Growing up in an Indian family that has worked in the diamond jewelry industry for four generations, Ankit Mehta, the founder and CEO of the lab-grown diamond jewelry company Unsaid, has always had an appreciation for the sparkly stone.
“I love the beauty of diamonds and the art of transforming the raw material into a collectible piece of jewelry,” he says.
Mehta sought to find a more sustainable alternative to source diamonds, and through collaborating with researchers and experts in the jewelry space, he discovered that harvesting lab-grown versions used considerably less energy than mined diamonds. They were also comparable in aesthetics and had the identical crystal structure as mined diamonds.
“The process uses less carbon emissions and less water during the excavation process than with mined diamonds,” he says.
With the solution in hand, in August 2022, Mehta launched Unsaid, a brand that crafts low-impact fine jewels using renewable energy, lab-grown diamonds, recycled 18K gold, and recycled water. “Our aim is to create sustainable change within the luxury industry through our jewels without compromising on the tradition of craftsmanship by master artisans,” he says.
Mehta adds that lab-grown diamonds have a lower price point than their mined counterparts and offer value to consumers as well.
THE ITEMS
Unsaid’s jewelry collection includes necklaces, rings, earrings, and bracelets. Unique diamond cuts include the Bubble, the Tear, and the Phoenix. All diamonds are grown in Unsaid’s lab in Surat, India, a facility powered by renewable energy. It takes 600 hours to grow one of the company’s diamonds, Mehta says. The brand offers engraving services for its jewels.
THE PRICE
Unsaid’s jewelry ranges from US$925 to more than US$127,000. Rings start at US$925, bracelets at US$1,000, and necklaces and earrings cost at least US$3,000. The company also crafts custom jewels that cost all the way up to US$1 million or more. The pieces are available to buy on its site and at Saks Fifth Avenue, Dover Street Market in London, New York, Paris and Tokyo, and at Printemps in Paris.
WHAT’S THE GOOD
The company’s sustainability practices include using recycled water and solar power to crystalize its diamonds, which have the same scintillation, flash, fire, and brilliance as a mined stone, Mehta says.
Unsaid invests more than 50% of its research budget to advance its sustainability practices. To address its climate impacts, it brings in a third-party to conduct carbon footprint assessments.
The company unveiled the Reminiscence Ring, which totaled 35.9 carats—the largest lab-grown diamond in the world—during Haute Couture Fashion Week 2022 in Paris, according to Unsaid. It has committed to donating 100% of the profits from sales of the ring to the environmental organizations One Tree Planted and Sea Shepherd.
This year, Unsaid achieved the PButterfly Mark certification from Positive Luxury, a group that assesses the environmental, social, and governance-related actions of luxury brands.
WHAT’S NEXT
The company is on track to be carbon neutral by 2025 and is moving toward shifting to recycled packaging. In addition, it will open a flagship boutique near Place Vendome in Paris in April 2023 that’s built with sustainable materials and powered by solar energy.
“It will be fully green,” Mehta says. “It will be the first of many stores that we plan to open around the world that have a green footprint.”
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