Would you buy a Lab Created Diamond?

[DisneyMomJen]

A niece is talking about getting engaged. They are considering a lab created diamond. Would you buy one or go with a real? Lab diamonds are about half the price of a real or less.

 

[fla4fun]

A niece is talking about getting engaged. They are considering a lab created diamond. Would you buy one or go with a real? Lab diamonds are about half the price of a real or less.

I think a lab created diamond is fine, so long as that is what they both want. The only time it becomes a problem is when one of the couple is expecting something different. Now the ring that holds the diamond is of more concern to me, because if it isn’t solid gold or platinum I couldn’t wear it. I can’t wear plated or filled metal jewelry without an allergic type reaction.

 

[barkley]

myself included, so many women (and men) i know no longer wear their wedding rings i don't see the reason to invest allot of money into a stone so i would probably opt for a lab created.

shoot, the prices of real diamonds have dropped by half over the past couple of years so i would probably look at getting a real stone resale and paying a fraction of the price to get it placed in a new setting.

 

[afan]

It's still a diamond. No one will know the difference unless they tell them.

The emerald ring my mom and stepdad gave me for my 18th bday/hs grad is a man made emerald. I argued with a guy at a jewelry store a few years ago about it when I had him check the setting. He was convinced it wasn't man made.

Aside from cost I understand the issues they could have in buying a real diamond but you can get antiques or new ones without those issues. The important thing is that they like it and it's something she's going to wear. If it's just going to be locked up because it's too expensive to wear all the time then you might as well get a well cut cubic zirconia that she will wear. They can sparkle just as much if they are done right and no one would know the difference unless they told them.

 

[loves to dive]

Yep, sure would. I actually own a couple of them, as well as real ones. I also own a couple of other lab created stones.

 

[QueenIsabella]

It's totally up to the couple. My DD27 would prefer a lab diamond--she would know it's not a blood diamond, and that's important to her. Added bonus, her boyfriend is cheap (fits right in to the family!), so he'll enjoy saving money. But, it's not DD's first concern.

I did suggest to her that she consider a second-hand source, or a non-diamond engagement ring. They're not in a rush to get engaged, despite having dated for 4 years and currently living together. I'm sure they'll find the perfect ring.

 

[OrangeBirdGirl]

My thought is with @QueenIsabella and the whole blood diamond issue. Some have very strong feelings against that and she’ll know it’s not mined in those parts of the world.

 

[MrsPete]

... I did suggest to her that she consider a second-hand source ...

I was going to suggest this same thing. It takes away several of the "problems" with newly mined, newly set diamonds.

 

[hoffse]

I’m not a jeweler, but I am a jewelry enthusiast and have been following this topic for several years now.

First and foremost… lab diamonds are real. Natural diamonds are real. One is created in a lab and the other is created in the ground. They are, however, chemically identical and grow with similar flaws that make them able to be graded similarly.

Most lab diamonds have a serial number on them etched with a laser. It’s the only way a jeweler knows it’s a lab vs natural because they are otherwise chemically identical.

Labs are a fraction of the cost of natural diamonds and their price is dropping every year. I have natural diamonds because labs weren’t really a thing when I was getting engaged 12 years ago, but if I were doing it now? Sure. We could have afforded something much larger and better quality for less money going with a lab diamond. There is a lot to be said for that in your 20’s and 30’s when just starting out.

I am in the market for new diamond stud earrings now and will go with labs once I finally do it because I’m literally flushing $$$ down the toilet if I buy naturals. I’m getting nothing extra with a natural except some “retained value” that only matters if I ever sold them (and I won’t). Even then the markups on diamonds is so absurd that I would actually lose more by selling a natural than by throwing away a lab.

And that doesn’t even touch on the ethical sourcing of labs vs naturals or the fact that diamonds only became popular because of De Beers’ decades long marketing campaign and their historic monopoly over the global diamond supply.

Lab diamonds have turned the diamond market on its head over the last 5ish years and rightfully so. They are a REAL and legitimate (arguably superior) choice these days.

If your niece gets a lab diamond congratulate her and tell her it was a beautiful and intelligent choice.

 

[Karin1984]

Depends on your goal, is it to just have a diamond ring, or is it an investment?

 

[HashberryOTG]

I love lab created gems. The price is better, they're more ethical and they're flawless. 100% support!

 

[Anna131517]

Yes they’re more ethical. We actually picked out my ring at an estate jewelry store. Jewel mining is very exploitive.

 

[havaneselover]

I bought myself lab created diamond studs when I sold my engagement ring. I love them. I personally see no downside.

 

[hrhdhd]

I would, and I have.

 

[Marrila]

I would, and I have.

Same here.

 

[DLgal]

I love lab created gems. The price is better, they're more ethical and they're flawless. 100% support!

They are absolutely NOT flawless. In fact, they are often FULL of inclusions. Flawless actually has meaning in the jewelry industry. This is one thing that sets apart lab created diamonds...it is much harder to get a clean stone.

 

[DLgal]

As someone who once worked in the GIA lab, literally grading diamonds and creating those reports, I would buy a lab diamond for diamond jewelry OTHER than a solitaire engagement ring. I'd buy lab stud earrings, necklaces, or bracelets. But for a solitaire style ring, I'd stick with a real diamond.

I still wear my engagement solitaire and wedding band daily. Its been 22 years. I now have an anniversary band that I also wear daily. Those are all natural diamonds. I want earrings. Those will be lab diamonds because of the fear of losing them.

Lab diamonds will never match natural diamonds that are of the highest quality. It is impossible to find Flawless or Internally Flawless lab diamonds. It's even hard to find VVS or VS included diamonds. Most labs are SI to I graded, and have visible inclusions that make the diamond have less visual appeal and sparkle. I wouldn't want that in my engagement ring.

There are plenty of ethical diamond suppliers. Its easy to make sure your diamond was procured under ethical conditions.

 

[Marrila]

I bought myself lab created diamond studs when I sold my engagement ring. I love them. I personally see no downside.

I have a pair of lab created studs also, and I enjoy wearing them. I think it's great there are more options now than there used to be.

 

[DisneyHardin]

DH bought me a new wedding set for Christmas last year and the diamond is lab created - It's gorgeous and looks no different from a nature created diamond.

 

[Atlantix2000]

Lab diamonds will never match natural diamonds that are of the highest quality. It is impossible to find Flawless or Internally Flawless lab diamonds. It's even hard to find VVS or VS included diamonds. Most labs are SI to I graded, and have visible inclusions that make the diamond have less visual appeal and sparkle. I wouldn't want that in my engagement ring.

This may be true today but I wouldn't so easily dismiss the possibility of flawless lab diamonds in the future. Technology is always advancing. Look at the computer/phone you are using to read this and compare to what you had 10, 20, 30 years ago.