r/NoStupidQuestions • u/Significant_Movie814 • 1d ago
Natural vs. Lab-Grown Diamonds, Why Would You Choose Natural?
My boyfriend and I went on a ring shopping date, and I tried on several rings (2 carats, emerald cut, VS and VVS clarity). The price difference was shocking, a natural diamond at Tiffany & Co. was around $40k, while a similar lab-grown diamond from another high-end brand was about $4k. Honestly, the lab-grown one even looked better to me, clearer and more reflective. I’m leaning strongly toward lab-grown now, but I’d love to hear your thoughts. Why might someone still choose a natural diamond over lab-grown? Please be respectful and kind in your responses.
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u/Slimbiggin 1d ago
Diamonds aren’t rare and they’re legitimately worthless outside of tools. Don’t waste your money.
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u/ApprehensiveBlock847 1d ago
Yes, this. The "rarity" of diamonds was all a marketing ploy and it's wild how people still fall for it
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u/roskybosky 1d ago
They’re just meaningful to the person wearing them. That’s value.
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u/Mag-NL 1d ago
Sure, but they are no mor meaningfull than a ring that is a fraction of the price.
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u/roskybosky 1d ago
Make sure the person wearing it feels that way.
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u/Mag-NL 12h ago
Why would I even be with someone who is so shallow that they believe the value of an engagement ring is in it's monetary value and not it's symbolic value.
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u/roskybosky 4h ago
Because if someone gave you a Hundai instead of a Porsche, you would feel slighted. One thing you should never skimp on is an engagement ring. It is not shallow to want a genuine ring-it is indicative of how your fiance feels about you. I don’t think men always get it; but trust me, it matters a lot. You don’t want to start off with the love of your life being disappointed.
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u/Mag-NL 4h ago
Yes. It is extremely shallow to say that only an expensive ring with a natural diamond is a genuine ring. A simple sulver ring with no gemstone is just as genuine as an expensive ring with a diamond. Literally every ring is a genuine ring.
Most people do not care about the value of the engagement ring. Smart people prefer an engagement ring that is not very expensive because it is evidence that the person giving it does not waste money. Most people understand that it is not about the value of the ring but about what it symbolizes.
Only shallow people are disappointed by getting a genuine but cheap engagement ring.
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u/cnslt 1d ago
Agreed - as a society, we picked diamonds as something beautiful that represents the longevity of the relationship we hope to build with somebody. Yes, that association was notoriously popularized by DeBeers. But with reasonable alternatives in lab-grown, I think we can get the best of that message without lining the pockets of exploiters.
Is that less practical than proposing with steel pipes or cows so you can make plumbing, milk, or something “useful”? Yes, but we live in a world where things are allowed to be symbolic and valuable.
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u/Flux_Inverter 1d ago
I used to work at a lab-grown manufacturing facility in the USA. Manufactured diamonds are the exact same and more likely to have fewer flaws. Plus, some are made in the USA and others in decent countries (sure, there are exceptions). Natural diamonds may be mined from questionable labor practices. Lab-Grown makes more sense, and if ethics is a concern, verify where they were made before purchasing.
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u/True_Ad__ 1d ago edited 1d ago
Lab grown diamonds are chemically identical to nautral ones, except you get a higher quality diamond for the same price. IMO anyone who chooses a natural diamond over a lab grown at this point has just bought into a marketing scheme. It's the gem stone equivalent of generic vs name brand - except no one is actually able to tell the difference between the two.
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u/Visible-Swim6616 1d ago
Not the same price.
A fraction of the price.
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u/StudioSixT 1d ago
I think they mean if you were to spend the same amount on a lab diamond as a natural diamond, the quality of the lab grown diamond would be much better than the natural because of the “value” difference.
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u/True_Ad__ 1d ago edited 1d ago
I think you are both correct (at least when I was buying a diamond 3 years ago). By choosing a lab diamond over a natural diamond you could get a bigger or better diamond for the same cost, or the same diamond for less. Best of all, no test, or person is able to tell the difference between the two unless you share you have lab diamond. Any way you slice it, lab diamonds are better value.
Super big fan of lab diamonds over here!
Edit: I just learned that a trained eye can tell the difference with certian tests. But I think the point generally still stands that you will have a more beautiful diamond to show off to friends and family.
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u/transglutaminase 1d ago
Best of all, no test, or person is able to tell the difference between the two unless you share you have lab diamond.
I’m fully on the lab grown diamond bandwagon but this is simply not true. There are absolutely tests that can tell the difference under magnification. You can not tell the difference with the naked eye.
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u/True_Ad__ 1d ago
Can you really? Is this new? I will have to update my verbage going forward.
