Anonymous wrote:NP. You absolutely can tell a lab diamond from a mined diamond. I understand why it should theoretically not be possible, but there's a subtle difference in depth. That said, I can only do so when they are right next to one another. I don't think I would be able to spot one on someone else if I ever cared to try.

That said, purchasing a lab diamond for ethical reasons makes sense to me, but this idea of purchasing one to save money doesn't. Why not just buy a smaller mined diamond if one feels foolish about spending so much money on a diamond engagement ring? Unless you have rather large hands, a slightly smaller diamond will look elegant too.

This is really a generational thing. I don't think younger women care about the prestige of diamonds as much as your generation did.

I was recently looking for an upgrade on my diamond pendant and went with the natural instead of lab grown. To be honest, I didn’t do much research ahead of time so it caught me a bit off guard, but still the difference wasn’t so substantial that I was interested in the lab grown. I’m talking say 7-7.5 vs 10-11. One strong reason behind this was the fact that the place I got it allows you to upgrade but only if you get the natural one, not for the lab grown one. When I asked the reasoning, the salesperson mumbled something along the lines of - the market for lab grown ones is uncertain so they’re not sure of the future value. I’m not necessarily looking for another upgrade, but I don’t want something where the seller can’t stand behind the product they’re selling. I know all diamonds lose their value as a resale item but still. But if that same diamond was say 2k as lab grown I may have been tempted.

I wouldn’t spend $10,000 on a lab diamond. If you don’t want a new mined diamond, buy vintage/antique. Old “mine cut” diamonds are unique and gorgeous. Take a weekend trip to New Orleans and walk down Royal Street.

Anonymous wrote:NP. You absolutely can tell a lab diamond from a mined diamond. I understand why it should theoretically not be possible, but there's a subtle difference in depth. That said, I can only do so when they are right next to one another. I don't think I would be able to spot one on someone else if I ever cared to try.

That said, purchasing a lab diamond for ethical reasons makes sense to me, but this idea of purchasing one to save money doesn't. Why not just buy a smaller mined diamond if one feels foolish about spending so much money on a diamond engagement ring? Unless you have rather large hands, a slightly smaller diamond will look elegant too.

According to the Gemological Institute of America (which developed the International Diamond Grading System}):
....[The] origin story is the main factor that sets laboratory-grown diamonds apart from natural ones, since laboratory-grown diamonds have essentially all of the same chemical, optical and physical properties and crystal structure as natural diamonds...

Lab-grown diamonds can look exactly the same as natural diamonds to the unaided eye. Their identity can usually only be determined by gemological laboratories using specialized instruments. These instruments detect minor differences in trace elements and crystal growth to determine whether a diamond is laboratory-grown or natural.

https://4cs.gia.edu/en-us/laboratory-grown-diamond/

Mined diamond or Lab-Created Diamond, I think the fact that you're putting this much thought into it is telling to me.

You're worried about what people will think, whether you are spending $5K or $50K.

You're worried about the ethics of a Mined Diamond, and the appearance/"would anyone be able to tell" argument of a lab diamond.

Ultimately, you, OP, have to be happy with what's on your hand. If, each and every time you put this ring on, you hear "lab diamond" or "will people know?" it's simply not worth it, no matter the size of the stone or the cost.

If you will put this ring on, whatever it may be, and smile and think of the love of your boyfriend and all the fantastic things that are wrapped up with that, then that is the ring you should pick. It's not about the carat size or what you spent. It should represent something.

I'm not sentimental when it comes to jewelry so that definitely informed my choices. I wouldn't pay 10k on a lab diamond because I wouldn't pay 10k for a piece of jewelry, period. It seems like a ridiculous waste of money to me.

We bought a "second-hand" wedding/engagement ring set from a couple who was divorcing and just wanted to unload it. I put second-hand in quotes because the diamonds are older than dinosaurs. What does second-hand or used even mean at that point?

I think the whole diamond industry is ridiculous.

I can’t imagine being willing to buy a non-antique mined diamond. But if you feel strongly that being grown in dirt instead of in a controlled environment makes a difference (it doesn’t), at least buy a Canadian one and make sure the company you’re buying from doesn’t use slave labor in ANY of its mines.

No interest in a lab diamond. Get a way cheaper CZ at that point.

NP. You absolutely can tell a lab diamond from a mined diamond. I understand why it should theoretically not be possible, but there's a subtle difference in depth. That said, I can only do so when they are right next to one another. I don't think I would be able to spot one on someone else if I ever cared to try.

That said, purchasing a lab diamond for ethical reasons makes sense to me, but this idea of purchasing one to save money doesn't. Why not just buy a smaller mined diamond if one feels foolish about spending so much money on a diamond engagement ring? Unless you have rather large hands, a slightly smaller diamond will look elegant too.

