Lab Grown Diamonds

[LaMarschallin]

A poster has started a thread about whether or not to buy a diamond ring.
The diamonds are lab grown and a few people have said things like "That's a lot for a fake diamond" (my italics).
Didn't want to derail that thread with my question, but I want to get some diamond stud earrings and have been considering lab grown - basically because I'd get more bang for my buck (or carat for my cash, if you will).
I appreciate they aren't exactly the same as mined diamonds, but thought that they'd at least be superior in appearance to, say, CZ.
What are people's thoughts/experiences with lab grown stones?
I noted that they had been talked about as better for the environment than mined diamonds which I liked the idea of, but must admit that my main reason for considering them was price rather than ethics

Sorry I wasn't clear, I mean just buy a synthetic stone that isn't as expensive, not a CZ but there are better ones out there that aren't a rip off like a lab grown one

Any recommendations for a lab diamond tennis bracelet in yellow gold at a reasonable price?
Thank you

But what if you want a diamond? If you want a gem that has the hardness and sparkle of diamond, and you can afford it, surely a diamond is the obvious thing to buy rather than a more-or-less similar imitation.

No. A synthetic diamond has the same optical and physical properties as a natural, including dispersion, and hardness . There is no better synthetic stone to get . Now , as for price . They have come down compared to when they were first on the market . They are relatively cheap . Of course , that depends where you buy one . Some jewellers are charging extortionate prices for them . So don’t get ripped .

I have both GIA certified diamonds and lab grown and often where them together and have let people try them on and nobody had an inkling or doubted if the lab grown were anything other than the real McCoy.

I take my ‘fake’ diamonds on holiday, in the pool, cover them in sun cream and sand and never have to worry.
Never would I shell out on expensive earrings, I lose them too often.

QVC Diamonique is pretty good, I would send for a selection though as some do look ‘fake’ imo.

My engagement ring is made of three lab grown diamonds and it cost about a third of the price of the same ring with natural diamonds.

There is literally zero difference in the chemical make up of the stones. They look and feel exactly the same. I've been delighted with mine and have no regrets.

I bought online from James Allen and would use them again. Their customer service is great.

Would you say that an ivf baby is not a real baby?

Lab grown are actually terrible for the environment.

The production of laboratory-grown diamonds is an energy-intensive process. Many if not most lab-grown diamond producers use electricity from fossil fuels such as coal.
The raw materials that are used for lab-grown diamond growth, such as methane gas and graphite are intrinsically tied to mining processes.

On average, producing one polished carat of lab-grown diamond releases approximately 511 kg of greenhouse gases, according to IGS.
This isn't to say they are more or less ethical when compared to mined diamonds. Just worth pointing out that environmentally friendly they are very much not

Yes we had also done the same thing we decided to choose lab grown diamond as they are more ethical and affordable and one more reason we choose our engagement ring from lab grown diamond is we read this article

You can get GIA lab grown diamonds .. and they are not "fake"

@JaceLancs have a look at Whiteflash.com I have mined diamonds from them and they are miles better what I could get locally. They also have lab grown and a 2.3ct tennis bracelet is $2,086. You can have all sorts of carat weights. You will have to pay duty/Vat when it arrives into the uk.
Or Blue Nile may have some, another online store and no import taxes.

@bubunnibee how did it go with Compare the Diamond? Would you recommend?

It depends on how much you want pay, size of stones etc

Be aware that the VAT and duty will add nearly a quarter more on the price

I recently bought these lab diamond studs, 0.5ct total weight for less than £200. Colour E-F (so basically colourless) and VS. So great quality. It came with an authenticity cert. The mined equivalent would be much more expensive.

They’re small, but I have small ears lol, so work for me.

https://www.tjc.co.uk/earrings/jck-vegas--closeout-luxuriant-diamond---9k-yellow-gold-sgl-certified-lab-grown-diamond-ef-vs-stud-earrings.-total-wt-0.50-cts-7836861.html#start=3

I got a lab grown diamond ring from TJC. It’s identical quality to my engagement ring but a quarter of the price for bigger stone. I’d recommend them. Oh and I went to a jeweller to have it tested. It is indeed diamond. Very pleased with my purchase.

