Lab vs Mined
- Thread starter BiggPapi
- Start date
I don't think we're allowed to discuss lab grown diamonds on this forum.
Check out a number of articles online discussing the topic, for example: https://www.moneyunder30.com/lab-grown-vs-natural-diamonds
Check out a number of articles online discussing the topic, for example: https://www.moneyunder30.com/lab-grown-vs-natural-diamonds
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2009
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- 3,962
Lab created diamonds have the same chemical and physical properties as natural, mined diamonds. They are selling for a significant discount to natural. They will continue to decrease in value and there is no secondary market for them. They will be cheaper tomorrow than they are today, and cheaper yet day after tomorrow. Cut quality is just as big an issue with lab grown as it is with natural, if you want a diamond optimized for beauty.
As they become cheap enough synthetics will find a place in fashion jewelry. Whether they will be adopted by consumers for emotionally important gifts such as engagement rings is highly doubtful. It has not happened with the many man-made gemstones developed to date.
What kind of advice are you looking for?
As they become cheap enough synthetics will find a place in fashion jewelry. Whether they will be adopted by consumers for emotionally important gifts such as engagement rings is highly doubtful. It has not happened with the many man-made gemstones developed to date.
What kind of advice are you looking for?
- Joined
- May 20, 2016
- Messages
- 5,105
Texas Leaguer, I think you touched on some of the points I'm struggling with;
* Are Lab-created Diamonds "real diamonds"?
* Price versus Value - Yes, the price is cheaper than mined diamonds, but
is it really a value?
* I guess I'm not concerned about resale as the only way that is likely to
happen is if we are not together. At which point I really wouldn't care.
* I'm more of a traditionalist and "Old School" I guess; finding it hard
to wrap my mind around a diamond grown in a lab being the same as a mined
diamond
As I said in my original message, I walked in ready to purchase a mined
diamond within my budget and after the full tour of the store, I was
conflicted between Lab versus Mined.
* Are Lab-created Diamonds "real diamonds"?
* Price versus Value - Yes, the price is cheaper than mined diamonds, but
is it really a value?
* I guess I'm not concerned about resale as the only way that is likely to
happen is if we are not together. At which point I really wouldn't care.
* I'm more of a traditionalist and "Old School" I guess; finding it hard
to wrap my mind around a diamond grown in a lab being the same as a mined
diamond
As I said in my original message, I walked in ready to purchase a mined
diamond within my budget and after the full tour of the store, I was
conflicted between Lab versus Mined.
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2012
- Messages
- 926
I would recommend that you let the good folks on here find you a mined diamond.
While it's 100% true that lab diamonds are real diamonds, there are many factors that go into the price of a stone, and it's easy to pull up some less than comparable stones that look like a bargain. There are far fewer lab diamonds in existence, and many consumers have unrealistic ideas of how cheap they should be.
Even with mined stones people are often tricked into thinking they are getting some sort of bargain, and the prices for the very same stone can vary by a factor of four depending on where you buy it. The fact that this dealer immediately tried to convince you that you could get the same thing for less makes me uneasy.
There are enough people who choose a lab diamond for ethical reasons or just because they like the idea to absorb the market for lab diamonds. I for one do not see them getting super cheap, for reasons I've gone into on the appropriate forum.
While it's 100% true that lab diamonds are real diamonds, there are many factors that go into the price of a stone, and it's easy to pull up some less than comparable stones that look like a bargain. There are far fewer lab diamonds in existence, and many consumers have unrealistic ideas of how cheap they should be.
Even with mined stones people are often tricked into thinking they are getting some sort of bargain, and the prices for the very same stone can vary by a factor of four depending on where you buy it. The fact that this dealer immediately tried to convince you that you could get the same thing for less makes me uneasy.
There are enough people who choose a lab diamond for ethical reasons or just because they like the idea to absorb the market for lab diamonds. I for one do not see them getting super cheap, for reasons I've gone into on the appropriate forum.
- Joined
- May 20, 2016
- Messages
- 5,105
* Are Lab-created Diamonds "real diamonds"?
If they are truly laboratory grown (DNea, Chatham, miadonna, PureGrown, etc.). Yes. At a mineralogical level they are exactly the same and even made from the same old carbon hanging round the world. They often don't have the nitrogen in the crystal that can make about 25% of earth-mined diamonds florescence. Once grown in a lab, they are also cut and polished the same as earth-mined. Just a matter of being cooked/pressured in the earth or a lab.
* Price versus Value - Yes, the price is cheaper than mined diamonds, but
is it really a value?
