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At Moses Jewelers, we are passionate about diamonds. And we’re prepared to set you at ease by answering any and all of the diamond questions you can come up with! We’ve noticed the latest are stemming from interest in lab-grown diamonds. We want to put you at ease so you can make the right purchasing decision for you.
It’s important to understand the differences between natural and lab-grown diamonds before purchasing an engagement ring. Let’s face it, it’s one of the biggest decisions of your life.
Let’s start with price. Although they are less expensive, and technically have the same physical and chemical properties as natural diamonds, you may find yourself asking, ‘What’s not to like about lab-grown diamonds, and are they worth the purchase?’
Buying a diamond is a very personal choice. Ultimately, the perfect diamond for you will depend on what matters the most to you. Let’s take a closer look.
Q. Are lab-grown diamonds “fake” or “real”?
We’ll make this clear right out of the gate. Lab-grown diamonds are not fake, but they’re formed very differently. They are identical to their natural counterparts in every way, except they are grown in a lab from a diamond seed instead of mined from the earth. Diamonds are made up almost entirely of pure carbon. That's why both lab-grown diamonds and naturally mined diamonds have the exact same physical properties.
Because of the contrasting conditions of natural and lab-grown formation, lab-grown diamonds display several features which allow them to be distinguished from natural diamonds. As noted by the Natural Diamond Council, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a lab-grown or created diamond technically cannot be called “real” because it does not come from the Earth. They are made in a lab. Therefore, it is not considered a traditional gemstone. Is the chemical make-up that of an earth-mined diamond? Yes. Are lab-grown diamonds similar to, say, cubic zirconia? No.
Let’s start from the beginning to understand how earth-mined diamonds and lab-grown diamonds are created. An organic, natural diamond forms when pure carbon undergoes intense temperature and pressure over billions of years within the Earth’s mantle. Natural diamonds only form in the “diamond stability zone”, 80 to 120 miles deep, and under extremely hot temperatures (up to 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit), where the conditions are just right. Then, over eons of violent volcanic eruptions, diamonds get brought to the surface and are embedded in large chunks of rock.
One important fact: A natural diamond is the oldest thing you will ever own. It takes billions of years in the making. In this way, it makes them unique.
Lab-grown diamonds, on the other hand, are grown in highly controlled laboratory conditions that reproduce the Earth’s natural growing environment: high pressure and high temperature. Due to these conditions, they have essentially the same chemical composition, crystal structure, and optical and physical properties of diamonds found in nature. And because of this, they aren’t technically “synthetic diamonds” or “fake diamonds” since their chemical composition is that of naturally occurring diamonds. They exhibit fire, scintillation, and sparkle they same way natural diamonds do. Lab-grown diamonds can also be endlessly replicated, where natural diamonds are one of a kind, just like a snowflake or fingerprint.
No, they are not identical, mainly because they are mass-produced in factories located primarily in China, India, and Singapore in industrial microwave reactors. Their artificial production process occurs in just 2 weeks. This quick replication process is the main reason lab-grown diamonds are a much lower price - they are not rare!
Let’s look at natural, earth-mined diamonds first. 83% of water used in modern diamond recovery is recycled. Three times the land used for diamond recovery is used for conservation and biodiversity. Furthermore, the estimated greenhouse gas emissions in the recovery of natural diamonds is three times less than that of lab-grown diamond production. The diamond sector also supports the livelihood of 10 million people globally. $16 billion net annually feeds communities, builds schools, and protects native lands. Today, conflict diamonds have been virtually eliminated from the market through the UN-mandated Kimberley Process.
At first glance, you may think lab-grown diamonds are more earth-friendly. However, most eco-claims made by lab-grown diamond manufacturers are unsubstantiated and are in violation of US federal guidelines. Lab-grown diamonds are made by chemical reactors that burn more than 14,000 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than the surface of the sun. They also require a significant amount of freshwater to manufacture them, one producer reporting requiring 4.5 million gallons of water in one year at one facility. The wealth generated by lab-grown diamond companies largely benefits only a few venture capitalists and investors who have yet to demonstrate similar socio-economic contributions. Read more about this at https://www.diamondsdogood.com.
Natural diamonds obtain their value because of their rarity. In the last 10 years they have appreciated by 4% each year on average. Right now, lab-grown diamonds are sold at a cost significantly less than a natural diamond, so you can purchase a near flawless diamond in a larger size than an earth-mined diamond for significantly less money. However, because they are not rare, they will not hold their value. Therefore, they have little or no resale value.
While most people do not purchase a diamond as an investment, some will decide to trade up to a larger diamond ring later in life. Most retailers, including us, will not buy a lab-grown diamond back because of its lack of resale value. That’s important to understand.
Both earth-mined and lab-grown diamonds are beautiful. Ultimately, the decision to choose a natural diamond or a lab-grown diamond is yours to make. Moses Jewelers is here to guide you every step of the way!
