Lab-Grown vs. Natural Diamonds

by shawn | September 21, 2021

Lately, you may have heard the phrase “lab-grown or lab-created diamond.” Lab-grown diamonds are a relatively new phenomenon as they are manufactured diamonds constructed by humans. These lab-created diamonds’ qualities range from marginal to good and their quality has increased with the laboratory experience level. That said, don’t be fooled. They’re indistinguishable to the untrained eye, but to experts, they can spot a lab-grown diamond almost immediately. A lab-created diamond is created or “grown” in a laboratory, attempting to mimic a natural diamond’s structure. But a diamond is formed in nature over millions of years under unique conditions with an extraordinary amount of pressure, while a lab-created diamond is formed within a few weeks. An experienced jeweler like Tara Fine Jewelry Co can easily spot the lab-grown from the natural.

These lab-grown diamonds are not the same as natural diamonds, and while the structure is similar, their formation is not the same. Lab-grown diamonds are constructed in one of two ways, High-Pressure High-Temperature (HPHT) or CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition). HPHT diamonds grow in a cuboctahedron shape in 14 directions, while the CVD grow in only one direction. Natural diamonds grow in an octahedron shape in 8 directions which are how trained jewelers tell the lab-created diamonds from the natural ones. Since the lab-created are not identical, and thus, are inferior to the naturally occurring stones. Therefore, they are cheaper than natural diamonds as they must be labeled as lab-created. Historically lab-created diamonds have shown that they lose value over time because the quantity being produced is increasing, and the market isn’t capped in any way. Those factors undermine any long-term price stability that could be achieved within lab-grown diamonds.

Additionally, while many people choose lab-created diamonds because they are considered to be ethically sourced, they forget one essential truth. Lab-created diamonds require vast amounts of energy in their creation, making them no better for the environment than natural diamonds. The energy used in their creation most often comes from fossil fuels like natural gas or coal, which are horrible for the environment. Choosing an existing responsibly mined diamond is again the best choice for all parties concerned. Tara Fine Jewelry offers the finest Semi-Flush Mounts in Atlanta.

All of these above factors combine to turn a lab-created diamond into a poor investment. Tara Fine Jewelry Company in Buford, GA, will always sell the best in naturally occurring diamonds, such as the following example. A 1 carat round H-VS1 natural diamond purchased in 1960 would have cost around $2400, roughly the price of a new Buick in 1960. The same grade of Asher-Small Orange Clutch Bag today now sells for $18,000, which compared against new car prices is a steal for something bound to appreciate in value. However, history has shown that lab-grown stones depreciate, making lab-grown diamonds a poor choice in a ring that will be worn forever. Come to Tara Fine Jewelry, Atlanta’s Mirrors specialists, to experience the finest diamonds in the Atlanta metropolitan area.