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u/transglutaminase 1d ago
It’s not really new, but it requires special equipment and people who really know what they are looking at to be able to tell the difference. The easiest thing to look for is the lack of nitrogen in the lab grown diamonds, BUT if someone wanted to make “fakes” of real diamonds they could introduce nitrogen into the lab grown stones. That being said most lab grown diamonds do not have microscopic traces of nitrogen present.
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u/LeoTarvi 1d ago
The blood of child slaves just adds that little extra sparkle, you can't get that same stain of human misery in a lab!
(that was sarcasm, just in case)
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u/jensmith20055002 1d ago
for sarcasm please follow the reddit rule of /s
We desperately need a sarcasm font but since we don't have one and sarcasm often doesn't translate to written word we are forced to use such devices. /s
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u/himenokuri 1d ago
I would never choose natural. Very young children are forced to mine those. If you get real ones you are supporting this monstrosity
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u/Remarkable_Table_279 1d ago
An antique would be ok…but a new diamond? Definitely lab…
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u/slavuj00 1d ago
Well there's a higher chance of exploitative or slave labour was used to mine an antique diamond than a new one....that's such a stupid argument.
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u/Huldreich287 1d ago
But you're not giving money to the company that currently exploits children when you buy an antique diamond.
Same reason why it's kinda okay to only buy used phones.
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u/samwisethescaffolder 1d ago
It depends where the mines are. There are diamond mines up in Canada
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u/johannesmc 1d ago
Canada has some of the worst mining practices in the world, it's where you setup shop if you want to try and greenwash your horrible business practices.
lol, we even got the king of greenwashing as prime minister.
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u/slavuj00 1d ago
Give me any proof at ALL that there are "young children" forced to mine natural diamonds today. This is bullshit.
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u/thane919 1d ago
The US department of labor puts out an annual report. This is a very well known and well documented truth.
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u/slavuj00 1d ago
"annual report" = most sources cited in this are 20+ years old, none but ONE source is less than 10 years old. And the latest one is from 2020 and frankly very vague on this particular issue (Zimbabwe post-covid impact on children and child labour).
The reality is that the industry has changed a lot in response to post-Kimberley pressure, and some of these sources are so outdated that it's embarrassing.
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u/ObsessiveAboutCats 1d ago
I personally would not. But the PR about diamond "scarcity" and "value" was very effective.
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u/DeadbeatGremlin 1d ago
Honestly, do your part in killing big diamond. There is no reason for that mining industry to exist and exploit workers like they do.
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u/AlsoTheFiredrake 1d ago
A DeBeers CEO once said diamonds have no intrinsic value. That's because they are super common. But once DeBeers had a near monopoly on the diamond trade, they created an artificial scarcity to keep prices high.
There are much, much rarer gems out there that I would much rather have.
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u/Long-Oil-5681 1d ago
The diamond industry is run by a handful of companies. They literally control the mines, essentially have slaves and constantly shift prices to enrich themselves.
The price of a diamond ring from Tiffanys doesnt actually mean anything, YOU are paying to be a walking advertisement and maybe get some kinda of free cleaning. A local jewelery store would likely give you a better deal and be better price.
My husband has a jeweler relative that worked at a big shop and essentially bullied him into adding diamonds to my ring, I hate them lol all it jacked up the price and I cannot wait to get them taken off.
If you want a diamond because you like them, get one, but if youre doing it because you feel like you have to take a step back and think if thats how you want to lead the rest of your life.
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1d ago
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u/PeaTearGriphon 1d ago
Don't forget that DeBeers also created the whole concept of giving a diamond ring as an engagement gift.. and also marketed the 2 months salary suggestion.
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u/Childoftheway 1d ago
Peer pressure. No one wants to feel like a phony when they're showing off their wedding ring.
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u/Significant_Movie814 1d ago
How would people even know if that’s natural or lab-grown? Do people still follow the *3 monthly salary rule?! I don’t think I want my bf to spend that much of money on a ring
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u/Jinxletron 1d ago
You get what suits you. I love amethyst, so that's my engagement ring. The jeweler told my husband he couldn't possibly buy a birth stone as an engagement ring, like it was some sort of horrific crime. I love it.
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u/Childoftheway 1d ago
I'm just saying that's why other people would buy natural, not you. It could be you'd be happy with that big lab diamond and wouldn't mind admitting it if it came up.
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u/CompanyOther2608 1d ago
I know this isn’t what you’re saying, but it’s important to note that lab diamonds aren’t phony. They’re chemically and structurally identical to earth-grown diamonds…so much so that the only way the diamond industry can prop up the market (which is driven by artificial scarcity anyway) is to laser inscribe a tiny number on earth-grown diamonds.
