I mean... it’s already been done, just in waaaay too small quantities for an astronomical price. Lucky for you, I don’t think gold will be mass produced in our lifetime!
Lab grown Diamonds - Thoughts?
- Thread starter Minimalist_Chic
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It looks like the industry is embracing lab diamonds. You could say that when it comes to man made, they're opening up Pandora's box 
I'm actually happy to see lab grown diamonds and other gemstones becoming more popular. First of all it's an ethical choice and second of all, not happy with how they are artificially making natural diamonds more scarce and expensive by manipulating the market.
Not a fan of lab grown diamonds. l appriciate how natural diamonds come fro the earth and have been produced over millions of years. Feels more special then having them come from a lab.
I don't currently own any lab grown diamonds. I just recently found out about them and it does intrigue me. I'm considering purchasing a large ctw tennis bracelet in lab grown diamonds. I am not sentimental, I've had 7+ wedding sets in the 15 years that I've been married. The thought of mined diamonds being a million years old and from the earth also doesn't make it more special to me. All I really care about is the cut, color, clarity etc. I just want to know that my stone is sparkly and pretty. One thing that makes me lean more toward natural diamonds is the trade up policy that most offer.
I have a 4ct James Allen lab tennis bracelet and I love it! I wasn't sure how much I would wear a tennis bracelet so I didn't want to spend too much, but wanted colorless/eye clean stones.James Allen has them and they are on sale at the moment
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I'm not into lab diamonds or most manmade stones because they're not romantic enough for me. I guess it's just your taste if you don't plan on reselling it anyway. Lab diamonds are not worth much. They look the same, but if it doesn't bother you, I guess it's great
However, there are jewelers who sell dbty necklaces on Etsy with natural or lab diamonds. It might be cheaper than buying from a brick and mortar
However, there are jewelers who sell dbty necklaces on Etsy with natural or lab diamonds. It might be cheaper than buying from a brick and mortar
Iinterestingly, I have been in several jewellery stores recently where I have been corrected over my use of the term ‘synthetic’ when talking about the synthetic (lab grown)!diamonds. It is quite irritating but I try to keep it light and not to engage. The staff of these stores use the term ‘synthetic’ as if it were the term ‘simulant’. I get a big lecture about how the diamonds are natural, how they are real diamonds etc etc.It sounds ridiculous to you.
I can easily be swayed with the right arguments.
The term ‘synthetic’ is correct. The process is similar to that of synthetic sapphire and other man made stones.
it is obvious that these staff have been trained to speak this way - to reject the correct term ‘synthetic’. This is at quite high end private jewellers places too, in high end city shopping districts.
I've been feeling irritated lately because there are so many jewellers who either intentionally or unintentionally use wrong terms of the stones they are selling. You'd think a goldsmith would know what they are selling and wouldn't intentionally try to mislead a customer and you'd also think they would have at least basic understanding of stones.
This is annoying because many of these people create really beautiful jewellery but sell simulants as synthetic, lab-grown stones. I've seen cubic zirconias being sold as "lab created diamonds/sapphires/rubies" etc. and only after you confront the sellers and ask them if they are indeed selling the chemically identical stones which have been created in a lab, they tell you they are selling cubic zirconias. The difference between a simulant (which of course is synthetic but chemically different) and a synthetic corundum, moissanite or diamond is alien to many. Some even claim cubic zirconias are as durable as lab sapphires and diamonds which is totally not true. They may be tougher than many stones and some higher quality stones come close to the toughness of corundum but they are not as durable.
My strangest experience was seeing a stone that was sold as a hydrothermal ruby simulant cz with inclusions but then it turns out there are no such stones available. I still don't know what the stone was. It looked very much like a red paraiba tourmaline or maybe even a synthetic ruby but the seller didn't seem willing to tell me what it was or maybe he simply didn't know.
I don't think cubic zirconias are a bad choice, I dislike that some see them as "plastic stones" but I really wish people would know the difference between them and other lab created stones.
This is annoying because many of these people create really beautiful jewellery but sell simulants as synthetic, lab-grown stones. I've seen cubic zirconias being sold as "lab created diamonds/sapphires/rubies" etc. and only after you confront the sellers and ask them if they are indeed selling the chemically identical stones which have been created in a lab, they tell you they are selling cubic zirconias. The difference between a simulant (which of course is synthetic but chemically different) and a synthetic corundum, moissanite or diamond is alien to many. Some even claim cubic zirconias are as durable as lab sapphires and diamonds which is totally not true. They may be tougher than many stones and some higher quality stones come close to the toughness of corundum but they are not as durable.
