Laboratory grown diamonds have attracted attention from potential diamond buyersbecause of many reasons.
In this guide, we outline the potential pros and cons of lab grown diamonds.
We also offer numerous comparisonsto naturally mined diamondsAndto other types of diamonds.
Summary – Pros and cons of lab grown diamonds
Advantages
They are not fake diamonds or replacement diamonds
They are identical to mined diamonds in almost every way(except for tiny "insignificant" differences that can only be identified by special testing equipment and devices)
The possibilities of what can be done with lab grown diamonds have improved over time
Some lab grown diamond sellers have a good range of lab grown diamond products to choose from
Some projections suggest that the lab-grown diamond industry has good potential for growth
Some manufacturers can quickly form lab grown diamonds in the lab (in weeks to months).
Lab grown diamonds do not rely on as many uncontrollable factors to be produced and formed as mined diamonds
Laboratory conditions that lead to diamond formation can be controlled and changed
The purchase price is usually cheaper than mined diamonds
Some lab grown diamond manufacturers may not use as much electricity as others
The ecological footprint and its impact on sustainabilitycan be lower than mined diamonds (although there are variables that can affect this)
Some sellers produce their diamonds in accordance with certain ethical standards (such as labor rights and non-conflict standards).
Some sellers donate part of their profits to social causes (in both developed and developing countries).
Some sellers offer various forms of certification, guarantees, and traceability for what the consumer is buying
Some suggest that the purity and clarity levels of some lab-grown diamonds can sometimes be better
Disadvantages
Still rely on pre-existing diamond material to be shaped and manufactured
The cost of producing lab-grown diamonds may not be as low as some sources suggest
They may not retain as much of their value after purchase and resale
There could be limited overall supply/production and also limited availability of some types and sizes of diamonds in the short to medium term
Marketing phrases can sometimes confuse buyers or create uncertainty
Some question the energy consumption and carbon footprint of lab-grown diamonds
Some question the raw materials used, the waste by-products generated, and the waste disposal of lab-grown diamonds
There are potentially more sustainable and/or ethical diamonds than lab grown diamonds e.g. Alternatives might includerecycled and used diamonds
May result in loss of jobs and economic activity in mining communities and developing regions
Some people place more of a stigma, romance, or subjective value on mined diamonds
Mined diamonds can have a uniqueness
Some suggest that some sellers may engage in some types of fraudulent behavior
More information
These are just generalized pros and cons of lab grown diamonds.
Obviously, the ultimate pros and cons of lab grown diamonds or mined diamonds will depend on the seller and how they source, produce, process, distribute and sell their diamonds.
Each seller will have different variables and standards/requirements that make up this process.
You canRead more about what some of the better known or popular online sellers of lab grown diamonds are offering in this guide when it comes to these different variables and factors.
Advantages (and benefits) of lab grown diamonds
They are not fake or replacement diamonds
Lab grown diamonds are nothybrid, simulated, fake or synthetic diamonds.
They are grown and formed from slivers of real diamond seed material.
They are identical to mined diamonds in almost every way
They have exactly the same carbon structure and are made of crystallized carbon as mined diamonds, meaning their physical and chemical properties are all the same as mined diamonds.
The bare human eye cannot tell the difference between the two by looking and touching them.
Once formed, both lab diamonds and mined diamonds go through the exact same process – cut, color, clarity, carat.
The skill of the diamond cutter can be a variability in the appearance of both - but this is specific to the diamond maker.
Von beyond4cs.com:
Laboratory created diamonds can be produced with the same level of clarity, color and brilliance as naturally mined stones.
In fact, these artificial diamonds are almost indistinguishable unless subjected to special testing equipment such as spectrometers and X-rays.
The possibilities of what can be done with lab grown diamonds have improved over time
This means that over time there is increasing capacity for the type of lab grown diamond that can be shaped and then sold to consumers.
Lab grown diamonds only haverecently started to reach levels of quality and size comparable to natural diamonds.
Also, more and more jewelry suppliers are gaining access to detection devices that allow consumers to see which diamonds have been lab grown and mined in earth mines.
In the last decade alone, lab grown diamonds have gone from mostly colored and small to larger and colorless.
Some lab grown diamond sellers have a good variety of products to choose from
Some lab grown diamond sellers have different types of lab grown diamond products to choose from.