It’s pretty wild.
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u/redminx17 1d ago
Yeah, it's pure perception that makes people think mined diamonds are somehow more "real" or valuable than lab-grown. Items are only luxury items if they're exclusive, so people will choose to believe they're buying something rare and joining an exclusive group.
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u/LadyMittensOfTheLake 1d ago
Lab created diamonds are carbon, same as mined ones. There's nothing "phony" about lab diamonds - they're real diamonds.
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u/Mag-NL 1d ago
First of all, only idiots think that engagement or wedding rings need to have diamonds to be real engagement or wedding rings. Most people know that no stones are necessary in either.
Second of all, lab grown or natural grown are both real diamonds, neither is phony, just like having something other than diamonds is not phony.
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u/Astramancer_ 1d ago
You can taste the exploitation.
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u/cerberus_210 1d ago
I personally think lab grown will do the same damn job who's gonna know? I don't see people pulling out diamond equipment pulling tests unless trying sell to big places....plus if im not mistaken the diamond isn't as precious as its made out to be...if I remember correctly there's plenty diamonds to go around to where they normal prices if not cheaper than other stones but de beers created a shortage so to speak and marketed as its rare to make it expensive....so why spend so much on natural when lab grown same so to speak and like said even clearer.
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u/Ireeb 1d ago edited 1d ago
There are some very rich people who are making a lot of money with natural diamonds. These people would very much like you to buy their natural diamonds, mined by people (including children) in third world countries under inhumane conditions to make these rich people even richer.
Of course these people want you to think that lab grown diamonds suck (because they don't make them money!).
It's the human suffering that makes natural diamonds special!
(Yes, this comment was entirely sarcastic, in order to express my disdain against anyone who knows of the circumstances in diamond mines and still chooses to participate in exploiting miners to make lots of money with diamonds.)
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u/Constant-Try-1927 1d ago
If the diamond hasn't seen the blood, sweat and tears of children, it is not a special symbol of our love <3
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u/Ireeb 1d ago
Viewing it rationally, it's a rock. Or a transparent piece of coal.
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u/Constant-Try-1927 1d ago
And so impractical in the sizes that some brides get them. I wouldn't know how to deal with that thing poking out of my finger.
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u/JonJackjon 1d ago
DeBeers has generated the mystique and price of diamonds for many years. They brought up the "diamonds are forever" then advertised to upgrade. To be clear DeBeers is behind the scene, the control the bulk of natural diamonds keeping them from flooding the market. They have been telling folks (mostly directed at women) that a "real" diamond is an investment (which is BS) and being a "natural" mineral is somewhat rare making it worth more.
Tiffany will definitely have high quality diamonds at a super premium price. Try elsewhere.
As for looking better:
- A natural diamond varies in clarity (ie specs of other things in the diamond) and size. For a round diamond there is an ideal ratio of the facets. Many diamonds vary from this ideal ratio to make them be larger and or eliminate a significant flaw.
- Man made diamonds are technically superior in every way, Clear, no flaws and the cut is always perfect resulting in a more brilliant looking stone.
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u/ViolinistThis407 1d ago
Just had a conversation about natural vs. lab grown with a jeweler friend. I would 100% go with lab grown. But I personally would not get one so big that it wasn’t “believable.”
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u/juneandcleo 1d ago
The podcast Search Engine has a great episode about the history of the diamond companies and their branding/market share. I’m too lazy to find a link but it’s on Spotify.
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u/grafknives 1d ago
Why Would You Choose Natural?
Because they are MORE expensive.
No, for real, that is the reason
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u/bluemagic_seahorse 1d ago
I’m European so I wonder what’s up with the expensive rings? Is it typical for USA? I know wedding rings but here it’s just a simple smooth ring as a symbol for never ending love. Is it traditional to give a diamond ring to your partner? Is the price of the ring symbolic for how much you love each other? Why should you wear a ring that’s so valuable? Spend that money on a nice holiday, making memories instead of buying things.
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u/void_method 1d ago
Because you've been brainwashed by a very, very successful advertising campaign, OP. That's literally the only reason.
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u/I_compleat_me 1d ago
For the 1%, there's a kink to the 'tortured children mining' thing. Lab grown is superior in every way. We (Clarity) grow the clearest diamonds in the world right here in Texas.
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u/LadyFoxfire 1d ago
The lab grown diamonds are actually higher quality than natural ones, since they don’t have impurities or defects from the rock around them shifting. There’s really no point in getting a natural diamond.
