All the pro's:
Laboratory-grown diamonds
by Julia Griffith FGA DGA EG
My top 5 reasons to love laboratory-grown diamonds.
1. Price
Comparative to their natural counterparts, laboratory-grown diamonds are retailing at an average of 75% less than a comparable natural diamond.
Consumers can get the exact same look and wearability as natural diamonds with an increasingly wallet-friendly price.
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Purchasing a laboratory-grown diamond is somehow easier with these lower price points. One doesn't have to juggle quality and size - you can have it all within your budget.
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With that said, where the prices are currently unstable, one must be cool with possibly seeing the product at a cheaper price in the future to enjoy this benefit on a long term basis.
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Competitive pricing of wholesalers and retailers is one of the main factors culprits driving down prices. Natural diamonds have a higher, stable price due to their rarity and restrictions imposed on them by being a natural resource.
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*see asterisk at bottom of page for more.
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9.5ct princess cut CVD laboratory-grown diamond.
2. Size
I like big diamonds and I can not lie...
The accessible price points of laboratory-grown diamonds means we may be able to afford sizes of stones that many of us would only dream about in natural diamonds.
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It is now possible to buy a 1ct high-quality laboratory-grown diamond from several retailers that are priced under £1000 (excluding ring).
Large stones can create more impact in jewellery. I gotta say - I'm loving how accessible the bigger sizes of laboratory-grown diamonds are becoming.
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Sizes of laboratory-grown diamonds about 3ct are still pretty expensive (a good few months wages worth). Saying that, they are much cheaper than they were, and there is a chance the prices may fall within easier reach in the future.
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4ct round brilliant laboratory-grown diamond set in a ring.
3. Jewellery design
The accessible prices and large sizes opens up more options regarding jewellery designs.
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With laboratory-grown diamonds, that insta-worthy design you dreamed about is more in reach than ever before.
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The choices of laboratory-grown diamonds shapes are almost unlimited. The qualities of the stones available are often favourable. In short - whatever you could want in shape, quality and size is attainable.
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One can also purchase many more pieces of jewellery with laboratory-grown diamonds than they would have otherwise owned. Again, due to their accessible price points.
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For many, these new products may never help them 'save money' but they will allow them to buy more for their money. Whether that be one big piece or lots of jewellery pieces.
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4. Awesome properties of diamonds
I love diamonds. Diamonds are awesome. There are an exceptionally impressive material.
They have an incredible hardness, which allows them to resist damage and stay as perfect as the day they were cut. They have an unparalleled lustre. They have a surface friction coeffiecent comparable to Teflon (not so important for a gem, but, hey) - diamonds are amazing! They've always been my favourite gem.
As laboratory-grown diamonds are the same material - by default, I have to love them too.
They possess the awesome properties of diamonds. Therefore, laboratory-grown diamonds are a great choice for engagement rings. Just like natural diamonds, they will withstand the test of time and the challenges of daily wear.
A 9.5ct princess cut laboratory-grown diamond.
Sustainability and traceability is not a given for laboratory-grown diamonds. However, some producers try their very hardest to create a sustainable product for us.
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Using responsibly-sourced materials, offsetting carbon footprints, and using renewable energy sources are the main ways of making a more sustainable laboratory-grown diamond.
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Read more about the sustainability of laboratory-grown diamonds.
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1.1ct pear brilliant laboratory-grown diamond grown by HPHT synthesis.
*It would be only fair to mention here that price is also one of the things to be aware about ehn it comes to laboratory-grown diamonds. ​
As they are a relatively new commercial product in the jewellery market, the prices are unstable. They've been reducing pretty rapidly over the last few years.
Though some of the smaller sizes are stabilising, the prices of larger sizes are continuing to fall.
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Regarding purchasing, I'd say that buying laboratory-grown diamonds is cool if that is what you want to do, but one must be accepting of the fact that you may see the same product for sale in the near future at a lower price.
Don't rely on diamond testers with laboratory-grown diamonds!
Both laboratory-grown diamonds and synthetic moissanites can get the wrong results on testers. Ah, the exciting world of artificial stones. Check out this story in my YouTube video below. Click the subscribe button in the bottom right to subscribe to this YouTube channel.​
Learn more about laboratory-grown diamonds with my
Ultimate guide to laboratory-grown diamonds
Online course available now
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