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The complete guide to lab diamonds

Why lab grown diamonds? Lab vs natural diamonds and everything else you'll need to know.

09/23/2019
7 minute read

Lab vs natural diamonds.

Truth is… The average person will never know the difference, especially just by its looks. Give it to someone who has a PhD in diamonds (aka a GIA gemologist) and they may be able to notice a few variances. But it’s safe to say your soon to be fiancé’s bff will never be able to see a visual difference. In fact, the DNA of a lab diamond is exactly the same as a natural diamond. If you’re on the fence about which way to go, just know that both directions are good directions. It comes down to what’s a better fit for you. Lab diamonds tend to be cheaper than natural diamonds. On the flip side, a story that’s rarely told about natural diamonds is the positive economic impact they have on locations where the mines are located. But more on that below.

So is a lab diamond a real diamond?

Yes. Lab diamonds are real diamonds. Lab diamonds have the same chemical composition and characteristics. They’re just simply made in a controlled environment rather than forming naturally from heat and pressure deep below the earth’s surface.

GIA Lab Grown-Diamond Knowledge Sessions Sources: gia.edu

What’s the best lab grown diamond?

Our experienced GIA Graduate Gemologist hand selects all of our loose lab grown diamonds, lab diamond engagement rings, and lab grown diamond jewelry. She carefully chooses them ensuring the most sparkle and brilliance that you'll love. 

Our selection of ready-to-give lab grown diamond engagement rings come with an authentic certification from IGI, International Gemological Institute, a lab grown diamond report.                  

3 Simple Reasons to choose a lab grown diamond from J.R.Dunn

1. Each lab diamond is looked at by our Graduate Gemologist, Mia  
2. We have the experience you can trust, family owned and operated for over 50 years.
3. You'll receive a certificate with your lab created diamond     
“In this era of anti-money-laundering rules that mandate buyers know their customers, retailers increasingly want information about who owns lab-grown diamond companies, Mathuram says. Yet many growers are nontransparent, and some have had been linked to fugitive economic offenders, offshore entities, or the Chinese military. ”

Source: JCK Online

What's the long term value of a lab diamond?

As lab grown diamonds are relatively new to the market, there’s no telling for certain what the long term value will be. On the other hand, natural diamonds hold their value because of the consistency of selling and reselling them on the market. For example, if you trade in a $5,000 diamond at J.R.DUNN for a bigger diamond you would get that $5,000 toward the bigger diamond.

If I buy a lab grown diamond, can I trade it up in the future?

We offer a 100% trade up guarantee on our natural diamonds since prices have remained pretty stable over the last decade. Since man made diamonds don’t have the pricing history that natural diamonds have, we currently don’t offer our trade up policy to lab grown diamonds at this time.

Are lab grown diamonds cheaper than natural diamonds?

Yes. Lab created diamonds are relatively cheaper than mined diamonds. The cost of mining is much more expensive than the technology used to grow lab diamonds. Right now, you can buy a lab grown diamond for 20-30% less than the price of a natural diamond.

Can you tell the difference between a created diamond and a natural diamond?

Nope. It is impossible to tell the difference with the naked eye since they are actual diamonds. Even a gemologist can barely tell the difference between lab grown and natural diamonds because they are carefully created under the same circumstances as a natural diamond. Unless the diamond is laser engraved, your jeweler probably won’t be able to see the difference between diamonds. However, the technology in testing devices is advancing rapidly and becoming more available to people. We predict that most jewelers will have the ability to test diamonds at store level in the near future.

For now, we recommend sending loose diamonds to an accredited lab to be correctly identified and certified. This is the best way, as of now, to determine whether a diamond is lab grown or natural.

Man made diamonds are better for the environment but are they better for people?

This entirely depends on the person buying the diamond. The clarity and quality of natural and lab created diamonds are exactly the same, so we recommend buying whatever agrees with your personal beliefs. There are various pros and cons that come with both options of diamond production.

Mining – known as the traditional way to produce diamonds –requires heavy machinery that digs deep below the Earth’s surface leaving significant environmental impacts. Lab grown diamonds are man-made under controlled conditions, however they do still use a good amount of energy to run the machines.

There are potential risks for people in the mining industry, whereas working in a lab to produce diamonds results in no safety hazards and an overall more eco-friendly setting. Many people have associated the natural diamond industry with environmental and human rights issues, though few have pointed out that mined diamonds can actually help people where diamonds are a natural resource. In many areas, diamonds provide jobs, education, and access to water and healthcare in some of the world’s poorest places.

So yes, it really all comes down to what you believe is morally correct after weighing the pros and cons of both options. To read more about the good diamond can do, visit:
www.diamondsdogood.com

Why are lab grown diamonds not graded the same by GIA as natural diamonds?

“Lab-grown diamonds do not have the same range of color as mined diamonds and are generally grown to be as close to colorless as possible or are treated post growth to make them colorless or near colorless.”

Source: National Jeweler

As of July 2019, The GIA laboratory-grown diamond report is what’s now used to grade lab grown diamonds. Using new terms, they’ve created a criteria that more so lines up with a lab diamond versus a natural diamond. For example, a lab grown diamond graded as slightly included is like a SI1 or SI2 natural diamond. Because we are all familiar with the criteria used to grade natural diamonds, it's nice to have this comparison.

What are the labs that certify lab grown diamonds and why it matters?

  • Gemological Institute of America — GIA
  • International Gemological Institute — IGI
  • Antwerp World Diamond Center — AWDC
  • American Gem Society — AGS
  • Integration Gemological Institute — GSI

A certified diamond is important because it tells you the value of your lab grown diamond. It affects the price and tells you everything you need to know about your diamond.

Where can I buy lab created diamonds?

J.R.Dunn Jewelers is proud to be South Florida's destination for everything lab diamond, from the lab grown diamond engagement ring of your dreams in the setting of your choosing, to lab grown diamond jewelry including tennis bracelets, necklaces, and beyond. If you're in South Florida, check us out. We're located only about an hour drive from Miami and just minutes from Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton. Or if you're shopping for lab created diamonds online, shop the Lab Diamond Edit.

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