Editor’s Note
This article explores the rise of lab-grown gemstones as an ethical alternative to mined stones, addressing environmental and human rights concerns in the traditional gem industry.
Since ancient times, gemstones and jewelry have adorned people’s lives as protective amulets and ornaments. The rarity and beauty of natural gemstones eventually became symbols of wealth and power, leading to dangerous mining operations worldwide in search of these beautiful raw stones.
However, in recent years, due to environmental and human rights issues hidden behind beautiful gemstones, lab-created artificial gemstones (lab-grown gemstones) have gained attention. The concept of ethical consumption, which considers how a product is made to aim for a world where people, the environment, and society can coexist, aligns with the philosophy and manufacturing methods of lab-grown gemstones, which are cultivated with consideration for labor conditions, human rights, and the environment. This connection is now resonating with many people.
The history of lab-grown gemstones themselves is long, with research and development said to have begun around 1900. While diamonds often come to mind first for lab-grown gemstones, Kyocera’s lab-grown gemstones began with the production of emeralds in 1975. This was a business initiated by the company’s founder, Kazuo Inamori, not to negate natural gemstones, but out of concern for the depletion of raw stones due to mining, aiming to create gemstones that could illuminate people’s lives for the next 100 years and beyond.
Kyocera’s lab-grown gemstone, named ‘Crescent Vert,’ uses the company’s own recrystallization technology to recreate the process by which the finest natural gemstones are formed, within its Kyoto Fushimi Plant. It is manufactured using raw ore that does not require dangerous mining. It has high purity and is almost indistinguishable from natural stones in chemical, physical, and optical properties.
Now, about half a century after the successful production of emeralds, the ‘Crescent Vert’ brand offers 14 types of lab-grown gemstones and jewelry, including sapphires and rubies.
About half a century ago when ‘Crescent Vert’ was born, being natural was one criterion for a gemstone’s value, and the value of artificially created lab-grown gemstones was low. Furthermore, as Kyocera was the only company in Japan commercially manufacturing lab-grown gemstones for jewelry, ‘Crescent Vert’ jewelry was sometimes called imitation during that period.
However, currently, requests for raw ‘Crescent Vert’ stones have increased in recent years, and sales have grown by approximately 70% compared to 2019. While rubies and blue sapphires were traditionally the main products for overseas markets, demand for alexandrite, green chrysoberyl, and others has increased since last year, expanding sales channels. Domestically, more companies are resonating with the value of lab-grown gemstones and ethical initiatives, adopting the brilliance of ‘Crescent Vert’ for their own products.
(Quote: Hiyori Taki, Sales Department, Jewelry Applied Products Business Division)
For about half a century, Kyocera has challenged itself to realize artificial gemstones that give people dreams and enrich their hearts, creating numerous lab-grown gemstones. We will continue to use our technological and development capabilities to aim for a world that coexists with people, the environment, and society.
