‘In early 2021 we will create diamonds out of thin air’

Dale Vince, Founder of the green energy provider Ecotricity spoke to ELN about the technology that promises to deliver the ‘world’s most eco-friendly’ diamonds.

Could a diamond be created without mining, out of a process which requires the capture of carbon dioxide and the use of rainwater?

Dale Vince, Founder of the British green energy provider Ecotricity, spoke to ELN about a new technology that could deliver in a few months what is considered to be ‘the world’s most eco-friendly’ diamond, named ‘Sky diamond’ – he said: “We take the carbon dioxide directly from the air, we use rainwater, we split it to make hydrogen and then we use hydrogen and carbon dioxide to make methane.

“And then we put methane and hydrogen into diamond mills and cook the diamonds in balls of plasma kept at about 8,000°C. And it takes two weeks to grow the diamond.”

The process begins when carbon dioxide is captured. It is then liquefied and purified, mixed with hydrogen obtained from rainwater by a chemical process called hydrolysis.

Hydrogen is then made into methane. This is pumped on to ‘diamond seeds’, five- to seven-millimetre square thin pieces of the diamond at a laboratory at Stroud, in Gloucestershire. The carbon in the gas attaches to the ‘seeds’ and forms the crystal structure of a diamond.

The facility will soon produce its first gems for customers.

Mr Vince added: “Early in the new year we will be able to deliver these ‘green’ diamonds in the market. We are currently in a pre-production stage. We have estimated that we can produce 200 carats a month.”

He explains the £5 million project was his idea: “It was ten years ago while I was working on ways to take carbon out of the atmosphere at scale. Immediately thought that’s only half the battle as it needs to be stored in a permanent form as well, otherwise, it would be only temporary. And I thought the most permanent form for carbon is a diamond. For seven years we were working to pursue this goal. For the last two years, we were working on perfecting the quality of the gems. We are now ready to get into proper production. The diamonds are fully certified by the International Gemological Institute.”

But are these ‘sky diamonds’ going to be sold at the same prices as natural diamonds?

He said: “The problem with the natural diamonds in the market is that the price fluctuates widely depending on who buys it, where they buy it and when they buy it. We think that is wrong. We are going to have a simpler price structure.”

According to a recent white paper on the impact of traditional mining drafted by researchers from Imperial College London, just to produce a one-carat stone, a diamond mine will shift 1,000 tonnes of rock and earth.

That amount weighs the same as around 625 cars, according to the research.

That same one-carat diamond will require around 3,890 litres of water and will generate 108.5 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions, which is enough gas to fill two shipping containers.

Mr Vince said: ‘Making diamonds from nothing more than the sky, from the air we breathe is a magical, evocative idea. It’s a modern alchemy. Its industry fit for the 21st century, going beyond low or even zero emissions our new process puts back air that is cleaner than we take out, we have negative emissions.

“This is a new benchmark. We need to live more sustainably in all aspects of life. Too often that looks difficult.”

5 Classy Statement Necklace Designs To Copy Now

Necklaces are just another best friend of a woman. No attire is complete without a necklace. Whether it be an Indian traditional wedding or festival or even a western type of party. The necklace is a must for women. There are numerous patterns and designs when it comes to necklaces. Finding a perfect neckpiece for an outfit is way too difficult than it looks.

Necklace jewelry is what a girl loves. From gold to diamond, necklaces are just eye-catching. The patterns like peacock, floral, or traditional Indian designs are just worth one’s attention. But there are even ways to style in a perfect statement necklace. No worries, today let us take some tips to style in statement necklace:

1. Multi-layered statement necklace– The multi-layered statement necklace is perfect to add to a casual or trendy outfit. It brings a bohemian twist to your look.

2. Splash of Colours– Mix-match your jewelry and outfit colours for a perfect mix.

3. Monochromatic statement necklace with colourful outfit– Monochromatic statement necklace is perfect for colourful outfits. Matching your outfit and necklace colours is even a better idea.

4. Sparkling statement necklace– Add a sparkling necklace to your dark outfit.

5. Glam necklace– Put on a glam necklace to your graphic t-shirt for a comfy look. A trendy way to style your necklace.

2020 is the year of men and pearl necklaces!

Worn by male celebrities across the globe, pearl necklaces, are a new emerging fashion accessory for men now. According to an international fashion shopping website Lyst’s Jewellery 2020 report, pearls have emerged as one of the year’s hottest jewellery trends for men. Pageviews for freshwater pearl anklets have increased 67 per cent since January, while searches for pearl drop earrings are up 25 per cent.

In the past, international artistes like Pharrell Williams, Shawn Mendes, Harry Styles, Billy Porter, A$AP Rocky have been spotted wearing this piece in various public events.The website claims that the rise in searches for pearl necklace for men paced after Harry Styles wore it in 2019’s December Met Gala. Closer home, Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh, who is known for his quirky and gender fluid fashion choices, was also spotted wearing a double layered pearl necklace on the day when he announced the release for his upcoming movie ‘Cirkus’.

“The fashion and entertainment industry are entering a new period where it’s not only the women who are getting to experiment with the latest trends based on gender binaries. The fact that renowned public figures like Shawn Mendes, Harry Style, Ranveer Singh, who are thoroughly admired by many,are experimenting with historically feminine trends such as pearl necklaces is a sign of how any and all trends are up for grabs, regardless of who has traditionally worn them in the past,” says fashion stylist, Shovan D.

Pearls were prominent especially during the time of Rajas and Maharajas, they were all seen wearing this piece of jewel. Pearls are considered to signify royalty and purity, hence, even today, pearl jewels are worn by Indian grooms on their wedding day. But with this trend things are changing. “Pearls won’t be just restricted to traditional attires. These fashion icons are wearing them with anything and everything, so, you don’t need a certain kind of outfit to pair the pearls with. You can just have fun with it,” says Shovan.