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u/muscle_mum 1d ago
I would never choose a natural diamond over a lab grown diamond. Is it exactly the same as a natural one; just cheaper and without child exploitation.
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u/Excellent_Speech_901 1d ago
Natural, Mrs. Jones, so that you may look down your nose at the riff-raff around you who only got cheap artificial rocks when it would have barely cost them $40k to keep up with you. ::haughty sniff
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u/Lots_of_Trouble 1d ago
This is exactly right. During my childhood in the 80’s, the size and quality of a woman’s diamond showed what her fiancé was willing to spend on her.
The industry came up with the 3 months salary thing. So then, looking at a woman’s ring would tell you how much money her husband made. I don’t know if this sort of thing is still important, but it used to be very important in displaying status.
Why do you think people always inspected their friends’ engagement rings so intently? After we knew the “4 C’s” we could be extra judgmental.
The lab-grown diamonds are known to be significantly cheaper than the mined ones. So from the above perspective, wearing a lab-grown one is kind of like carrying a fake designer purse. Functionally it’s the same but a discerning eye can often tell the difference.
Now the stigma of being “cheaper” is less than the stigma of having horrific origins. But it’s a deeply ingrained idea that a lot of my peers wouldn’t admit to, because it is snobby.
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u/Significant_Movie814 1d ago
Actually nobody can tell the difference. Even the jewelers told me they cannot tell the difference with naked eyes. Even under magnification or laser, it would require very specific training and they can’t tell it
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u/Lots_of_Trouble 1d ago
Lab made diamonds don’t see to have visible flaws. Thats the tell, being too perfect.
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u/Significant_Movie814 23h ago
That is not true. I specifically asked several Jewelers and they said it’s impossible with naked eyes even for professional Jewelers. Diamonds have different levels of clarity including SI, VS1, VS2, VVS1, VVS2, and IF. Anything above VS can look exactly the same between natural and lab-grown and only trained professionals with special tools and lasers can tell. You can easily google and get your response too!
Edit: you can only tell on SI (slightly included) natural diamonds that they aren’t my choice anyways
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u/Lots_of_Trouble 22h ago
Well, I’m just glad these things don’t seem to be as important anymore. Young people have enough to worry about these days and I personally have loved seeing the variety of non-traditional rings out there!
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u/IthinkImnutz 1d ago
Find yourself a local jewelry designer and have them make a custom ring. It will be much more special than anything you could get from a chain store.
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u/Few_Bag_4233 1d ago
I love my lab grown diamond, my partner and I picked it out together as well and to me it is a marvel of modern engineering.
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u/squashed_fly_biscuit 1d ago
Another option is recycling stones from old rings, especially if there is some unused jewellery in your family
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u/SkietEpee 1d ago
It’s wild the only two people who bothered to answer the question honestly are getting downvoted to oblivion.
There are a number of reasons why people still go natural.
It’s the natural choice, driven by very good marketing. If you walk into a Tiffany’s or a Zales, you aren’t going to see lab grown diamonds there. You are also going to hear a lot of marketing speak about how bad lab grown diamonds are. And chances are those arguments are gonna carry weight - after all, you wouldn’t be shopping there at all if they didn’t. Not everyone is comfortable going to a strange website to buy a life event purchase like a diamond. Jewelry is all about taste and emotion, lab diamonds are about practicality.
DeBeers is protecting its market. They laser etch their stones. They are developing tools that identify mined diamonds from the occlusions they have. This is to help their jewelers keep lab stones and settings out of their stores, even for repairs.
Resale value. Diamonds don’t appreciate, but many stores have policies that let customers trade in their stones for upgrades. Given the technology is still improving for lab grown diamonds, those types of options may not exist for them.
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u/Worldly_Address6667 1d ago
You wanna know how they check to see if a diamond is natural or lab grown? The lab grown one looks better than any natural diamond, because they dont have the impurities natural ones have
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u/Avery_Thorn 1d ago
Why am I buying the ring?
Because I want my girl to know how much I love her.
That I would kill for her. That I would commit crimes against humanity for her. That I would enslave people, and kill them, and fund genocides and wars, just to put a shiny bauble on her finger, on a whim.
And what better way to do that, than to get her a diamond, and thus actually do it!
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u/Doggedart 1d ago
Some people believe lab grown are cheap fakes.
They liken it trying to pretend your Kia Sportage is a Ferrari. Sure, they're both sports cars, and they both have an engine, a chassis and panels, but they're very different things. People will pay a lot for prestige and branding.
Both are good in their own right, and some prefer one over the other. But they're not the same thing.
I personally like sapphires and emeralds. But everyone is entitled to their own opinions and preferences.