They range from loose diamonds to jewelry such as rings.
The type and characteristics of the diamond also vary. For example …
Some offer Type IIa diamonds with good clarity and cut.
Some offer up to 10 carats and a range of colors.
Some projections suggest that the lab grown diamond industry has good potential for growth
Some sources indicate that the size of the industry is currently around 1 or 2% of the total diamond industry
Some projections put it at an estimated 15% of the entire diamond industry by 2020.
Some manufacturers can quickly lab-shape lab-grown diamonds
Depending on the manufacturer, it can take anywhere from a week to up to three months for a one-carat cut diamond to form in the lab
However, this can also depend on the type of diamond formed.
In comparison, mined diamonds could take billions of years to form underground.
It takes about 1 week to grow a 1 carat diamond (adadiamonds.com)
Lab grown diamonds do not rely on as many uncontrollable factors to be produced and formed as mined diamonds
Mined diamonds generally take billions of years to form underground.
They are formed miles below the earth's surface by a mixture of pressure, temperature and chemical reactions before magma from deep volcanic eruptions helps them rise to the surface where they are found in rock.
In addition, geologists and other experts need to conduct tests to understand where these diamonds might be underground so that mining can be set up in the right place.
In comparison, lab grown diamonds use labs and factories to shape and manufacture the diamonds.
Loose diamond seed material (carbon seed from pre-existing diamonds), also known as diamond chips, is used as the basis for lab grown diamonds.
This carbon material is subjected to temperature and atmospheric pressure in a growth machine that mimics the Earth's natural diamond-forming process.
This growth machine and similar laboratory growth processes are more controlled than natural diamond formation
Laboratory conditions that lead to diamond formation can be controlled and changed and this can result in different diamonds
Regarding the above points about lab diamond formation, lab grown diamond manufacturers can adjust variables in the formation process themselves and this consequently allows them to change the size and shape of the diamond they produce.
So not only can they control formation variables, but they can also influence the types of diamond products they make.
Mined diamonds not only depend on uncontrollable natural formation variables, but are also uncontrollable in relation to the types of diamonds that form in nature.
The purchase price is usually cheaper than that of mined diamonds
current price
It can be cheaper to buy new lab created diamonds compared to mine diamonds for the same diamond clarity, color and size.
They can be 10-20% cheaper in general, or up to 40% cheaper for colored diamonds (natural colored diamonds are extremely rare and therefore very expensive)
According to various sources, some of the reasons why they are currently cheaper could be because the lab costs may be lower than the mining costs, and also because mined diamonds could be considered a more finite, rare and unique resource.
Adadiamonds.com provides more information on the pricing of lab grown diamonds and advises that prices may reflect the market efficiency of lab grown diamonds compared to mined diamonds and not necessarily the cost of production or the perceived scarcity or rarity of either diamond type :
Lab diamonds are... graded on their quality; A D IF lab diamond is much more expensive than an H SI1 lab diamond of the same size.
The high cost of mined diamonds is often the result of market inefficiencies caused by a natural diamond making 10-15 trips from mine to market before ending up in a piece of fine jewelry.
Due to the efficient nature of the lab diamond market, lab grown diamonds are often available to consumers at 30-40% lower prices than mined diamonds of equivalent quality.
Speculations about the future price
Some speculate that the price of lab created diamonds could continue to fall in the future and this is due to many more labs being set up (particularly in some countries like China) which would significantly increase supply/production. They would become more widely available and the market would also become more competitive.
How quickly, efficiently and cheaply they can be produced compared to mined diamonds (which take billions of years to form underground) may also be a factor in future price declines.
However, Adadiamonds.com advises that oversupply for lab grown diamonds will no longer be a problem going forward:
The financial cost of diamond cultivation,plus the time it takes to grow diamonds ensures that lab grown diamonds don't "swamp" the market.
Mined diamonds come out of the earth in millions of carats a year; Diamonds come out of the labs by the thousands.
Some lab grown diamond manufacturers may not use as much electricity as others
However, it depends on the size of the diamond and the manufacturer.
According to adadiamonds.com: "Today, the most efficient diamond producers require approximately 250 kWh of electricity to grow a 1-carat diamond, which is roughly the same amount of electricity used by an average US household in a week."
