Mined vs lab created diamonds
- Thread starter dollybobo
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As far as the average person just looking, they will appear the same. Even without an inscription the lab stones will be different because they have different growth plates and are HPHT treated so spectroscopic analysis will identify them. Apparently there are testers and GIA and Debeers recently launched versions for the retail level. Ultimately lab stones are real based on composition, but would be considered cultured.
Most vendors will only do a trade up if you purchase the original stone from them. A few places will take GIA graded stones but GIA will only issue a limited report which will indicate HPHT treatment. Even Brilliant Earth won't take a lab stone on trade and they are a reputable vendor that sells lab.
I think lab stones have a place, especially for those that have environmental or human rights concerns, each to their own as long as what is being sold is appropriately disclosed to the consumer.
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I only plan to buy lab grown diamonds in the future due to moral concerns.
Lab-created for studs. https://www.quorri.com/collections/earrings - are beautiful, set in real gold, and very affordable.
Nice option and great prices but these “diamonds” from Quorri are not pure carbon and not as hard as diamonds. They make more expensive true lab diamonds but these earrings are not true manmade.
If resale is a major concern, then your answer is there. If it is an ethical issue, go with lab grown. Or vintage. I would not be able to buy new diamonds right now, knowing what we know about the trade today, but I love antique jewellery and the diamonds are already there right?
FWIW, I have a lab created .8ct fancy pink diamond center + white diamond pave ring, and it is GORGEOUS. I constantly get compliments, even when I am shopping at high end jewelry shops. The same ring for mined diamond would have been 25k+. (I got it for around 2k.) If what you care about is aesthetics and molecular issues, then I would go with lab. It is literally the exact same thing as a mined diamond from a molecular standpoint. Also, I would not count on getting a great resale value on mined diamonds. Diamonds are extremely common in terms of their frequency found in nature. The price of diamonds is artificially inflated because companies like De Beers sit on their stash. That's why they won't buy them back at a premium. If you're interested in having something that has buyback value, then you are probably looking at something that is pure gold. Gold is an element you cannot create in a lab and is rare in nature, so the price of gold has relatively good buyback.
I like the idea of lab grown diamonds for earrings -- can one of you recommend a vendor who sells truly good lab diamonds? I saw Brilliant Earth mentioned above, any others? Thanks -- this has been an interesting discussion.
In general, they really don't. Maybe for very large or rare (top specs and/or color). The only other pieces I see really holding value are signed - VCA, Cartier, etc. Then you are paying for quality as well as design and it seems to do better.
Would you be willing to share where you purchased your lab-grown diamond earrings? TIA
Sorry, my phone camera only got a blurry shot but I can try to take a better one with my camera when it's daytime. The photo gives you an idea about the color but doesn't capture how much it sparkles. If you're shopping for lab diamonds, I got mine from Renaissancediamonds.com The owner was nice to work with. He gave me a better quality and larger pink diamond than the tier I had paid for. It came with it's own gem report card too, which was nice.
Also, here's an article that just came out in Bloomberg that explains why diamonds do not have a good buyback potential. Right now, De Beers is having problems selling the inventory it already has.
"Shrinking Gems Are a Headache for the Diamond Industry"
"Shrinking Gems Are a Headache for the Diamond Industry"