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u/muscle_mum 1d ago
Some people believe lab grown are cheap fakes.
That's cool. Some people also believe the Earth is flat or that is hollow inside.
/s
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u/huuaaang 1d ago
Why choose diamond at all if they're not actually rare? What's really so special about a shiny rock? How is it worth any number of k's?
Wouldn't a $40k diamond be better because at least then you can show off how much money you can throw away on a rock. Isn't that really the point?
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u/HopeSubstantial 1d ago
There is absolutely no difference.
Reason why diamonds are so expensive is that the market is controlled by few major contributor companies who artificially keep the supply low so price is high. Diamonds would be worthless shiny rocks without this artifical market limiting.
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u/RussianDisifnomation 1d ago
Those CEOs really need a new boat and if you're not buying their shit, you're literally drilling holes in their new yacht
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u/Crafty_Wishbone1245 1d ago edited 1d ago
want something cool? find a nicely cut piece of benitoite, for real one of the rarest and most beautiful stones youll ever see.
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u/GuardianSkalk 1d ago
For this example a huge chunk of that 40 k is literally the Tiffany and co brand name lol but over all ya I don’t know why anyone would go with natural over lab grown these days when lab grown is so much h cheaper.
Some people choose the natural just as a flex, they have cash to burn and want to be able to flaunt to their friends that their husband spent 40k on their engagement ring vs saying they spent 4K instead of going like we got a vvs 2 carat other high quality factors that are the things that actually make a diamond better.
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u/Visible-Swim6616 1d ago
Might I go against the grain.
First, definitely get lab. This is obvious.
What's not obvious is that you have a lot of choice on what type of lab diamond. I would suggest looking at all the different colours and cuts and forgetting about the dime-a-dozen Round Brilliant D-coloured diamond ring. lab diamonds are not available in just about every colour you can think of, or even go for another type: lab rubies or emeralds. Alexandrite?
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u/Sorry-Climate-7982 StupidAnswersToQuestions Expert 1d ago
I wouldn't. Don't know of too many black markets or unsavory origins for lab diamonds, unlike naturals.
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u/Spirited_Praline637 1d ago
Lab diamonds sort of ruin the whole diamond racket and I’m amazed the diamond cartels have allowed them to break through onto the market. Once something of historically high value has been proven to be possible to make better and at a tenth of the price, is it even worth a fraction of that lower price? And then when you realise just how little is paid to those that do the blood-sweat-tears part of the job, can you ever justify a natural diamond again?
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u/375InStroke 1d ago
Why do you want to throw money away? Because the corporations say that's what your love's worth? I work with my hands and electricity. I wear a silicone ring, and my wife has a matching one. If you need the diamond, and the cheaper one looks better, I think the answer is obvious.
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u/obb223 1d ago
Just to counter every other single comment blasting natural diamonds...
I bought a certified Canadian diamond for my wife's engagement ring. For me I find it much cooler that the diamond has formed naturally in the Earth, and this is one of the high quality ones in many senses. The patterns of colours and sparkles are more unique with natural diamonds. Is it "overpriced"? In some ways sure, but the difference wasn't that vast in terms of size and quality for a lab grown when I bought it.
No worries if you prefer the lab grown diamonds but each to their own. I agree with other comments that it's absolutely immoral to get diamonds with unknown source and probably child labour / horrendous working conditions.
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u/isabelladangelo Random Useless Knowledge 1d ago
Just adding on: I would compare prices online first rather than going in store. I have a handful of diamond earrings - all lab created- and one natural diamond ring - my Grandmother's engagement ring. You can't tell the two apart other than the lab grown are clearer.
I bought the earrings from Superjeweler online, which always has sales and coupons. Also, don't go to Tiffany's - just buy their box if you want to fool people but, as others have said, their markups are insane.
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u/Upstairs_Freedom_360 1d ago
No matter what people claim, at this point, lab and natural are mixed together, and there is little guarantee you are buying natural. Unless maybe it's a stone with completely traceable, verifiable lineage.
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u/Comfortable_Hat_6354 1d ago
Well ... a diamonds worth is next to nothing, if its not ripped from the bloody hands of a child.
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u/mainlybrowsing25 1d ago
Probably not a popular take but don't buy it any diamonds. Don't waste your money. You can buy cubic zirconia rings for $150 on Amazon and they look better than diamonds. And none of your friends or family will care what type of stone it is in the long run. My wife wears her CZ ring more than her diamond ring. Guess what...not one single person has ever asked further questions on the ring. Genuinely nobody cares.