That's interesting, Elieza.
I got my sister some earrings from TJC for a special birthday - not diamond, another stone - and was really pleased too.
I still haven't got my earrings (there's always something else that takes precedence financially) but I'll have another browse of their site tonight.

They are synthetic diamonds . Made in a factory. They serve a purpose but they are becoming cheaper and cheaper and they will become of no monetary value soon . Just like synthetic rubies and Sapphires, the flame fusion ones .

I don't really mind about that. I'm not looking as them as an investment or anything, just something pretty to wear.
It's not news to me (or most people on the thread) that they're "synthetic" and "made in a factory".
Thank you for the info though.

It’s not news to everyone that just start looking and have no idea . You have the right way of thinking about them though . Something pretty to wear and not for investment.

That are not ‘synthetic diamonds’ they are grown from a sliver of mined diamond in the same conditions as that sliver would grow in nature. They just optimise the lab conditions so it grows quicker. So it’s a real diamond. In every sense of the word.

In some countries it’s sold as “a Diamond” (ie no ‘lab grown’ words used) and is not differentiated from it’s mined counterparts.

Im of the opposite opinion to you regarding value. I think as they are cheaper more people will buy them. Once they get over this nonsense that it’s somehow like a cubic zirconia which is a man made stone with no natural origin.

As more people buy them, the price of mined diamonds will go down. At which point the price of lab grown will rise. Supply and demand indicates price. Lots of people want something finite its price goes up. If they don’t it’s price goes down.

Tourmalines

It’s not news to everyone that just start looking and have no idea

As I said, I think most people on this thread have shown they know what "lab grown" diamonds are.
Also, I would have thought anyone looking to spend on one would find out what they are pretty quickly once they started looking.
But, as I said, thanks for the info.

Just to add: I was glancing back up this thread and you've actually posted some even more useful info on this in July 2024 in the post I've now quoted.

Of course they are synthetic diamonds. They minic natural diamond formation in a controlled setting. They have no cache when you can just push a button and produce a clone at will . It’s real as in yes it’s a real synthetic . There can only ever be synthetic or natural, the difference being formed in the ground 3 billion years or 3 hours in a lab . As for the countries just selling diamonds but not informing the customer it’s synthetic, well that’s ludicrous. Are you saying customer goes in blind folded? And pays thousands for a synthetic? Like to know where that is . It is actually like a cz because it is man made but just with graphite and not zirconium dioxide . Of course people are buying them because they are cheap and are going to become even cheaper because more factories are producing them and are popping up everywhere. They are flooding the market and in that case the supply is MORE than the demand so the prices drop . That is the reverse of natural diamond which have never dropped and will not drop . De beers will not let naturals flood the market and never will. Carbon is carbon , natural from the earth and synthetic from man. End of. Lab grown is a race to the bottom .

Carbon is carbon , natural from the earth and synthetic from man.

I know what you mean, but ultimately all carbon is from the Earth; it can't be synthesised from nothing.
But yes, although chemically and structurally identical, lab grown diamonds are produced in a different way from mined.
As I said upthread, I'm more interested in bling for my buck - although with all the dental treatment I've been having, goodness knows when I'll have enough spare bucks for even some "race to the bottom (?)" bling.

Good luck with your dental treatment, that’s super expensive I know . This is the thing ,synthetic diamonds are coming down in price . I’m in the trade. They have been dropping considerably the last few years . Some of my wholesalers won’t even stock them , they can’t be bothered with them . But the good news for you and anyone opting for them is that you will be able to afford it because they are and will be cheaper . I can get from my wholesalers 75% cheaper than three years ago . There are jewellers that over charge considerably but that’s there market strategy so that’s why I mentioned in my previous thread look around and don’t get ripped . They will give you bling for your buck and nothing wrong with that though .