My strangest experience was seeing a stone that was sold as a hydrothermal ruby simulant cz with inclusions but then it turns out there are no such stones available. I still don't know what the stone was. It looked very much like a red paraiba tourmaline or maybe even a synthetic ruby but the seller didn't seem willing to tell me what it was or maybe he simply didn't know.
I don't think cubic zirconias are a bad choice, I dislike that some see them as "plastic stones" but I really wish people would know the difference between them and other lab created stones.
This is a really good point and thanks for highlighting this issue. I recently developed a lot of interest in lab grown diamonds because my beau and I are considering it. I think terminology is really important and I would only consider buying a lab grown diamond from a reputable company.
I do think it's a very personal choice and there's no right or wrong answer. At the end of the day, you have to be comfortable with your decision. We're leaning towards lab grown diamonds because we're pretty against the industry artificially inflating the cost by decreasing supply to increase the demand. Diamonds are not more scarce than some of the other gemstones but yet the price is astronomical. Sure, resale price of a lab grown diamond might be zero but for us we're not planning on selling my engagement ring. We're looking into companies that have an upgrade policy if in a few years I want to change/upgrade my stone.
Most of my diamonds are earth mined. That being said, I was looking to add a yellow gold and diamond stud to my collection. Years ago, I spent ~$15K on a lovely pair of high quality, ideal cut F/VS 2.09 TCW studs, set in platinum.
I did not want to do that again, so I began researching lab grown diamond studs at Brilliant Earth. I found a pair of 2.59 CTW certified super ideal cut H/VS2 studs. I bezel set them in 18K YG bezels. They are stunning… and cost $4.2K. Can’t beat that. They perform like diamonds because they are diamonds.
I view the lab versus earth from diamonds exactly like natural versus cultured pearls. It’s the exact same issue. Ultimately, lab grown diamonds will dominate the market.
I did not want to do that again, so I began researching lab grown diamond studs at Brilliant Earth. I found a pair of 2.59 CTW certified super ideal cut H/VS2 studs. I bezel set them in 18K YG bezels. They are stunning… and cost $4.2K. Can’t beat that. They perform like diamonds because they are diamonds.
I view the lab versus earth from diamonds exactly like natural versus cultured pearls. It’s the exact same issue. Ultimately, lab grown diamonds will dominate the market.
My diamonds are earth mined, but they are older and tend to be from my family (my mom has a lot) or DH.
Recently I’m more interested in premier branded designs that honestly aren’t stone intensive. I‘m actually not really a diamond person.
I think lab grown is an interesting concept, but I don’t have any yet. If I were looking for a solitaire or studs or tennis bracelet, it think lab grown would be a serious contender.
Recently I’m more interested in premier branded designs that honestly aren’t stone intensive. I‘m actually not really a diamond person.
I think lab grown is an interesting concept, but I don’t have any yet. If I were looking for a solitaire or studs or tennis bracelet, it think lab grown would be a serious contender.
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The accepted terminology that seems to be the most common and easily understood is “lab grown diamonds”. Referring to these stones as synthetic causes much more confusion than using the “lab grown” term. They are diamonds. Synthetic makes me immediately think of CZ’s.
Synthetic diamonds is correct just as synthetic sapphires and other lab created stones.
However I agree that for marketing purposes it is easier to understand lab grown (which means synthetic).
‘Diamond simulant’ refers a diamond look alike stone such as cz - which, yes, is also synthetic (lab grown) just as synthetic / lab grown diamonds are.
However I agree that for marketing purposes it is easier to understand lab grown (which means synthetic).
‘Diamond simulant’ refers a diamond look alike stone such as cz - which, yes, is also synthetic (lab grown) just as synthetic / lab grown diamonds are.
Perhaps the better comparison is with other natural vs manmade stones.
Do you feel the same way about synthetic (manmade sapphires) as you do about natural sapphires? Initially manmade sapphires were hailed as ‘improving on nature’ and a sign of great scientific strides.
However over time the market settled and now tends to find man made sapphires as less desirable than natural.
Pearls being a natural, biologically created product are in a slightly different category perhaps. As the cultivated Pearls really did improve the look of pearls greatly and in a way became a completely different category in terms of marketable product.
Interestingly, the cultivated Pearl industry is going through a further shakedown due to the increased competition from freshwater pearls.
There a school of argument that cheaper freshwater pearls can become a ‘gateway drug’, educating consumers to eventually appreciate and pay for the higher quality and more expensive items.
Certainly my discernment and appreciation for quality in jewellery does grow over time, as well as my willingness to pay for it. So perhaps synthetic / lab diamonds will expand the market overall.