In looking at MM vs natural you would be the only one who knows if it’s “rare” or not. It’s just a piece of carbon and how it is cut, polished and set is all I care about going forward now that this technology exists.
Lab grown Diamonds - Thoughts?
- Thread starter Minimalist_Chic
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Another factor of this debate that is mentioned is resale, aka the greater market value of a mined diamond.
Maybe my view is backwards, but worth sharing. From years of experience, I find I can actually enjoy items that don’t have a big resale value more! Every time I’ve had something that I knew would garner a lot on resale...be it fine jewelry or a coveted designer purse...I couldn’t just enjoy it. If I was using it, I worried about ruining it or losing it. If it was in my closet, I felt silly with all that cash sitting there.
Now most of my pieces, other than my wedding set, are lab or simulants. I didn’t have to spend a lot on them and know I won’t be able to sell them for anything....so I can just purely enjoy them. Works for me!
Maybe my view is backwards, but worth sharing. From years of experience, I find I can actually enjoy items that don’t have a big resale value more! Every time I’ve had something that I knew would garner a lot on resale...be it fine jewelry or a coveted designer purse...I couldn’t just enjoy it. If I was using it, I worried about ruining it or losing it. If it was in my closet, I felt silly with all that cash sitting there.
Now most of my pieces, other than my wedding set, are lab or simulants. I didn’t have to spend a lot on them and know I won’t be able to sell them for anything....so I can just purely enjoy them. Works for me!
You will still be able to claw back some value though - from the mined metal which surrounds the manufactured stones! It is ironic in a way.
Lol I know you don’t mean it to come across this way but it is amusing to me to be told to read this or that or to read that one who sees the value of naturally occurring gemstones should educate oneself.
Do you think all those who value found over made are philistines with no knowledge of history? Or perhaps are cruel greedy ppl?
Yes these stories are interesting but some of the points you raise are relating to events of hundreds of years ago!
These issues are definitely of interest and worthy of consideration when it comes to tracking or preventing criminal behaviour but as I mentioned earlier, the synthetics industry of today is already implicated in criminal fraud.
Even the ‘honest’ trade of synthetics is riding on the back of the established mined diamond industry in terms of determining value for their goods, using the identical certification systems etc.
The manufactured stone industry is somewhat parasitical to the established natural diamond industry as can be expected. However it is the natural diamond industry which has established a value for the synthetic manufacturers’ goods in the first place.
I supported Debeers enough 
Time to move on to new criminals j/K
As far as resale values, there are many places where one resells their lab stuff.
They seem to get as much money for their stuff as real mined stones. JMO.
Check out Reddit or Loupetroop. For ex.
Time to move on to new criminals j/K
As far as resale values, there are many places where one resells their lab stuff.
They seem to get as much money for their stuff as real mined stones. JMO.
Check out Reddit or Loupetroop. For ex.
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Regarding resale, it wasn’t a big factor for my own purchase. We were about to put in CC info for a $14k mined diamond. Assuming you can get 40% back, that’s $5,600 upon resale. The lab diamond we ended up getting had equivalent specs but an extra carat at $9k. Assuming the resale of the lab diamond goes down to $0, that’s really only a $600 difference because of the $5k we “saved” by going manmade.
Every situation’s going to be a different, but just in comparison between these two stones we had narrowed it down to, it wasn’t a huge difference and we got an extra carat out of it.
Every situation’s going to be a different, but just in comparison between these two stones we had narrowed it down to, it wasn’t a huge difference and we got an extra carat out of it.
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Very interesting that the resale market is not differentiating natural vs synthetic in its price points. Surely that will have to change over time as consumers become more educated?I supported Debeers enough
Time to move on to new criminals j/K
As far as resale values, there are many places where one resells their lab stuff.
They seem to get as much money for their stuff as real mined stones. JMO.
Check out Reddit or Loupetroop. For ex.
I doubt it. It is all clever marketing. On both ends.
Yea resale doesn’t factor much in my buying purchases either. Yes I am in the ‘natural’ camp but to me it’s like making a choice between 9k and 18k / plat etc. No one else knows but the quality of the piece does influence my enjoyment.
Interesting to consider that India, considered a birthplace of jewellery and absolutely fanatical in the cultural enjoyment of jewellery, has a common habit / tradition of using synthetic stones.
For a lot of Indian jewellery (by no
means all) is all about the incredible gold-smithing skills and the overall look of the piece. And the pieces can be very intricate and still cost a ton in spite of the artificial stones!
(I am not Indian so forgive me locals if I miss a nuance).
However for me my jewellery is western style and tends to be stone oriented so choice of stone is usually important to the piece.
I think this markeis very new and has a long way to go in terms of maturing.
as I mentioned in my earlier post, we saw this race to embrace the new with the introduction of synthetic coloured stone one hundred years ago. Marketed in terms of scientific improvement on nature.
Although diamond has an advantage in that its look, being colourless, blends with the natural material very well. Synthetic coloured stones can look quite fake some of the time.
meta: darn typos! Darn fat fingers!
Think cultured pearls versus natural pearls found by chance.
Cultured pearls are more uniformed. And are expensive. I prefer cultured pearls.
In my mind, cultured diamonds or mined diamonds make very little differences.
Plus add the fact that mining is destructive for the planet and its workers.
And it adds even more value to grown stones, imo.
Yes the analogy of cultured pearls and cultures diamonds is often used. Some synthetic diamond sellers have been using the term ‘cultured diamonds’ I believe.
I don’t think the term fits.
Cultured pearls are created by living creatures so the natural process goes on in the oyster once the bead has been inserted. The pearl layer may be much thinner than in natural pearls, the pearl may be much larger and smoother but the material truly is naturally laid down.
In my view there is nothing ‘cultured’ about diamond creation, as the manufacturers are not inserting starter crystals in the bowels of the earth for nature to take its course. This is an artificial process from start to finish as with other synthetic stones.
We haven’t heard the term ‘cultured sapphires’ have we? Because it sounds ridiculous lol.
I don’t think the term fits.
Cultured pearls are created by living creatures so the natural process goes on in the oyster once the bead has been inserted. The pearl layer may be much thinner than in natural pearls, the pearl may be much larger and smoother but the material truly is naturally laid down.
In my view there is nothing ‘cultured’ about diamond creation, as the manufacturers are not inserting starter crystals in the bowels of the earth for nature to take its course. This is an artificial process from start to finish as with other synthetic stones.
We haven’t heard the term ‘cultured sapphires’ have we? Because it sounds ridiculous lol.
It sounds ridiculous to you.
I can easily be swayed with the right arguments.
I can easily be swayed with the right arguments.
I don’t think gold is a fair comparison though. I only own one piece of chuk kam gold, but you can easily tell visually that it’s higher % than my 18k pieces due to the rich color. Plus, different karats have different percentage composition of gold. Also helps that gold can be melted down and remade.
To be honest, though, if they can figure out a better more cost effective way to produce man made gold, I’d be all over that, too. Science is amazing!
Yes if they come up with synthetic precious metals the whole fine jewellery culture of precious found materials is gone lol. The industry becomes all costume essentially. Although past pieces that due to their age are clearly identified as pre-synthetics will retain value.
ETA: actually maybe the whole show would be shot ... except for the natural stones propping up the oldies
Gee who knows. Synthetic metal is sci fi nightmare material
ETA: actually maybe the whole show would be shot ... except for the natural stones propping up the oldies
Gee who knows. Synthetic metal is sci fi nightmare material
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