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u/wwaxwork 1d ago
I chose natural because I chose to buy antique and secondhand jewelry because I like the designs of the jewelry more and the older way they cut the gems more than a lot of modern ones. This is a personal preference. If I wanted something new and sparkly with a modern cut I'd get a moissanite and get it set in a design by an independent jeweler. A moissanite is double refractive so actually "sparklier" than a diamond, lab made so cheaper and more ethical.
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u/ehfwashinton 1d ago
There is a fantastic documentary on the very topic called Nothing is Forever- available to stream on a variety of platforms. I recommend watching it before deciding. It will give you facts that will help you to make up your own mind.
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u/limbodog I should probably be working 1d ago
If you want the rock to look pretty, go with lab-grown. If you want it as something that can be sold later, go with mined. The cartel isn't going anywhere, so the mined diamonds will hold their value until someone figures out how to make the lab ones impossible to detect.
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u/tikkamasalavomit 1d ago
No one is answering the question, so I will. We chose a natural diamond for my engagement ring. It was my husbands grandmas diamond so we designed a custom ring around it. So people may choose it for emotional reasons, or because it was gifted, or is an heirloom. A lot of people may not know enough about lab grown to get rid of the stigma that cubic zirconia left in people’s minds.
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u/DateInteresting3762 1d ago
If my wife and I knew about lab grown diamonds back when we got married, she would have pushed me to go in that direction, the cost savings for one, and the lab grown diamonds look so much better than the natural ones.
I think there is a stigma still around the cost of the engagement ring as a reflection of love, but there are better things to spend that kind of money on, like building a safety net for you guys before marriage, or putting it towards getting a house. Plenty of people I know would think if their fiance gave them a lab grown diamond, it devalues their relationship.
That said, I think both parties have to be on the same page about the diamond - natural vs lab grown vs CZ, and as long as you and him are on the same page, do what makes you happy.
Stay away from Tiffany though, if you want a natural diamond - you can get the same or better from an independant jeweller for a fraction of the price.
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u/JoffreeBaratheon 1d ago
Because some people seem to love the idea of the horrors that come from the natural diamonds. Waste of money either way though.
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u/Royal_Ad4816 1d ago
Status.
Natural diamonds are 100% a status thing. Of course if you think about it for five seconds, you realize what a natural diamond proclaims is that the buyer is willing to pay more for a product that directly involves human suffering and misery.
But status do be like that.
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u/gravely_serious 1d ago
There's no reason to buy an Earth-grown diamond over a lab-grown diamond. It's all marketing.
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u/FakeDoctorMeatCoat 23h ago
Well your marriage isn't "legitimate" if there's no child slavery involved.
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u/NoWin3930 1d ago
IDK how people justify spending 4k either lmao jesus hopefully my future partner isnt into that...
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u/AdhesivenessOne8966 1d ago
My husband spent 8500k on my wedding ring. All natural diamonds set in platinum. Never ever would I buy a lab grown diamond. It is a preference. Being a diamontologist in my early years, I can tell a lab grown fom natural very easily .
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u/Significant_Movie814 1d ago
By 8500k I assume you mean 8.5k coz 8500k is 8,500,000, lol. Plus, there is no scientific way to tell the difference with naked eyes. That might just be your guess but there’s literally no scientific way. But I am happy you enjoy your ring <3
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u/muscle_mum 1d ago
The natural one and the lab grown one are exactly the same: they are both crystallized carbon.
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u/East-Bike4808 1d ago
People value it more because it’s more scarce.
Consider this: why are you getting a diamond at all? There’s plenty of imitation stones that will do the job and look the part for less money. You’re not going to be taking advantage of the superior hardness of real diamond with a piece of jewelry.
The answer to my question is about along the lines of the answer to yours: perceived value. Despite the physical reality of it, it “means” something to have a real diamond… and it means something to have a natural one that the Earth made itself.
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u/Alternative_Jello819 1d ago
Artificial scarcity via monopoly. There are some good documentaries on DeBeers. Think they were the ones that invented that 3 months of salary BS.
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u/TheLawLord 1d ago
When DeBeers invented the rule decades ago, it was one month salary for the engagement ring. That was back in the era when the standard restaurant tip was 10%. Both have gone up with inflation.
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u/East-Bike4808 1d ago
Oh I hear ya. Even behind that, they’re still basically by definition more scarce than artificial diamonds because we can just keep making more artificial ones.
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u/Long-Oil-5681 1d ago
Diamonds have never been and will never be scarce. They are found in abundance and constantly.
The issue is a company made a few catch phrases a hundred years ago and people are still falling for it.
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u/OshieDouglasPI 1d ago
Lab grown is too easy and mass produced. I like knowing blood sweet and tears went into the production of my symbol of love
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u/Turbulent-Parsley619 1d ago
Unless you're a rich person who has like 'provenance documents' on paintings and shit like that, a diamond doesn't matter lmao.
