Lab grown Diamonds - Thoughts?

TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others

Hi~ Please help me decide, jewelry lovers
I was gifted a 7 ct lab grown tennis bracelet (42 stones, 4 prongs, white 14K gold, color FG VS2, $6.5K). Brilliant, and a nice wrist presence, nice stone size. I *could* get a 4ct natural diamond bracelet (61 stones, 4 prongs, white 14K gold, color I SI, $4.5K), which would make each stones much smaller, more daily wear. I have read that lab grown diamonds will hold no future resale value at all. Which bracelet makes more sense to keep/buy?

Most likely I will be the only one who enjoys my things and not truly concerned about leaving my goods to children (boys) etc. But the "reasonable" side of me wonders if I should get natural diamonds because it may be "worth" something, even at a fraction of the cost, later?

OR I was thinking of getting 2 Love bracelets. Total digression.

While I am lucky to be able to afford most things, I guess my indecisiveness comes from trying to make a prudent decision. I love the 7ct size on the wrist but I don't really want to pay for the 7ct on natural diamond tennis bracelet (because in girl math that's a Birkin).
What do you guys think? Appreciate any thoughts. Attached is the gifted lab diamond bracelet. Thanks.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot 2024-01-25 at 12.08.32 PM.png
    Screenshot 2024-01-25 at 12.08.32 PM.png
    663.2 KB · Views: 44
It is true that prices of lab-grown diamonds have continued to fall as technology improves, supply increases, etc.

However, I think another factor to consider isn't just resale value but also the look of the piece and how you will enjoy wearing it. With the lab-created bracelet being F to G color stones in VS2 quality, they will not only be a lot whiter but also potentially cleaner to the eye than natural stones in I color and SI clarity. Have you had a chance to compare them side by side in person to see if the color and clarity differences are important to you?
 
Personally, I prefer natural diamonds and only buy them. However, it is solely personal preference. If you don't mind going the lab grown route, the specs on that bracelet are arguably "better" in terms of how they will look on your wrist (CityKitty has some great points).

But if I may offer an alternative, I would keep shopping around to see if you can snag a better deal for a natural tennis bracelet. I just ran a google search out of curiosity and found one with similar specs but G color (color matters a lot to me in diamonds) for 4.2k.

buuut - if you don't own a love bracelet yet, I cannot say enough good things about it! I love mine for everyday wear.
 
Personally, I prefer natural diamonds and only buy them. However, it is solely personal preference. If you don't mind going the lab grown route, the specs on that bracelet are arguably "better" in terms of how they will look on your wrist (CityKitty has some great points).

But if I may offer an alternative, I would keep shopping around to see if you can snag a better deal for a natural tennis bracelet. I just ran a google search out of curiosity and found one with similar specs but G color (color matters a lot to me in diamonds) for 4.2k.

buuut - if you don't own a love bracelet yet, I cannot say enough good things about it! I love mine for everyday wear.
The dilemma! The love bracelet... I'm glad you are enjoying yours daily! Are your bracelets holding up well with daily use? (I must be a little rough on my jewelry). I'll do another search to see what I find with better color and clarity on the TB. Thx!
 
The dilemma! The love bracelet... I'm glad you are enjoying yours daily! Are your bracelets holding up well with daily use? (I must be a little rough on my jewelry). I'll do another search to see what I find with better color and clarity on the TB. Thx!
I am also very rough with my jewelry and clumsy, but I find it to be holding up just fine! There are lots of tiny scratches but I don't mind them, they blend in just fine with the gold and buff out with time. If you aren't a big fan of scratched gold though it wouldn't be a good choice -- the 18k gold cartier uses is super soft and scratches easily!
 
  • Like
Reactions: VivaNYC
I think the lab vs natural diamond really comes down to personal choice. For the tennis bracelet, I’d choose natural tennis bracelet over lab. The quality of lab diamond can vary widely and the value of lab diamonds will continue to go down. If you really have no concern about value, then I’d pick a reputable vendor for the lab diamonds and go large bling/high spec. I did that for my larger 4ctw diamond studs. I cherry picked beautiful lab diamonds and have no regrets. I would never be able to plop down $$$ for the natural stones in the specs that I wanted. But I could probably get similar size but lower spec stones for nearly half the price I paid.

As for the loves, I think it can really make your look more luxe because it’s just so recognizable as being a designer item. Plus the price for Cartier goes up every year. Get the loves first and then the tennis bracelet. Gives you more time to think about going natural vs lab too.
 
I think the lab vs natural diamond really comes down to personal choice. For the tennis bracelet, I’d choose natural tennis bracelet over lab. The quality of lab diamond can vary widely and the value of lab diamonds will continue to go down. If you really have no concern about value, then I’d pick a reputable vendor for the lab diamonds and go large bling/high spec. I did that for my larger 4ctw diamond studs. I cherry picked beautiful lab diamonds and have no regrets. I would never be able to plop down $$$ for the natural stones in the specs that I wanted. But I could probably get similar size but lower spec stones for nearly half the price I paid.

As for the loves, I think it can really make your look more luxe because it’s just so recognizable as being a designer item. Plus the price for Cartier goes up every year. Get the loves first and then the tennis bracelet. Gives you more time to think about going natural vs lab too.
I am a fan of lab diamonds. But I agree, go with the Love!
 
Top