The environmental footprint and sustainability footprint can be lower than mined diamonds
In some ways, lab-created diamonds could be more sustainable than mined diamonds.
As a few examples, they can consume less resources and produce less diamonds in mining.
Lab-made diamonds can also use renewable energy for lab power needs, and in the future greater proportions of renewable energy could be used to power diamond labs.
However, there is some debate about the true sustainability footprint of lab grown diamonds compared to mined diamonds.
glossy.co sea:
They use less water and disturb less land than mined diamonds (roughly 200 to 250 tons of earth needs to be mined and sieved to find 1 carat of diamonds in the ground, with some sources saying miners have to dig around 1,700, almost 2,000 tons dig up earth for a carat of mined diamonds.)
Other sources state that for every carat of diamond mined, nearly 100 square feet of land is destroyed and nearly 6000 pounds of mineral waste is generated).
They also leave behind less pollution and environmental degradation.
Using diamonds grown in the electricity lab might eventually be able to become partially or fully renewable energy.
In fact, some labs are already using solar power, and some sources say lab-made diamonds have seven times less impact on the environment than mined diamonds, use significantly fewer resources, and emit a fraction of the air pollution
Adadiamonds.com has this to say about the environmental friendliness of lab-created diamonds:
In stark contrast to mined diamonds,Diamonds created in the lab are sustainable, vegan and environmentally friendly.
Diamond growth requires only two main ingredients: carbon and electricity.
[Efficient diamond producers may not use much electricity and...] Diamonds can be grown anywhere renewable energy is available.
Some studies suggest that labs use about a quarter to a third of all the energy that mines use and produce about a fifth of the carbon emissions.
Less energy means less use of fossil fuels, less pollution and so on.
Some sellers produce their diamonds in accordance with certain ethical standards
Ethical standards can include things like producing diamonds in accordance with workers' basic rights and conditions, no child labor, conflict-free (not financing violence, wars, etc.), and more.
Multiple sources indicate that diamond mining has come a long way, and most mining around the world is reasonably ethical (reports of child labor are now less common, and many mines have basic fair labor and safety practices) as well as conflict-free.
In fact, an estimated 99.9% of natural diamonds today are conflict free.
The Kimberley Process (established in 2003) was an initiative that has helped reduce unethical practices.
Having said all that...
Some sources say that mined diamonds result in 1 injury per 1,000 workers annually, while lab grown diamonds result in zero.
coreyegan.com offersan alternative take on how socially conscious the Kimberly Process might actually be(part of this stems from the narrow definition of "conflict" in "conflict-free")
There are also some questions about sourcing some labor used to produce lab grown diamonds in eastern countries
When it comes to lab grown diamonds...
Although lab-grown diamonds use small slivers of real diamond as the starting material, buying lab-grown diamonds means you can find out which lab they came from and other information like a guarantee of origin or traceability.
There are also now more ethical sellers of lab-grown diamonds who offer guarantees of conflict-free diamonds, offer different ethical criteria and donate money to various mining-related social causes such as charity.
Consumers can even ask jewelers who their lab is - they should have a good relationship with them and trust them to provide quality diamonds - as each lab is different in what they offer.
Some sellers donate part of their profits to social causes
Some lab-grown diamond manufacturers or suppliers have a fundraising initiative to contribute a percentage of profits to specific causes or to restore or invest in communities and the environment in regions that have been impacted by diamond mining or where diamonds have been mined
Some sellers offer different types of certifications, guarantees, and traceability for what you're buying
There are lab grown diamond sellers who offer:
– Third-party independent gemological certification certificates.
For example, some popular third-party certification companies could be GIA, AWDC, IGI, GSI, IIDGR, AGS, or HRD.
– Different types of guarantees
– And, traceability and guarantees of origin
Some suggest the degrees of purity and clarity ofSomeLaborGrown diamonds can be better
Some sources suggest that some lab-grown diamonds have fewer impurities and a higher degree of clarity than mined diamonds because lab conditions are controlled - but this is a subjective view that requires more empirical evidence.