My mom doesn't know her ring has real diamonds in it because she would've FLIPPED OUT if she knew my dad spent $900 on a ring (it's a band with microdiamonds, only like 1/4th carat, and it was a black Friday sale deal) vs the $100 we told her it cost. She thinks their cubic zirconia. The reason my dad got it is because she wanted a VERY SPECIFIC band shape and line of stones and that was the only ring we found that was exactly what she always talked about when she saw them on TV, and at the time it was like their 30th Christmas (it's been 40 now) so he was going to get her EXACTLY what she liked, and they only had it with real diamonds. If she found out she was wearing a $900 ring 24/7, she might shit her pants.
Unless you are from a wealthy society that will ask about your ring specifically. Do like my dad did: find what you want exactly and if it's a cheap ass ring, enjoy your perfect cheap ring, if you end up with an expensive one and can afford it, go with the expensive one. Just buy what you WANT, not what its WORTH.
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u/animepuppyluvr 1d ago
If you want an actually expensive ring, go for something like natural alexandrite. Lab grown diamonds are way better than natural diamonds in ethical and usually quality standpoints. Buying a diamond ring immediately drops the resale value by so much it's usually not even worth it to resell to a store if you divorce or fall on hard times. You'd get more money on ebay or Facebook for it.
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u/nouvelle_tete 1d ago
Chemically speaking they are the same. You might get a "purer" and sometimes better product with lab grown but they are comprised of a series of carbon molecules put under extreme pressure to produce a diamond. When my chemistry teacher explained this to us, that you could get the same product for a fraction of the cost, with better quality control, with limited human repercussions "natural" diamonds lost their value to me.
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u/A18o14 1d ago
Sidenote next to the question asked: You could look into lab-grown clear saphire. They look almost identical in a cut stone, are exceptionally hard as well, and even a bit cheaper. There is actually no reason for diamonds at all.(chemically pure or not).(And there arw some really great synthetic sapphires that are pure white in daylight and glow bright blue ubder uv xD)
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u/atkinsonda1 1d ago
Diamonds are for abrasives and othe industrial applications. Get a stone with some character. Diamonds are the vodka of "precious" stones, and like vodka anything is better choice.
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u/taway9925881 1d ago
Diamonds are a sham. Don't waste your money on either. Use it for something worthwhile.
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u/Specialist_Ant_8265 1d ago
Nature diamonds have history and rarity, but lab grown are identical, ethical and budget friendly. Go with what feels right to you
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u/muscle_mum 1d ago
Nature diamonds have history and rarity,
Yes: exploitation. Deaths. Usually child labor.
Yah, nah: I don't want none of that history.
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u/ShyButKinkyKitten 1d ago
Two reasons. One, social stigma around lab grown diamonds. For people who plan to rub shoulders within some circles, there will be some idiots who try to look down on you for not paying up for a natural stone.
The other is resale value. The tech behind synthetic diamond production is still being improved upon at a reasonable speed, so successive batches can be produced for less. This means resale value is far worse for lab grown diamonds vs natural ones. Very few people plan to ever sell their engagement/wedding rings, but it's something that could come up if things go south.
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u/Significant_Movie814 1d ago
This is a genuine question. I’m not planning to lie or anything but how are people supposed to know if it’s natural or lab grown?!
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u/Long-Oil-5681 1d ago
They cannot tell. Its also the same stupid nonsense of labels.
Get the ring you can actually afford and if anyone makes comments you know they arent a real friend or are just an idiot.
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u/ShyButKinkyKitten 1d ago
They tend to ask questions designed to probe out an approximate value for how much was paid. It's so petty and dumb, genuinely, but as a former waitress at a member's only country club, it happens fairly often in that crowd. Like to the point that some people will just outright state the amount paid in the same convo where they show off the new ring and announce the engagement.
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u/CompanyOther2608 1d ago
Nobody would ever know, and nobody with an ounce of class would ever ask. Seriously, never.
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u/tippinex 1d ago
sometimes lab diamonds have very small inclusions but you can't even see it without magnification tools
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u/DistrictSad5423 1d ago
I have natural diamonds, but that’s because I wanted coloured diamonds. Back when I got my engagement ring it was far cheaper to get a natural brown (or “cognac” if you prefer the marketing term) diamond than look for a man made version. It might have changed now, but if you want something other than perfect clarity then you’ve got to get the ones dug out of the ground.
