What You Should Know Before Investing in Lab-Grown Diamonds

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What You Should Know Before Investing in Lab-Grown Diamonds

In the modern world, jewelry is more than just a status symbol. With the rise of sustainable fashion, jewelry shoppers are looking for pieces that offer more than just beauty. Lab-grown diamond jewelry satisfies the ongoing buyer.

But what are lab-grown diamonds, and what should you know before investing? Lab-grown diamonds are chemically identical to mined diamonds and offer several benefits to diamond consumers, such as affordability and sustainability.

Photo by Danielle De Angelis on Pexels

In this article, we share everything you need to know about lab-grown diamonds before investing. From what they are and how they’re made to tips on ethical sourcing and buying them.

5 Things to Know About Lab-Grown Diamonds Before Investing

Before investing in anything, whether it’s a house or jewelry, you need to do your research to avoid making a bad investment. Here are some facts to know about lab-grown diamonds.

1. Lab-grown diamonds are grown in a laboratory

First, it’s important to understand how lab-grown diamonds are created. Lab-grown diamonds are diamonds grown in artificial environments using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or high pressure high temperature (HPHT). Even so, they’re still made of carbon.

This process creates diamonds that are physically, chemically and optically identical to mined diamonds. For all intents and purposes, lab-grown and mined diamonds are identical.

The difference between lab-grown and mined diamonds is actually more subtle.

For example, companies like VRAI offer lab-grown diamonds for modern brides. Diamonds created by VRAI are grown with a net zero carbon footprint. Their engagement rings use recycled gold and are meticulously crafted to produce a high quality bespoke product.

2. Lab-grown diamonds can be grown in zero-emission foundries

Lab-grown diamonds are not zero-burden, but they can be grown in foundries that produce net-zero emissions, which is not possible with mined diamonds. Since mined diamonds form deep within the Earth’s surface, you’ll first need an ax and a shovel to get to them.

There are three types of mining:

Surface mining: considered the most dangerous. Environmental impacts include changes in vegetation, soil and bedrock. Many mines are abandoned and wasted.

Underground Mining: This has the same environmental impact as surface mining, but for short-term mining. Water regularly flooded the mine, killing workers.

Ocean Mining: Remove parts of the seabed, causing pollution that seriously disturbs marine life. It may take decades for marine animals to return to the site.

The mining operation consumes 126 gallons (gals) of water and 585.5 million joules (J) of electricity, producing an average of 125 pounds of carbon (c) per carat. A lab-grown diamond, on the other hand, consumes 18 gallons of water and 250 million joules, producing 6 pounds of carbon per carat.

Mining operations are also disastrous for the planet and the land. For every 1,000 square feet of land disturbed, nearly 5,798 pounds of mineral waste are generated. However, lab-grown diamonds typically destroy 0.07 square feet of land and generate 1 pound of mineral waste per carat.

Obviously, lab-grown diamonds are the more sustainable choice of the two.

3: Lab-grown diamonds are not diamond substitutes

Consumers often confuse cubic zirconia or crystals with lab-grown diamonds, but they are not the same. Lab-grown diamonds are made entirely of carbon, while cubic zirconias are made of zirconium dioxide, and crystals are often made of plastic, glass, magma, or rock.

Lab-grown diamonds are also just as strong as mined diamonds. Both have a mineral hardness of 10 on the Mohs scale, which means they are the hardest minerals around. While any gemstone makes a great gift, it’s important to note that lab-grown diamonds are different from the alternatives.

If you’re planning to buy a lab-grown diamond, make sure you’re buying from a reputable seller. Some individual sellers pass off diamond substitutes as diamonds in order to fetch more money.

To avoid being scammed, make sure the diamond is certified by a reliable 3rd party gemological institute such as GIA and they don’t offer “too good to be true” deals.

4: Lab-grown diamonds are affordable

On average, lab-grown diamonds cost 40% to 50% less than mined diamonds, making them an inexpensive but still very pretty gift for Valentine’s Day or a birthday. Since lab-grown diamonds are virtually indistinguishable from mined diamonds, they shine just as well.

If you buy lab-grown diamonds as heirlooms, you can rest easy knowing they are just as strong as mined diamonds and won’t yellow like diamond substitutes.

5. Lab-grown diamonds have no resale value

…but neither are mined diamonds. Well, this is technically incorrect. Mined diamonds can be sold, but never for profit, unless the diamond you own is rare or unique. On average, a mined diamond is resold for 25% to 50% of its purchase value, so you end up losing money.

Mined diamonds are often considered a good investment because they become rarer over time. While this is theoretically correct, there are so many diamonds on Earth right now that this is unlikely to happen anytime soon. Not only that, but all types of diamonds are basically eternal.

Unless people start melting their diamonds, we won’t see fewer gemstones circulating in the market. Unlike gold, diamonds cannot be melted and reshaped. Once a diamond is set in a ring or other post, it can be difficult to shape or cut it.

In the end, neither diamond had significant resale value. If you want to buy a diamond, don’t expect to get your investment back in your lifetime.

Photo by Lucas Santos on Unsplash

in conclusion

Lab-grown diamonds offer an affordable and sustainable alternative to mined diamonds. Before investing in lab-grown diamonds, it is essential to understand how these diamonds are made and to research sellers carefully. You should also consider why you are buying a diamond.

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