It has taken me a few years to write this post. As a wholesale diamond dealer with 45+ years of experience in the diamond and fine jewelry trade, I was not sure how to best answer this question when lab grown diamonds first started to appear on the world market. I had many questions.

• Are lab created diamonds as beautiful as natural diamonds?
• Would lab created diamonds be widely accepted by the diamond consumer?
• Would lab grown diamonds replace natural diamonds?
• Would lab created diamonds bring down the price of natural diamonds?
• Would lab created diamonds create an additional market that would coexist with natural diamonds?

After a few years of witnessing the development and growth of the lab created diamond market, I can finally address the issue of lab grown vs natural diamonds. However I cannot answer the subject title of this post. The answer is one that is very personal to the buyer for the reasons stated below.

A natural diamond is one of the wonderful and beautiful natural creations of nature. Mined from 150 to 200 kilometers deep in the Earth, natural diamonds (of the quality that are used in jewelry) are very rare. Natural diamonds have been cherished for hundreds years for their beauty and uniqueness and rarity- and as a symbol of love and marriage. Because of their uniqueness and rarity, natural diamonds are expensive and are thought to be a “store” of value and future price appreciation.

A lab created diamond is a man made simulated diamond that is grown in a laboratory environment. Unlike other simulated or synthetic diamonds of the past, lab created diamonds share the same chemical makeup as natural diamonds. Because of this, lab created diamonds are the same as natural diamonds in terms of their specific gravity. What this means is that whereas previous man made “diamonds” were easily distinguishable by their weight as well as other factors in their overall appearance, a lab created diamond will weigh exactly the same as a natural diamond.

To emphasize a point made above, natural diamonds are very rare! Natural diamonds are made by forces deep within the earth over a period that may take more than a billion years for the diamond to form. Estimates of a diamonds age range from a mere 90 million years to over 3.5 billion years! Because of the contrasting conditions of natural and lab grown formation, lab grown diamonds display several features which allow them to be Gemologically distinguished from natural diamonds.

As for their beauty, I must admit that lab created diamonds can be very beautiful and, in some cases, more beautiful than natural diamonds. Also I must state that I have seen many lab grown diamonds that are not nearly as beautiful as mined natural diamonds. Some lab grown diamonds display a brownish or grayish or bluish tinge which is not usually seen in natural diamonds.

A for my statement that lab created diamonds are more beautiful than natural diamonds, one must understand this is full context. A natural diamond and a lab grown diamond of similar GIA grading will be close in appearance as any two natural diamonds within the same grade. (See caveat about color tinges above). The reason for my comment is that most consumers who purchase a lab created diamond will purchase a lab grown diamond that is of a higher GIA grade than if they were buying a natural diamond. At 10% percent of the cost of a natural diamond, most buyers of lab grown diamonds can easily afford the difference in price between a high grade diamond as opposed to sacrificing quality in a natural diamond in order to meet their budget requirement.

Another factor affecting the beauty of lab grown diamonds is the fact that it may be easier to locate a beautiful lab grown diamond – particularly in “fancy shapes” – meaning all non-round diamonds. Beautiful fancy shape natural diamonds are more rare and are often more difficult to locate on the world market and consequently in retail stores. Lab grown diamonds, on the other hand, are readily available and more easily sourced at wholesale and retail levels.

As for my initial question about the “acceptance” of lab created diamonds, lab grown diamonds have made significant inroads into retail jewelry stores and consumer acceptance. To the retail jeweler, lab grown diamonds are more readily available and profit margins are likely to be significantly higher due to the lower product cost. To the retail consumer who is struggling to be able to afford a diamond in order to get engaged, a lab created diamond offers an opportunity to satisfy his partner with a bigger and nicer diamond than he would be able to acquire in a natural diamond.

To some, the justification for buying a lab created diamond is that it is a “greener” choice. The early marketing campaigns designed to interest consumers in lab grown diamonds focused on “sustainability” and “conflict-free”. I believe that these marketing “buzz words” serve as justification to one who is trying to justify the purchase of the lesser priced alternative. Some buyers choose a lab grown diamond because all that matters is “getting a ring” and they do not care about uniqueness or “natural” or long term value.

The fact of the matter is that lab grown diamonds are coexisting with natural diamonds. The prospective diamond buyer who frequents mall type operators such as Zales or Kay – the buyer for lower quality commercial grade diamonds and diamonds of 1.00 carat or less is more likely to acquire a lab grown diamond than the more affluent or more sophisticated buyer. Another likely buyer of lab grown diamonds is the customer who could afford a 1.00 carat – 2.00 carat diamond but wants to acquire a bigger size diamond.

Lab grown diamonds have had lesser impact at the higher end of the diamond market. The high-end and top quality diamond buyer has been non-receptive to the idea of lab grown diamonds.

It has been my experience that the natural diamond buyer is more traditional and more concerned with his own family history and traditions as well as his partner’s expectations. He understands the history and generational tradition of a diamond engagement ring. This buyer understands the uniqueness and rarity of a natural diamond. This buyer also believes that the acquisition of a diamond is an emotional and financial commitment to his future partner and feels that a natural diamond is “real” and that a lab created diamond is not the same.

So where does this leave us with regard to the title of this post, “Lab Grown vs Natural diamonds – Which to Buy?”. The answer is up to the buyer who must weigh these choices in relation to affordability and emotional considerations.

A lab grown diamond may be very beautiful. It may be a better choice than acquiring a natural diamond that is of a lower commercial grade. It is also a good choice when the primary objective is a large diamond with a limited budget. It is the right choice if this is what your prospective partner/girlfriend/fiancé/wife tells you that it is what she wants because the size of her ring is what is most important to her.

On the other hand, many diamond merchants and jewelers and many consumers compare lab grown diamonds to crypto currency or other “fake’ products. They are not “real” nor do they have any inherent or intrinsic value. I agree with this. However, I also understand that the lab grown diamond buyer is not interested in history or intrinsic value but simply in obtaining a beautiful and, in most cases, a bigger looking ring. If this is the objective, a lab grown diamond may be a good choice.

To others, the process of acquiring and owning a natural diamond is something that is steeped in pride and tradition and history. A diamond is a once-in-a-lifetime purchase. It is an financial and emotional acquisition that shows an emotional commitment and promise.

There is no right or wrong in the choice of lab-grown vs natural diamond. It is entirely a personal decision. In either case, the acquisition of a diamond engagement ring is the act of acquiring something beautiful that you and your partner should be proud of and that you will look at and admire for many years – hopefully for a lifetime.