Lab grown Diamonds - Thoughts?

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#212
limonchello said:
Why are you a fan of lab diamonds? just curious, hope it’s not too personal to ask
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I first became interested in lab diamonds for the affordability. Then I did some research and found that I really didn’t like the story behind mines diamonds. I read The Heartless Stone and it really made me think about my choices. I’m not perfect, but I try to make decisions that align with my values. I haven’t done enough research yet on the good and bad of recycled gold and silver, but I am looking into that too.
 
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#213
darkangel07760 said:
I first became interested in lab diamonds for the affordability. Then I did some research and found that I really didn’t like the story behind mines diamonds. I read The Heartless Stone and it really made me think about my choices. I’m not perfect, but I try to make decisions that align with my values. I haven’t done enough research yet on the good and bad of recycled gold and silver, but I am looking into that too.
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Pandora is using recycled metals
www.nytimes.com

The World’s Biggest Jeweler Now Only Sources Recycled Metals (Published 2024)

Is that as good as it sounds?
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
 
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#214
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#215
papertiger said:
All jewellers use recycled metals and gems. No one in their right mind chucks their gold, silver or gems in the bin. Anything that hasn't sold gets melted down and remade into something that they hope does.

All a marketing ploy, and boy does Pandora milk the cr*p out of nothing
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Tell us exactly how you feel:lol:

Pandora plans to pay about $10 million annually for recycled metals. That is more than it was paying for newly mined ones, Mr. Lacik said, “but that is a cost we are willing to absorb.”
 
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#218
papertiger said:
All jewellers use recycled metals and gems. No one in their right mind chucks their gold, silver or gems in the bin. Anything that hasn't sold gets melted down and remade into something that they hope does.

All a marketing ploy, and boy does Pandora milk the cr*p out of nothing
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Too true. Makes them sound ethical and sustainable. 🙄
We are not falling for it 😂
 
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#219
moi et mes sacs said:
Too true. Makes them sound ethical and sustainable. 🙄
We are not falling for it 😂
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Lab-grown are only sustainable if they are powered by solar or other renewable energy (and I don't count on-shore wind turbine energy in that bracket).

Anyway, the bottom's falling out of lab-grown which is why Pandora can afford to use them.
 
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#220
An interesting article on lab grown vs mined diamonds and the pros and cons of each choice:

www.koserjewelers.com

The Pros and Cons of Lab-Grown Diamonds

Weighing the Pros and Cons of Lab-Grown Diamond Have you heard about lab-grown diamonds? There has been a lot of buzz surrounding them for the past few years. Maybe you’ve heard about them and you’re wondering if buying a lab-grown diamond is worth it or if you should stick to natural...
www.koserjewelers.com www.koserjewelers.com
 
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#221
Onebagtoomany said:
An interesting article on lab grown vs mined diamonds and the pros and cons of each choice:

www.koserjewelers.com

The Pros and Cons of Lab-Grown Diamonds

Weighing the Pros and Cons of Lab-Grown Diamond Have you heard about lab-grown diamonds? There has been a lot of buzz surrounding them for the past few years. Maybe you’ve heard about them and you’re wondering if buying a lab-grown diamond is worth it or if you should stick to natural...
www.koserjewelers.com www.koserjewelers.com
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Thanks for posting. Nothing new there. Something people don’t think about is that a lot of consumers don’t care if the diamond is lab or mined. They simply go for current value. I think the lab market will impact mined stones negatively in the long run so the so-called retention of value may not be as big a factor. Plus, for the average consumer the resale value of a retail-purchased mined stone is a fraction of what it was bought for. So again, an erosion of the resale value idea. I just bought huge lab earrings that would cost at least 10 times if they were mined. The quality is outstanding.
 
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#223
Gourmetgal said:
Thanks for posting. Nothing new there. Something people don’t think about is that a lot of consumers don’t care if the diamond is lab or mined. They simply go for current value. I think the lab market will impact mined stones negatively in the long run so the so-called retention of value may not be as big a factor. Plus, for the average consumer the resale value of a retail-purchased mined stone is a fraction of what it was bought for. So again, an erosion of the resale value idea. I just bought huge lab earrings that would cost at least 10 times if they were mined. The quality is outstanding.
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For those who don’t want to read through the entire article, I found this section particularly interesting as it presents some compelling arguments as to why lab grown diamonds may not be the eco-friendly choice that they are often touted as being:

……….

Lab-Grown Diamonds May Not Be The Eco-Friendly Choice

The biggest rationale many people have for choosing man-made diamonds is that they believe they are better for the environment. But this is controversial and the evidence on both sides of the issue can be misleading.

Lab-grown diamonds require a tremendous amount of energy to create. They are mostly produced in factories by machines that require constant power. While there is a substantial range of energy usage between different factories, there is nothing that suggests that man-made diamonds are an environmentally friendly choice.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says lab-grown diamond companies’ claims of eco-friendliness are “difficult to substantiate.” The FTC has also issued several warnings in the past year to jewelry brands claiming that lab-grown alternatives are sustainable.

Furthermore, many have questioned the lack of transparency in the lab-grown diamond sector. A 2019 Forbes article on the industry said:

“Many laboratories are using potentially harmful gases such as methane to extract carbon, with little transparency about how this is sourced and managed, and the process itself is highly energy-intensive, requiring giant ‘ovens’ to run at around 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.”

While it may not be apparent which has the lower environmental impact – mining or lab-creating – it certainly isn’t true that lab-grown is necessarily the more “sustainable” choice.
 
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#224
Of course, this may not matter to most consumers who want to buy lab stones, but I still found it interesting. Some may have dismissed the potential lack of future resale value as being a drawback to purchasing a lab diamond, focusing on the idea that they are not only more accessible price-wise but the environmentally friendly choice, however is that actually the case?
 
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#225
Onebagtoomany said:
Of course, this may not matter to most consumers who want to buy lab stones, but I still found it interesting. Some may have dismissed the potential lack of future resale value as being a drawback to purchasing a lab diamond, focusing on the idea that they are not only more accessible price-wise but the environmentally friendly choice, however is that actually the case?
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What about the human cost?
As far as I know, lab diamonds factories do not employ children nor slave workers.
Besides the price, this is huge for me.:flowers:
 
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