Lab grown diamonds - not sparkly?

[Scarfitwere]

I have noticed that when people are getting engaged these days, the rings are these enormous rocks which are apparently lab grown diamonds. But generally from the ones I've seen, they look quite dull and not very sparkly, compared to natural ones of a similar size. They look like glass. What I don't understand is, if lab grown diamonds are chemically the same as natural diamonds, why do they look so different? Is it the cut? Are they cut cheaply and not to the same standard because they are cheap to manufacture? Thats the only thing I can think it could be, but if anyone can enlighten me that would be great!

I think fashion has changed in terms of the cut somewhat. Lots of emerald and cushion cuts which are not going to be sparkly like a brilliant cut.
Not sure why otherwise. I've got some white sapphires in my wedding ring and they are very, very sparkly. I was surprised by how much. I didn't want diamonds. They don't have the fire but they really do sparkle.

Lab grown has the same equivalent of 4Cs as real diamond - not actual 4Cs, but things like colour and clarity make a difference.

Lab grown diamonds vary in price, and you can get a huge one but it’s dull and not cut perfectly for cheaper than a smaller one that has true sparkle.

It’s the same with real diamond rings - I’ve seen diamonds that are big, but are very dull.

They’re not all the same - it depends on what someone want in a ring and how much they’re willing to pay.

It depends on the cut, etc, just like natural diamonds. There’s no actual intrinsic difference between lab grown and natural.

There are a lot of cheap, bad quality lab grown stones out there. I chose lab grown brilliant cut stones for my stud earrings and a bespoke necklace and you can’t tell the difference from my ‘real’ diamonds of the same clarity etc

I wonder if its because they don't have inclusions, like all but the most perfect natural diamonds, hence light refracting differently? or just passing straight through?

Cheap for a reason

If a lab diamond is grown too fast it can look cloudy. If its carat weight is prioritised over cut, it can lack depth and look like a cubic zircona.
Personally I can spot them a mile off, too big to be affordable by the couple and a very on trend shape eg oval currently.

How great that we have these as an option now though.

Yes definitely you can often tell a mile off!

I don't have lab diamonds, but I've definitely seen ones where it was impossible to tell. When they're good specimens, cut by good cutters, you can't identify them by sight. I think you probably have seen poor examples.

My engagement ring is 1 carat real diamond and I have a 1 carat lab grown diamond necklace (Pandora) both loo equally sparkly to me and I love them both. But I'm no expert. To be honest had they been a thing when I got engaged and it meant I could have had a bigger diamond for the same price I would have gone for that (sorry yes I am shallow!)

A lot is to do with the cut.

I have a natural brilliant cut diamond .5ct and the same size in emerald cut isn't nearly as sparkly as the facets are slightly fewer, and in fewer directions.

A decent lab grown diamond shouldn't look any different to a mined one (of the same cut) to the untrained eye.

One of my friend's daughter has an identical fake ring she wears in place of her £££ real one when she's out and about (don't ask me why, what's the point of having something if it's locked up because you parent wear it imho) and it looks like a fake - it's not even a lab grown diamond.

I think the trend for massive stones for insta likes is greater than the ability to afford genuine, decent stones hence the prevalence of dud-looking stones. Some jewellers I've seen are advertising diamond-look rings in gold or platinum settings which aren't genuine diamonds of either type.

I believe lab grown diamonds are hard to resell.

In what way? Real diamonds are notoriously bad value to resell too, remember when you buy anything brand new you're paying for all the overheads of the initial sale (eg sales staff, fancy shop etc). My diamond-set wedding ring I was offered just 15% of what I paid for it new. I imagine that the value of lab-grown similarly deteriorates?

I like vintage rings. Some fabulous designs out there if you look in the right place. I drool over the local jewellers shop that's been there forever (pawn shop element to it also), and they have one shelf full of art deco and other era etc. rings. The little boxes are just divine too!

I wouldn't know the difference between real and lab diamonds. I just look at everything these days and think FAKE, rings, bags, shoes the lot. You would have to know your stuff to distinguish very good fakes from the real thing. But then again I'm a heathen and a philistine I suppose, uneducated in the ways of diamonds!

Things can always change, but at the moment a good, unique, or heritage brand diamonds will hold their value due to rarity, although you're unlikely to get more than you paid unless it's outstanding in one of those categories.

Lab diamonds, although visually indistinguishable, will always lack the rarity factor.