Why Lab-Created Diamonds Aren’t As Cheap As You Think.

Lab-created diamonds might seem like a great alternative to natural diamonds, but they aren't as cheap as many people think. In fact, you're likely to get more value for your money if you buy a natural diamond from trusted places like Blue Nile or James Allen.

What Are Lab-Created Diamonds?

Lab-created diamonds (also called synthetic, cultured, or lab-grown diamonds) are made by humans, not nature. Even though they're made in a lab, these diamonds are real because they have the same chemical makeup as natural diamonds. Both types of diamonds are made from carbon and look identical to the naked eye.

While lab created diamonds are beautiful and often seen as the go-to choice for luxury jewelry, it's important not to buy into the idea that you must get one for an engagement ring just because of marketing campaigns.

And let’s get one thing out of the way: I agree that synthetic diamonds look exactly like natural diamonds (so long as we are referring to lab created diamonds, not diamond simulants or cubic zirconia). I’m not going to get into the technical details of how they make diamonds because that is not my issue.

Are Lab-Created Diamonds Really Cheaper?

Many companies selling lab-grown diamonds claim their diamonds are 30-40% cheaper than natural diamonds. However, this is misleading. While lab diamonds might have a lower upfront cost, they don’t hold their value over time. Natural diamonds typically retain about 50% of their value, and their prices tend to go up over the years. If you ever sell your natural diamond, you could get at least half of what you paid or more.

On the other hand, lab-created diamonds have little to no resale value. Jewelers won’t buy them back, and if you try to sell them online, you’ll likely get only a fraction of what you paid. To make up for this, lab-grown diamonds would need to be much cheaper, but they’re not.

The Value Problem with Lab-Created Diamonds

When you buy a lab-created diamond, you lose the potential investment value that comes with natural diamonds. So, while you might save a little at the start, you miss out on any chance of getting money back if you sell it later. From this angle, lab-created diamonds aren’t a good value.

Some people might prefer lab diamonds for other reasons, like the fact that they were made by humans instead of nature. However, you should be aware that lab-grown diamonds don’t offer better value in terms of money.

Diamond Foundry: A Closer Look

One popular company in the lab-created diamond space is Diamond Foundry. They’ve been making headlines, partly because actor Leonardo DiCaprio is an investor. However, there’s a big issue: Diamond Foundry doesn’t provide certified diamonds, which makes it hard to know the true quality of their products.

For example, Diamond Foundry lists a 2.30-carat lab-created diamond for $22,816. But a comparable natural diamond from Blue Nile costs only $16,251. In many cases, natural diamonds are actually cheaper than lab-created ones, despite having better quality.

Bottom line

While lab-created diamonds look the same as natural diamonds, they don’t hold their value. Despite what some companies claim, they aren’t a better deal. If you’re looking to get the most value for your money, natural diamonds are the better choice.

For example, would you rather pay $10,000 for a natural diamond and later sell it for $5,000, or pay $1,000 for a lab-created diamond and not be able to sell it at all? When it comes to getting the best value, natural diamonds win.

Conclusion

If you never plan on selling the diamond then lab created might be the best choice for you.

There are also downsides to natural diamonds: Environmental damage, the possibility of unethical mining practices which could include child labor, slavery, etc.

And The fact that we can replicate the exact conditions necessary to grow a diamond in such a relatively much shorter time frame, it's just so so so incredible to me! It's so darn amazing what we can and have achieved.