Talk to me about lab grown diamonds and prices

[GrumpyOldGran]

I'm looking at replacing my very small original engagement ring with a new one and maybe a lab grown diamond.

I bought a replacement wedding ring some time ago from Samara James (online) and was impressed with their service (they send mock-ups in silver first before you go ahead.)

The rings I'm looking at are fairly traditional solitaires and priced around £1300 for a 1carat in 18c gold.

I quite like a rubbed-over 'halo' modern setting but they don't do one for lab grown diamonds.

Any other sites I should look at?

Not something I know anything about, but I sat next to a Jewellery dealer chap at a dinner a while ago. His take was that in time real diamonds might be like fur coats, crocodile shoes etc and the ethics will mean the mined versions will be frowned upon and lab diamonds the ethical choice. Interesting to read the massive amounts of electricity it takes to make them though. Nothing truly ever comes without a cost!

I love my lab grown diamond engagement ring. It's my second marriage and my first engagement ring was tiny. This one is massive, which is what I wanted (because I'm shallow and I just wanted some bling for once). We couldn't have afforded the equivalent mined Diamonds.

Mine came from
Diamond doves in Hatton garden but they also have online.

So this bit at the end is really interesting to me
I would never want a replica luxury bag either even if they were made in the same factory using the same materials & were indistinguishable except by experts.

If it was made with the same stitching, sewing quality, leather and fabric quality, then I genuinely can’t understand why it wouldn’t be as good in your eyes. It would be the same thing. Is it just the label from a company? I feel like if you like something, it should be divorced from the name of the brand, and because you like the item. I wouldn’t want a bad quality poorly made “fake” but if it’s exactly the same but without the brand name (and therefore a lot cheaper) it just feels like a no brainer!

I didn't realise they were so cheap.

I think the ethics of them & your budget is a very personal thing so much to take in consideration. The only thing I would add is that my brother owns an auction house that has regular special jewellery & silver auctions. Not a lot of the lab diamonds have been submitted for sale yet, being quite new, but the ones that have didn’t bring prices anything like their original cost, not much more than CZ in fact at resale.

This is such a poorly and unprofessionally written piece that is full on inaccuracies. It's screams 'we are fucked. Quick spread misinformation '!!!

The GIA issue certifications for lab diamonds. Contrary to the ridiculous article Lab diamonds refract exactly the same as mined as they are chemically the same. And contrary to the ridiculous article, no one will know whether you are wearing a lab or mined diamond because they are both diamonds. Without specialist equipment no one can tell. Not even regular jewellers

Only using laser and detection equipment in a lab can one detect through spectroscopy the difference - which is the lack of nitrogen.

A high street jeweler doesn't have this equipment, so can't tell the difference - other than by looking for the inscription under the microscope, and trusting that the grading report is accurate.

Depending on style, your ring size (gold is flying up in price), and the quality of the diamond you're looking at (certified, not certified, what grade), could be a fair price or a slightly high price. I have both natural and lab grown diamond rings and jewellery and to be honest I love both equally. If I had to choose to buy a car or a natural diamond ring, I'd probably buy the car. Natural diamonds don't go up in value, its not like its an investment - so all depends on your budget and priorities. I bought a 3 ct off this lady who ships free to the UK and I love it - it's sensational. At least if someone robs me in London it's not 40k I would lose...

www.valentinafine.com

Wow the price of those tiny pink diamonds 😳

I think diamonds are a bit like affairs - a guy was trying to persuade me to have an affair with him. He said " no one will know". I told him " wrong I will know" 😂

I have a lab grown diamond bracelet, it's quite dramatic and gets attention if paired correctly.

Its funny/odd how indicators of wealth trigger such reactions.

None of its real, it's all just fun.

Paired correctly ?

For looking at it makes no difference so it’s down to your own preference.

I do think lab grown diamonds are very expensive for what they are. Though I appreciate the electricity bills are pretty huge for the companies involved!

When I buy anything that’s over four figures (rare) I try to assess how much I would get back if I wanted to sell it on. I do sell things on sometimes to fund something else - others may not, in which case it’s moot. I would sell my engagement ring for money to keep my house but not for much else! I try to avoid making bigger losses than necessary. But loving the aesthetic is the biggest driver first.

So because the market is how it is, a lab grown diamond wouldn’t work for me. The handbag theory above is the same. I have a Chanel bag that I bought for £3k several years ago and could sell for £8k now because it’s in good nick and a sought after combination but if I had a bag that was made in the same factory, same leather etc, I wouldn’t have spent £3k on it but I wouldn’t get as much as I spent on it back so my original expense on Chanel makes it more worth it to me.

I love it, and wear it for fun, pretty regularly. If I wear it, with a hoody, it looks mismatched.

I ve worn it to evening events and people have remarked on it.

I consider it costume jewelry, I bought it online and it was not very expensive. If the diamonds were real mined diamonds, it would be valued at tens of thousands of euro. I would never spend that amount on jewellery, I ld rather save it towards a holiday home.

I enjoy the fun of lab grown gem stones, we can enjoy the aesthetic without worrying about the expense, insurance, safe keeping.

Thanks for explaining the term.