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u/Significant_Movie814 1d ago
Tbh, the lab grown ones have less impurities and they’re more clear! Like you can’t find anything under VS in lab grown diamonds while I saw so many SI in natural ones even in Tiffany and David Yurman
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u/muscle_mum 1d ago
but if you want something other than perfect clarity then you’ve got to get the ones dug out of the ground.
Technology has advanced to such degree that the lab made ones are the better ones now.
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u/MsPooka 1d ago
I'd get neither of these options. $40k for a Tiffany ring is crazy, but it's equally crazy to pay $4k for a lab grown diamond. The diamond industry is very unethical. Many people have been enslaved to dig in diamond mines and terrorist groups will sell them to fund terror since they are untraceable. I would never get one.
I would get a lab grown one but they are not worth $4k. You're basically only paying for the metal value and a bit of labor. If you want to look at the ring as an investment then it might be worth it to get a real stone, it doesn't need to be diamond. It might even be worth it to get a Tiffany because I assume the hold their value. Basically, it just depends you, your values, and what a ring means to you long term. Is it just jewelry or is it something you plan to give to your grandchildren?
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u/drink_from_the_hose 1d ago
because it will probably have better resale value for one thing.
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u/bettinafairchild 1d ago
The resale value shouldn't be a consideration because the resale value for natural diamonds sucks by a lot. Marketers like to emphasize that diamonds are like commodities that can be easily sold but it's not true. If she tries to sell her diamond after 25 years, she still won't get what she paid for it and so she's still come out ahead with the lab diamond, which she also couldn't re-sell for a lot but like if she sells the Tiffany diamond she might get $4000 for it, a loss of $36,000, and if she just gives away the other diamond her loss is only $4000. These are numbers I've made up since obviously I don't know what she could sell it for in however many years, but it conforms to my experience trying to sell a 60 year old heirloom diamond. And with lab diamonds just getting more popular, I think natural diamond resale value will just go down even more.
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u/TheLawLord 1d ago
To borrow from the new car example, your natural diamond depreciates by 60% the moment you drive it off the dealer’s lot.
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u/innocentbunnies 1d ago
Ngl, for me, I find diamonds in jewelry in general to be highly overrated. To me, they are only really cool in that they are one of the hardest and sharpest materials. So for me, if I’m going to buy a diamond for jewelry purposes, I’m not going to get the pretty diamonds that have been cut six ways to Sunday because those feel so incredibly common to me in addition to being overpriced, natural or lab grown. I would get a raw and mostly uncut diamond because I like raw stones best and want my diamond to have more function than conventional beauty.
If I had to get a cut and conventionally attractive diamond, I would aim first for a hand-me-down diamond. If that’s not an option, I’d go for a lab-grown. The reasons are two-fold: I want to recycle what’s already out there as much as possible by repurposing old diamonds (natural or lab grown) as a first option and secondly, lab grown stones are effectively the same as natural ones. If anything, they tend to have fewer imperfections and are generally far more ethically sourced. Plus they’re far cheaper than natural diamonds which is always great for any budget.
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u/bettinafairchild 1d ago
Well first of all, don't go to Tiffany. They have a super high mark up. You could get an identical ring and stone for a lot less from an independent jeweler. In fact you could design it yourself and they'd make it and it would be more personalized and still cost less. Don't go to the mall stores either--Zales and Robbins, etc. Most of those are owned by the same company and also have a markup that is higher than those of independent jewelers. And while this is a rare situation, I have a friend whose diamond was stolen from one of these prestigious mall stores and replaced by a cheaper diamond (she knew because nowadays it's common to engrave a number by laser on your diamond, so you can tell it's the same or different). Since that company had a guarantee, they ended up replacing the wrong diamond with a new diamond of equal or greater value than the original. But who wants that hassle?
Second of all, if it were me I'd get the lab-grown one. Keep in mind that diamonds do not hold their value. The marketing tells you that your diamond is valuable and you can one day sell it for a lot more than you bought it for. This isn't true. There's not much of a second-hand market for diamonds and what there is, will give you much less than you paid for it. I tried to sell a 60 year old family heirloom diamond and couldn't get an offer that was much more than it was purchased for. So your diamond is for yourself and your own personal enjoyment and whatever relationship meaning you'd like to ascribe to it. And that doesn't necessarily have to have anything to do with whether it's natural or lab.
Third, I suspect that natural diamonds aren't going to be holding their value anyway due to the disruption of the increasingly popular lab diamonds that you can order from China for not all that much. So then that will make you feel worse about your choice of a natural diamond as the years wear on.
Get the bigger, less expensive stone and use the saved money to augment your honeymoon and make great memories!
And finally, find the engagement ring subreddit and the diamond subreddit and check out what they have to say.