Lab vs. mined diamond engagement ring

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not spend $10k on a fake diamond. Got my engaging ring close to 20 years ago, and it was $25k for a 2 carat. Have diamonds gone down that much in value?

Diamonds are not good investments

[Anonymous]

Fake diamonds are a lot like fake designer bags. If you truly know diamonds, in the bigger stones you can tell the difference. Real diamonds are just more complex (less perfect) than fake ones. I have a 2.25 diamond engagement ring (real) and 2.0 fake earrings. You can tell the difference. So I end up wearing my real 1.0 real diamond earrings instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not spend $10k on a fake diamond. Got my engaging ring close to 20 years ago, and it was $25k for a 2 carat. Have diamonds gone down that much in value?

Diamonds are not good investments

I think jewelry in general is not a good investment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fake diamonds are a lot like fake designer bags. If you truly know diamonds, in the bigger stones you can tell the difference. Real diamonds are just more complex (less perfect) than fake ones. I have a 2.25 diamond engagement ring (real) and 2.0 fake earrings. You can tell the difference. So I end up wearing my real 1.0 real diamond earrings instead.

OP. In what way can you tell the difference? I have to admit I am confused by this, given they are graded the same and are supposed to be identical visually because they have the same chemical composition.

[Anonymous]

For ethical and practical reasons, I’d get a lab or antique diamond. I got an antique one and it was more affordable and ethical. I suggest looking on IG at Oldworlddiamonds for some awesome rings. I’ve also found a few sellers on Etsy and IG but OWD have some of my favorite settings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fake diamonds are a lot like fake designer bags. If you truly know diamonds, in the bigger stones you can tell the difference. Real diamonds are just more complex (less perfect) than fake ones. I have a 2.25 diamond engagement ring (real) and 2.0 fake earrings. You can tell the difference. So I end up wearing my real 1.0 real diamond earrings instead.

OP. In what way can you tell the difference? I have to admit I am confused by this, given they are graded the same and are supposed to be identical visually because they have the same chemical composition.

Most real diamonds that people can afford have flaws in them. If you look at them even with the naked eye you can see the flaws. Even "flawless" will have something in the stone that makes them unique in character. "Fake" diamonds are generally perfect. Like glass. My 2 carat fake diamond earrings look .... vacant, if you will.

The question is are you trying to pass off the fake as real. If so, I go back to the designer bag. As an example, someone who knows Birkin bags can spot a fake in an instant. If you don't really know Birkins, then if you see the basic design then you might not know the difference. So the question becomes, are you trying to impress people who don't know better? Which if fine, as long as you are not trying to impress people who do know the "product". No different than any "real" item, be it watches, handbags, diamonds.

And if you are not trying to pass off a fake diamond as real, then why get one at all? Why not do something differently fabulous instead. A gorgeous blue sapphire set off by smaller real diamonds, as an example.

[Anonymous]

^^
I will add, I think there is another piece to fake diamonds if you are trying to pass off as real. If I see someone who has a lower level job wearing an impressive diamond engagement ring I am going to assume, one, it is fake, or two, the person has a terrible sense of what is important at their stage in life. At lower levels in a career, people should be saving, investing, paying off student loans, or whatever, not plowing their money into diamonds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fake diamonds are a lot like fake designer bags. If you truly know diamonds, in the bigger stones you can tell the difference. Real diamonds are just more complex (less perfect) than fake ones. I have a 2.25 diamond engagement ring (real) and 2.0 fake earrings. You can tell the difference. So I end up wearing my real 1.0 real diamond earrings instead.

OP. In what way can you tell the difference? I have to admit I am confused by this, given they are graded the same and are supposed to be identical visually because they have the same chemical composition.

Most real diamonds that people can afford have flaws in them. If you look at them even with the naked eye you can see the flaws. Even "flawless" will have something in the stone that makes them unique in character. "Fake" diamonds are generally perfect. Like glass. My 2 carat fake diamond earrings look .... vacant, if you will.

The question is are you trying to pass off the fake as real. If so, I go back to the designer bag. As an example, someone who knows Birkin bags can spot a fake in an instant. If you don't really know Birkins, then if you see the basic design then you might not know the difference. So the question becomes, are you trying to impress people who don't know better? Which if fine, as long as you are not trying to impress people who do know the "product". No different than any "real" item, be it watches, handbags, diamonds.

And if you are not trying to pass off a fake diamond as real, then why get one at all? Why not do something differently fabulous instead. A gorgeous blue sapphire set off by smaller real diamonds, as an example.

I am still a little confused, to be honest. Both natural and lab diamonds come in a range of color and clarity. You can buy a crappy quality lab diamond with inclusions just as commonly as a crappy quality mined diamond. If your lab grown diamond studs look like glass compared to a mined diamond, that goes against all side-by-side comparisons I am seeing. Are you sure you’re talking about a lab diamond and not something else?

IMO, it’s a very different equation than a handbag - and I am a high-end bag lover who would never purchase a replica to pass it off as real.