Disadvantages (& Cons) of Lab Grown Diamonds
Still rely on pre-existing diamond material to be shaped and manufactured
Likewise thatCells of animal origin are required to produce laboratory-grown meatLaboratory grown diamonds rely on carbon seed from pre-existing diamonds to form
The cost of producing lab-grown diamonds may not be as low as some sources suggest
Some sources indicate that lab-grown diamonds can be more expensive to produce than mined diamonds, in part due to the different gem quality and failure rate of larger lab-grown diamonds.
Market inefficiencies could be why mined diamonds are cheaper to buy, rather than the cost of production compared to lab grown diamonds.
Von adadiamonds.com:
[Although it] takes about 1 week to grow a 1 carat diamond... not every diamond grown in a machine is gem quality; In fact, the failure rate, especially for large lab diamonds, is quite high.
There will always bebe more expensive to grow a diamond than mine a diamond.
The high cost of mined diamonds is often the result of market inefficiencies caused by a natural diamond making 10-15 trips from mine to market before ending up in a piece of fine jewelry.
The financial cost of diamond cultivation,plus the time it takes to grow diamonds ensures that lab grown diamonds don't "swamp" the market.
Mined diamonds come out of the earth in millions of carats a year; Diamonds come out of the labs by the thousands.
Due to the efficient nature of the lab diamond market, lab grown diamonds are often available to consumers at 30-40% lower prices than mined diamonds of equivalent quality.
May not hold as much of its value after purchase and on resale
Lab grown diamonds may not hold as much of their original value once purchased and when it comes to resale as compared to mined diamonds.
As a very, very rough guide, a naturally mined diamond can hold 50-60% of its value when trying to resell it, and for some types of diamonds this value can increase over time.
In comparison, a lab-created diamond may only hold 20-30% of its value or less when resold.
However, it really depends on the type of diamond and where/who it came from.
Ritani, in their guide to comparing and identifying differences between lab and mined diamonds, points out the lack of resale value of lab grown diamonds.
If you plan on having a piece of jewelry that will retain its value over the long term, the above also means that lab grown diamonds are not as big of an investment or an asset as compared to mine diamonds.
There may be limited overall supply/production and also limited availability of some types and sizes of diamonds
The artificial diamond market could beconstrained in the short to medium term by limitations in manufacturing capacity, funding and access to technology and intellectual property.
There may even be some strict limits on the types of lab grown diamonds that can be produced.
Because of this, you may not find as many jewelers stocking them and therefore you may currently have a reduced selection of faux diamonds to choose from overall.
Some examples of this are:
- Color
Different sellers may have different assortments of colored and white diamonds to choose from.
From ritani.com: "...mined diamonds may contain different trace chemicals within the diamonds to affect how their colors develop compared to lab grown diamonds."
– Total number of diamonds in the market
Additionally, some sources indicate that the total number of lab-grown diamonds produced per year is currently less than the amount of diamonds mined
– Maximum size of the diamond
[Some sources say that] rough diamonds can grow to over 400 carats, while lab grown diamonds are limited to around 20 carats (ritani.com).
Marketing phrases can confuse buyers or create uncertainty
The terms "synthetic" or "cultured" diamonds may confuse some buyers from a marketing perspective when purchasing lab grown diamonds.
You might think those are diamondsHybrid or CZ diamonds, when they are not.
Instead of this,"Artificial" or "lab grown" are probably the best terms - although not all sellers may use those terms.
For example, in the United States, the FTC regulates what terms may be used in the sale and marketing of laboratory-grown diamonds
Some question the energy consumption and carbon footprint of lab-grown diamonds
Some sources indicate that lab grown diamonds either use a lot of electricity or the energy consumption and carbon footprint are not known.
The exact amount of energy they require to create them may not be released by the labs that make them.
It is possible that the energy consumption and carbon footprint are much higher than published.
More research may need to be done on the exact energy footprint and greenhouse gas emissions of diamond laboratories.
Some labs already use solar energy, while others use fossil fuels.
Some question the raw materials used, waste by-products generated, and waste disposal associated with lab-grown diamonds
There are questions about the exact by-products of lab-grown diamonds and how this waste is managed (or treated and disposed of).
This could be made a bit more transparent.
More independent research could also be done on the raw material used to create diamonds.
There are potentially more sustainable and/or ethical diamonds out there than lab grown diamonds
In this guide we write about the potential sustainability and ethical evaluation of different types of diamonds.