They generally cost about 20% less up front. It can take a lot longer to find a well-cut one (took me a long time to find a well-cut one for my friends), but you can use the exact same criteria as a earth mined diamond. A pre-owned earth-mined diamond of nice cut can be sold at about 40% less than you paid. Laboratory grown diamonds are very hard to sell on the secondary market and are often sold for upwards of 70% less than you paid.
* I guess I'm not concerned about resale as the only way that is likely to
happen is if we are not together. At which point I really wouldn't care.
Resale may be important if she every wants to upgrade the diamond to a bigger stone. A lot of earth-mined companies have upgrade policies for their stones provides a guarantee of some or all of the paid cost toward a new stone. I've not heard of laboratory grown offering the same. Also, many diamonds are sold to pay for unexpected and life-altering medical costs.
* I'm more of a traditionalist and "Old School" I guess; finding it hard
to wrap my mind around a diamond grown in a lab being the same as a mined
diamond.
Science is pretty cool that way.
There are other challenges with laboratory grown. Most of the big diamond grading labs won't grade them. So, you have to get to know how that particular lab (mostly IGI) grade color, clarity and cut to evaluate them relative to their earth-mined counterparts. IGI is generally soften than GIA on color. There are also no less than 1 million sellers online selling you CZs that they call lab-grown, synthetic, or all manner of other shady names. So, you have to be very very careful.
We can help you find a great earth-mined in your budget if you share your wants and budget. For laboratory grown, you can compare over on D.Nea's website.
p.s. Don't buy into all the "conflict free" marketing. All diamonds of any earth-mined vendor have to pass the Kimberly process and, the conflict from the infamous "Blood Diamonds" is long over. There are lots of social and environmental problems with both earth-mined and laboratory grown. Don't even get me started on gold mining...
If they are truly laboratory grown (DNea, Chatham, miadonna, PureGrown, etc.). Yes. At a mineralogical level they are exactly the same and even made from the same old carbon hanging round the world. They often don't have the nitrogen in the crystal that can make about 25% of earth-mined diamonds florescence. Once grown in a lab, they are also cut and polished the same as earth-mined. Just a matter of being cooked/pressured in the earth or a lab.
* Price versus Value - Yes, the price is cheaper than mined diamonds, but
is it really a value?
They generally cost about 20% less up front. It can take a lot longer to find a well-cut one (took me a long time to find a well-cut one for my friends), but you can use the exact same criteria as a earth mined diamond. A pre-owned earth-mined diamond of nice cut can be sold at about 40% less than you paid. Laboratory grown diamonds are very hard to sell on the secondary market and are often sold for upwards of 70% less than you paid.
* I guess I'm not concerned about resale as the only way that is likely to
happen is if we are not together. At which point I really wouldn't care.
Resale may be important if she every wants to upgrade the diamond to a bigger stone. A lot of earth-mined companies have upgrade policies for their stones provides a guarantee of some or all of the paid cost toward a new stone. I've not heard of laboratory grown offering the same. Also, many diamonds are sold to pay for unexpected and life-altering medical costs.
* I'm more of a traditionalist and "Old School" I guess; finding it hard
to wrap my mind around a diamond grown in a lab being the same as a mined
diamond.
Science is pretty cool that way.
There are other challenges with laboratory grown. Most of the big diamond grading labs won't grade them. So, you have to get to know how that particular lab (mostly IGI) grade color, clarity and cut to evaluate them relative to their earth-mined counterparts. IGI is generally soften than GIA on color. There are also no less than 1 million sellers online selling you CZs that they call lab-grown, synthetic, or all manner of other shady names. So, you have to be very very careful.
We can help you find a great earth-mined in your budget if you share your wants and budget. For laboratory grown, you can compare over on D.Nea's website.
p.s. Don't buy into all the "conflict free" marketing. All diamonds of any earth-mined vendor have to pass the Kimberly process and, the conflict from the infamous "Blood Diamonds" is long over. There are lots of social and environmental problems with both earth-mined and laboratory grown. Don't even get me started on gold mining...
blueMA
Brilliant_Rock
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2005
- Messages
- 1,257
You won't be able to differentiate the MMD over natural, but it just won't be a cool hundreds M - billions years old rock! It'll have virtually no investment value.
If you were about to pull the trigger for a mined diamond at a retail store, people here will probably be able to find you a better natural one for much less.
If you were about to pull the trigger for a mined diamond at a retail store, people here will probably be able to find you a better natural one for much less.
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