled diamonds are antique? It all comes down to age.

A recycled diamond is simply a diamond that has been used/worn/loved before. This isn't its first rodeo and it's not new to the diamond market. Under this definition, any diamond can then be a recycled diamond regardless of how old it is as long as it's been worn or purchased before. So that diamond that you're hoping to exchange in that sweet sweet upgrade program? It's a recycled diamond now.