For example, recycled or second-hand mined diamonds are an option.
From an environmental point of view, once a natural diamond has been mined and cut, it can be passed from generation to generation, averaging the production footprint.
May result in loss of jobs and economic activity in mining communities and developing regions
Diamond mining can provide significant support to the local economy.
There are also sellers of mined diamonds who give back big bucks to local mining communities in countries like Africa.
Lab-made diamonds can reduce some of these benefits of mined diamonds.
Creating diamonds in a lab in a developed country means losing jobs and economic incentives in developing countries where diamonds could be mined.
Mining can be the only way out of poverty for some people
It is estimated that diamond mining supports more than 10 million people worldwide.
For example, the revenue from diamonds enables every child in Botswana (the second largest diamond-producing country in the world) to go to school free of charge until the age of 13.
Diamond revenue also plays an important role in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa, and for every 2.5 hectares of land mined, at least 6 hectares are donated to conservation.
This is just a small part of the good that is being done in the diamond industry.
– harpersbazaar.com.au
However, some lab-grown diamond companies have set up social programs (which you can view on their website) to donate a percentage of profits to specific mining communities
Some people place more of a stigma, romance, and subjective value on mined diamonds
Some people find it much more appealing to believe that their diamond has spent thousands of years being pressurized and refined naturally in the earth, rather than being commercially developed in a lab over the course of a few weeks or months.
Some may think that lab grown diamonds are not as rare or valuable as mined diamonds because they can theoretically be made at will, compared to mined diamonds which take many years to geologically form
However, if we look at the empirical evidence, lab-grown diamonds are produced in the 1000s annually, compared to millions annually for mined diamonds, according to some sources.
Mined diamonds can be unique
In different parts of the world, different carbon is exposed to different chemical reactions in the soil and core.
No place is the same, so no mined diamond has exactly the same lattice.
Some people like that about mined diamonds.
Also, formation can only take place in very specific parts of the world where the combination of temperature and pressure is just right.
Many factors must come together for the perfect earth-formed diamond to form and surface.
These things add to the uniqueness of mined diamonds compared to lab grown diamonds.
There have been some suggestions that some sellers may engage in some types of deceptive behavior
Another ethical issue highlighted by lab grown diamonds is disclosure.
Because of the profits to be made, unethical jewelers may be tempted to pass off lab grown stones as mined.
So far there is no evidence that this has happened on any significant scale, but it is impossible to guarantee that this will not happen again in some countries in the future.
This risk and behavior can be managed to some extent by buying from a reputable seller and obtaining certificates, among other things.
More guides to lab grown diamonds
(Labor Grown Diamonds Buying Guide and Valuation Guide)
Lab grown diamonds versus other types of diamonds
Sources
1. https://earth911.com/living-well-being/style/lab-grown-diamonds/
2. https://www.mygemologist.com/learn/lab-grown-diamonds/is-a-lab-grown-diamond-right-for-me/
3. https://www.ingleandrhode.co.uk/about-us/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-lab-created-diamonds/
4. https://people.com/style/everything-you-need-to-know-about-lab-grown-diamonds/
5. https://www.harpersbazaar.com.au/fashion/real-diamonds-vs-lab-grown-diamonds-15946
6. https://www.miadonna.com/pages/stone-guide-lab-grown-diamonds
7. https://www.glossy.co/evolution-of-luxury/lab-grown-diamond-companies-tout-ethical-sustainable-gems
8. https://www.cleanorigin.com/about-lab-created-diamonds/
9. https://www.diamonds.pro/education/lab-diamonds/
10. https://beyond4cs.com/lab-created-diamonds/
11. https://deleuse.com/blogs/news/buyer-beware-lab-grown-diamonds-vs-mined-diamonds
12. https://www.miadonna.com/pages/stone-guide-compare-stones
13. https://www.jckonline.com/editorial-article/can-lab-grown-diamonds-be-called-eco-friendly/
14. https://www.heart-in-diamond.com/cremation-diamonds/synthetic-eco.html
15. https://www.brilliantearth.com/lab-created-diamonds/
16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_diamond
17. https://www.adadiamonds.com/
18. https://www.ritani.com/blog/diamonds/diamond-faq-lab-grown-diamonds-vs-real-diamonds/
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