Let’s say I decide to get a lab diamond. Am I supposed to say “thanks, it’s lab grown” to anyone who compliments me on it? Truthfully, it’s a diamond either way. We can easily afford either, and no one who knows me would assume it’s out of the realm of possibility for it to be a mined diamond anyway.

[Anonymous]

You can’t tell the difference between a lab and real diamond because a lab diamond is a real diamond. They have the same chemical makeup, physical properties, and visual appearance (including natural inclusions) as mined diamond. PP must be confused by cubic zirconia or something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For ethical and practical reasons, I’d get a lab or antique diamond. I got an antique one and it was more affordable and ethical. I suggest looking on IG at Oldworlddiamonds for some awesome rings. I’ve also found a few sellers on Etsy and IG but OWD have some of my favorite settings.

Thanks! I love the idea of an antique diamond - especially an old European cut - but it seems to be hard to find one with good specs. I’m swooning over that IG page!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not spend $10k on a fake diamond. Got my engaging ring close to 20 years ago, and it was $25k for a 2 carat. Have diamonds gone down that much in value?

Diamonds are not good investments

Exactly. It is not true that they appreciate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not spend $10k on a fake diamond. Got my engaging ring close to 20 years ago, and it was $25k for a 2 carat. Have diamonds gone down that much in value?

Lab diamonds are not fake diamonds. You are ignorant. Also lab diamonds are driving the prices of diamonds down.

Don't buy mined diamonds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a big fan of lab diamonds, though I’m not sure I would want it for my wedding set. That’s such a sentimental piece of jewelry, it was important to me that we go with actual diamonds. I would consider it for other pieces like a solitaire pendant or earrings.

When I was getting engaged (back in 2016), moissanite was the primary lab created alternative and it was far more price competitive than what you’re citing. Said differently, I don’t know that I would spend $10k on a 2 carat equivalent lab diamond. With moissanite, that was much closer to $2-4k? I can’t remember.

If you have the $20k to spend, I would get a diamond and go through a vendor you trust.

PP. I just went on Moissaniteco and a 2 carat equivalent round Forever One stone in a platinum is like $2k. So nope, I wouldn’t buy a lab diamond for $10k.

One other thing - in larger sizes, from what I remember, lab diamonds look more obviously like a diamond alternative. Not a huge deal, but know yourself and if this would embarrass you. Im all for passing off stones as mined diamonds, but if being “found out”’ would make you uncomfortable, it’s something to consider.

This is utter bs. There is no way to tell the difference between the two without expensive equipment that, at this point, only some jewelers have. Anyone who tells you they can see a difference is an absolute liar..

A lot of jewelers are going lab diamond only as it is too difficult to determine what they are buying. A lab diamond is exactly like a mined diamond. I have a lot of mined diamonds and take everything I buy over a certain price point to an independent appraiser. He didn't recognize my lab diamond as a lab. I took it to a jeweler with special equipment who could tell it was..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fake diamonds are a lot like fake designer bags. If you truly know diamonds, in the bigger stones you can tell the difference. Real diamonds are just more complex (less perfect) than fake ones. I have a 2.25 diamond engagement ring (real) and 2.0 fake earrings. You can tell the difference. So I end up wearing my real 1.0 real diamond earrings instead.

OP. In what way can you tell the difference? I have to admit I am confused by this, given they are graded the same and are supposed to be identical visually because they have the same chemical composition.

She can't. She doesn't know what she is talking about. She is generalizing. Lab diamonds are often amazing quality. She's assuming that she and others can judge that quality easily and assume non mined based on that. This is crazy talk. Even most jewelers cant rate a diamond set in a setting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fake diamonds are a lot like fake designer bags. If you truly know diamonds, in the bigger stones you can tell the difference. Real diamonds are just more complex (less perfect) than fake ones. I have a 2.25 diamond engagement ring (real) and 2.0 fake earrings. You can tell the difference. So I end up wearing my real 1.0 real diamond earrings instead.

OP. In what way can you tell the difference? I have to admit I am confused by this, given they are graded the same and are supposed to be identical visually because they have the same chemical composition.

Most real diamonds that people can afford have flaws in them. If you look at them even with the naked eye you can see the flaws. Even "flawless" will have something in the stone that makes them unique in character. "Fake" diamonds are generally perfect. Like glass. My 2 carat fake diamond earrings look .... vacant, if you will.

The question is are you trying to pass off the fake as real. If so, I go back to the designer bag. As an example, someone who knows Birkin bags can spot a fake in an instant. If you don't really know Birkins, then if you see the basic design then you might not know the difference. So the question becomes, are you trying to impress people who don't know better? Which if fine, as long as you are not trying to impress people who do know the "product". No different than any "real" item, be it watches, handbags, diamonds.

And if you are not trying to pass off a fake diamond as real, then why get one at all? Why not do something differently fabulous instead. A gorgeous blue sapphire set off by smaller real diamonds, as an example.

More insane talk. Only in very poor quality stones will someone be able to see the flaws easily. A jeweler with good lights and a loupe can make them out but op is full of it. My 3ct studs don't look like glass or fake at all.