Anonymous wrote:Clearly we have a PP who is a marketing specialist for fake diamonds. That, or he/she spent a fortune on one is trying to protect (justify) his/her investment rather than buying a real diamond.

If it's good enough for Lady Gaga, it should be good enough for you, Karen.

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/lab-grown-diamonds-ethical-luxury-sept/index.html

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

You clearly have no idea how lab diamonds are made. Lab diamonds aren't fake diamonds. It is the same process that happens in nature, just in a controlled environment. For all the technology it is a pretty slow process.

The lab diamond process isn't cheap. It is simply a supply and demand issue. The supply of natural diamonds is pretty thin.

The supply of natural diamonds is not thin. They are abundant. deBeers etc have controlled this from the time they started the great marketing campaign that made it seem like they are incredibly precious. Mined diamonds are a scam.


They have also tried to exert control over the manufacture of lab diamonds but have lost that fight. Right now the prices for lab diamonds are still too high but they will fall and we are seeing larger, better quality stones from multiple sources. deBeers can't stop or control the many countries that are now creating lab diamonds.

OP here. The more I research, the more I agree that the diamond industry is a scam. I’m not interested in a moissanite or any other stone but a diamond, however. This thread has been enlightening and I think there is still a lot of ignorance. Hell, I was ignorant when we started looking, too. I really think that getting a lab diamond and using the 10k to go on a blowout vacation or do home renovations or whatever would be okay with me if I could get the premium stone I want and boyfriend would pay way less for it.

Maybe it’s a generational thing. I know lab diamonds, especially in larger sizes and great quality, are a recent phenomenon.

Right on, OP! And yes, definitely generational and wealthy people trying to find a way to put less wealthy people down which is just dumb because I look down on someone overpaying for jewelry! My engagement ring is a sapphire, which is my birthstone, with a diamond halo (lab diamonds weren't a thing when I got married) so I really have no skin in this game.

Anonymous wrote:Clearly we have a PP who is a marketing specialist for fake diamonds. That, or he/she spent a fortune on one is trying to protect (justify) his/her investment rather than buying a real diamond.

I think it's obvious from all of the replies that you don't know what a lab diamond is. It's not a fake diamond, it is a real diamond that was grown in a laboratory instead of being mined from the earth by exploited children and poor people. If you want that blood on your hands so you can tell your friends that you have a mined diamond, that's fine, but lab diamonds are not fake.

Cubic Zirconia is fake, diamonique are fake, diamond coated zircons are fake, moissanite is a different lab-created stone, sapphires and white topaz are different mined stones, but those are all different from lab-created diamonds.

I'm not sure how much more we can explain this to someone who is so gullible and brainwashed by DeBeers.

Anonymous wrote:

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?

You clearly have no idea how lab diamonds are made. Lab diamonds aren't fake diamonds. It is the same process that happens in nature, just in a controlled environment. For all the technology it is a pretty slow process.

The lab diamond process isn't cheap. It is simply a supply and demand issue. The supply of natural diamonds is pretty thin.

The supply of natural diamonds is not thin. They are abundant. deBeers etc have controlled this from the time they started the great marketing campaign that made it seem like they are incredibly precious. Mined diamonds are a scam.


They have also tried to exert control over the manufacture of lab diamonds but have lost that fight. Right now the prices for lab diamonds are still too high but they will fall and we are seeing larger, better quality stones from multiple sources. deBeers can't stop or control the many countries that are now creating lab diamonds.

OP here. The more I research, the more I agree that the diamond industry is a scam. I’m not interested in a moissanite or any other stone but a diamond, however. This thread has been enlightening and I think there is still a lot of ignorance. Hell, I was ignorant when we started looking, too. I really think that getting a lab diamond and using the 10k to go on a blowout vacation or do home renovations or whatever would be okay with me if I could get the premium stone I want and boyfriend would pay way less for it.

Maybe it’s a generational thing. I know lab diamonds, especially in larger sizes and great quality, are a recent phenomenon.

Clearly we have a PP who is a marketing specialist for fake diamonds. That, or he/she spent a fortune on one is trying to protect (justify) his/her investment rather than buying a real diamond.

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?

You clearly have no idea how lab diamonds are made. Lab diamonds aren't fake diamonds. It is the same process that happens in nature, just in a controlled environment. For all the technology it is a pretty slow process.

The lab diamond process isn't cheap. It is simply a supply and demand issue. The supply of natural diamonds is pretty thin.

The supply of natural diamonds is not thin. They are abundant. deBeers etc have controlled this from the time they started the great marketing campaign that made it seem like they are incredibly precious. Mined diamonds are a scam.


They have also tried to exert control over the manufacture of lab diamonds but have lost that fight. Right now the prices for lab diamonds are still too high but they will fall and we are seeing larger, better quality stones from multiple sources. deBeers can't stop or control the many countries that are now creating lab diamonds.