Searching for the perfect engagement ring but experiencing sticker shock over the prices? In your search you’ve probably heard about lab grown diamonds and their many benefits, including their cost-effectiveness. After much thought, a lab diamond engagement ring seems the way to go. But now you may be wondering, are they even real? And at the end of the day, are lab grown diamonds worth it?
Yes, they most definitely are worth it–also, yes, they are real. And in this article, we’re going to tell you why plus much more. Keep reading to learn why lab grown diamonds are an excellent option.
What Are Lab Grown Diamonds and How Are They Made?
Lab grown diamonds, sometimes called synthetic diamonds, are man-made and grown in a lab under controlled conditions. The two processes used to grow lab created diamonds are chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT), which simulate the conditions under which natural diamonds form.
With precise control over intense heat and pressure, diamond seeds are grown into real, beautiful diamonds with exceptional brilliance, fire, and clarity. These diamonds are optically, chemically, and physically identical to mined diamonds.
Lab Created Diamonds Are an Ethical, Smart, and Accessible Option
Lab diamonds are a conflict-free alternative to natural diamonds. They don’t harm the earth or its inhabitants with unethical mining practices and human rights violations.
Diamonds grown in a lab don’t require anywhere near the amount of water and power that mined diamonds need in order to be produced, and natural ecosystems are not harmed in the process. As consumer demand for responsible sourcing grows, lab grown diamonds fill that need.
And while both lab diamonds and natural stones are dazzling, lab diamonds are increasingly accessible to more people. With their impressive quality and lower price tag, lab grown diamonds introduce responsible, sustainable, high-end luxury to a wider audience.
The 4Cs and Lab Grown Diamonds
As with mined diamonds, several key features determine the value of lab grown diamonds. It’s important for you to understand these features so you’re equipped with the right knowledge to get exactly what you’re looking for at the best price.
Let’s go over the 4Cs of diamonds and how you can balance them to get the most for your money.
Carat Weight
This is exactly what it sounds like, which is how much a diamond weighs. In general, the larger the diamond is the more it’s going to cost. But carat weight does not always have a direct correlation to how large or small a diamond looks to the naked eye.
For instance, the most popular diamond cut is the round brilliant (and it’s the most expensive). If you compare a 1-carat round brilliant diamond to a 1-carat oval-shaped diamond, the oval will look larger even though they’re the same carat weight. This happens because the oval has a larger, longer table that makes it appear bigger.
If you’re trying to decide between a round and an oval diamond (or any longer-shaped diamond) of the same carat weight, why not go for the longer shape? It’s less expensive than a round brilliant, looks bigger, and costs less.
Cut Quality
A diamond’s cut showcases its light performance and how its facets optimize sparkle. Precision-cut lab diamonds display unrivaled brilliance and fire. Diamonds with higher standards of symmetry, polish, and proportions earn higher cut grades and premium prices.
Unless you plan to purchase a round brilliant, cut grades aren’t applicable. But if you do want a round diamond engagement ring or round brilliant for another jewelry piece, you should prioritize cut.
Color Grade
The more colorless the lab diamond, the greater its value, with near-perfect grades commanding top prices. You don’t have to have the highest color grade (D) if you’re going with a round diamond or another fancy shape like princess cut, oval, or marquise.
In this case, you can get away with something in the near-colorless range or even slightly colored–especially because it’s easy to offset any slight color with a bright white metal for the setting.
If you choose a diamond shape with a step cut, like an emerald or Asscher, you may want to go with a higher color grade. In the case of step-cut diamonds, you can see right into the center of them. And when you can see into the center of them, any color, if present, is going to be more obvious.
Clarity Grade
Fewer blemishes and inclusions mean higher clarity grades and prices. As with color grades, you don’t always have to choose a diamond with the highest clarity. A diamond with a less-than-perfect clarity grade can be stunning to the naked eye, especially if inclusions can be hidden by a prong.
Additionally, diamond shapes like round, oval, princess, and cushion with their brilliant-type cuts can hide blemishes nicely.
