There are many options available when it comes to diamonds and the question every diamond buyer seems to have is, “Should I purchase a natural diamond or a lab grown diamond?” While it is known that both options have the same physical and chemical aspects, the key differences are in their origin, cost, resale price, and sentimental value.
Deciding on lab grown vs natural diamonds isn’t a blind decision. Lab grown vs natural diamonds is a question that really revolves on values and finances. And whichever the option, the diamonds are subjected to the diamond grading scale, which is the standard and universally accepted metric for grading and appraising diamonds. Now let’s see how each type fares in more detail.
It’s important to carry out more research on both diamond types before making a decision.
The Procedure for Manufacturing Diamonds in the Laboratory
The procedure for crafting lab diamonds closely resembles the diamond forming process that takes place deep in the Earth. The most well-known methods are High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). Both technologies recreate the extreme conditions of the Earth’s mantle and generate real diamonds, no imitations—just like Mother Earth produces.
There are multifarious techniques for diamond production. The higher the altitude and pressure, the less flaws there are going to be, and the better the homogeniety the diamond will achieve. The more uniform quality would also lessen the cost of production. The aiding effect the positive environmental aspect would outweigh the lesser price. These factors will ensure lab diamonds will be the most ethically favorable, and the only choice for diamonds for environmentally conscious consumers.
The Tale of Natural Diamonds
The process of forming natural diamonds takes several millennia, and while doing so, goes through various geo processes of the Earth. They are situated deep down under the Earth’s crust, and are transported and surface through volcanic activity. Each and every natural diamond that is mined has been around for centuries. This is just one example of the slow forces of time and nature in action.
The majority of buyers appreciate the distinctiveness of a natural diamond primarily because of its historical and sentimental worth. In several ways, a diamond forms a miniature mosaic of the Earth’s legacy. For the buyers who appreciate the bundles of emotional and historical attachments, the absence of natural diamonds in a collection is a talisman and a priceless relic, something one is unlikely to gain the advantage of substituting it for a lab-made diamond.
Value and Resale Potential
The most prominent amongst the rest is the value retention over a period of time. Although both still carry a value of sentimental and emotional attachment, the unique investment value a natural diamond possesses is unquestionable. Its value cannot be worn down by time, and with the right collection of natural diamonds, it provides a sense of assurance to the owner that is multi-generational. In a collection, each piece is a timeless remnant of a bygone era and a keepsake, amalgamating both sentimental and monetary value, serving as a testament to the owner’s legacy.
From the perspective of retaining value, lab-grown diamonds are not of worth when compared to naturally-mined diamonds, as lab-grown diamonds can be manufactured endlessly, and their worth degrades as time passes. They are usually viewed as luxury consumables. These are tailored to those who wish to avoid future value for the sake of quality and quantity.
Lab-grown diamonds, however, are also quite remarkable if visual appearance, price, and ethical sourcing are the primary criteria.
Ethics and Environmental Ethics
The social buyers and the buyers with a heightened sense of social responsibility , consciousness are also linked to the ethical sourcing and sustainable use of the resources, the visual appearance of the product, and the price of the product.
Even the lab, as long as it is powered by renewables, is producing lower carbon dioxide and there is no chance of an ethically compromised diamond being in the product.
With the implementation of the Kimberley Process, the circulation of conflict diamonds has been minimized, making natural diamonds the more ethical choice.
Quality of Diamonds Through Grading
Regardless of the source of a diamond, each one is appraised on the diamond grading scale. This system is internationally accepted and is based on the 4Cs: Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat Weight.
The ‘cut’ of a diamond is the artistry of shaping the stone and determining the optics of reflected and refracted light. In the case of lab-grown diamonds, they can also be described as ‘brilliant’ and ‘firey’ and display glimmering light. Colors range in Diamonds from a D grade to a Z grade in a spectrum of colorless to dull-light yellow or brown. Clarity measures the degree of blemishes and/or inclusions. The Carat Weight refers to the actual size of the stone- and is the most significant determinant of the diamonds’ price.
Documentation for laboratory and natural diamonds is issued independently and certified by s e.g. Gemological Institute of America and International Gemological Institute. Such documentation helps clients evaluate and compare diamonds’ worth based on objective, rational, and well-supported parameters derived from the documentation, and under the system of consistent valuation.
Considering all the diamonds’ characteristics and individual needs, the final decision on natural vs. lab grown diamonds is relative.
It allows consumers to obtain larger, higher-grade diamonds at a more affordable price, which is a positive thing that embraces, value, modern technology, and ethically positive initiatives associated with lab diamonds.
If you value the stones’ rarity, the tradition surrounding natural diamonds, and the geological concept of time during which the diamond formed for countless ages, then natural diamonds are for you. It also has the legacy and resale value.
Connecting the diamond grading scale with the other natural and lab grown diamonds issues, helps the user to achieve a more deliberate, thoughtful decision that is individual and significant.
Conclusion
What matters more is that your decision embodies your value systems, aligns with your lifestyle, and narrates your story. Any diamond, mined or laboratory grown, signifies a bond and must carry value in that context, and it will if it is chosen with care.