Lab Grown Diamonds Can Be Certified
If you’re still not convinced about their worth, you probably will be after you find out that lab diamonds receive grading reports from trusted, independent labs like the GIA and AGS.
These reports provide credibility, disclose any treatments a diamond has received, and indicate whether or not it is a lab grown diamond.
Lab Diamonds Are More Affordable
Lab grown and natural diamonds are exactly the same physically, chemically, and optically, but they differ greatly in price.
Compared to mined diamonds, you can purchase a lab created diamond for 30-50% less. How is this possible? It’s possible because lab diamonds have a shorter supply chain. For consumers, opting for a lab diamond means compromising neither beauty nor ethics for significant savings.
Let’s Compare Lab Diamond Pricing to Natural Diamond Pricing
At Clean Origin, a 2-carat round brilliant with a Very Good cut, G color grade, and VS2 clarity is $1,665. A natural diamond with the same characteristics is going to cost around $15,000.
Historically, natural diamonds cost more thanks to their prestige and scarcity. But advances in lab diamond technology keep pushing quality higher at lower prices. With improvements, lab diamonds are becoming more and more popular every year.
If current trends continue, lab diamonds could become the standard for financially savvy buyers wanting sparkle without breaking the bank. And that makes complete sense. Consumers shouldn’t overpay just to have the “rarity” of a mined diamond. Lab grown diamonds make luxury accessible, allowing you to have what you truly want.
What Will You Do With the Money You Save on a Lab Grown Diamond?
Choosing a lab diamond allows you to spend more on a nicer setting, upgrade your wedding bands, or add additional stones to your engagement ring. You can also purchase an additional piece of jewelry as a gift for someone you care about.
Aside from upgrading engagement rings and gifting, you can also put the money you save into your wedding or even toward something for your home. The options are endless.
Lab Diamonds Are Not Fake Diamonds
Despite misconceptions, lab diamonds are not “fake.” They are sometimes called “simulated” or “synthetic” and those are correct alternative terms for them. However, those terms are not the same as fake. Lab created diamonds are also not cubic zirconia or moissanite–although most of the available moissanite today is indeed lab grown (this still doesn’t make them diamonds).
Lab diamonds are real diamonds; they are made of carbon, just like natural diamonds. They’re created using the same elements of intense pressure and heat that create natural diamonds deep within the earth. And although lab diamonds are not fake, be sure to buy from a trustworthy source.
Purchase Your Diamonds From a Reputable Source
No matter if you’re buying natural or lab grown diamonds, you should always ensure you purchase from a trusted jeweler. Beware of unusually low prices, which could mean you’re being offered a fake diamond instead of a genuine lab grown stone.
Don’t hesitate to ask jewelers direct questions about their sourcing relationships and how they identify quality diamonds. In addition to this, make sure you receive a certificate to authenticate your diamond. A genuine certificate in hand from respected labs (like the GIA or AGS) for the diamond you purchase can also ensure you don’t overpay for it.
Do Lab Grown Diamonds Hold Their Value?
Lab grown diamonds likely won’t increase in value over time. But even most natural diamonds’ value won’t increase over time, unless of course you purchase a highly expensive and sought-after diamond.
What lab grown diamonds can hold, value-wise, is the sentiment they represent to the person who owns them. Whether it’s a lab grown diamond engagement ring or a beautiful piece of diamond jewelry received as a gift, the memory of the person who gave you that gift will forever be attached to it.
So, Are Lab Created Diamonds Worth It?
When you take into consideration all of the facts surrounding lab grown diamonds, the choice is undeniably clear.
If you care about the earth and the well-being of its inhabitants, lab diamonds are the way to go. And if you’re looking for quality diamond jewelry that won’t max out your budget, why would you pay 30-50% more for a natural diamond over a lab diamond?
Lab diamonds are 100% worth it!
Shop Lab Grown Diamonds With Clean Origin
Whether you have a budget of $500 or $500,000 we are sure to have something you will love. We even have gorgeous fancy colored diamonds available. Shop online or in-store with us, and if you need more help deciding we have diamond experts on hand who can find the perfect diamond jewelry to suit your needs.
