14th February 2020 (last update 12/5/2024)

Every now and then I get asked about “Lab” grown diamonds and I decided rather than repeat myself I would put my thoughts down in writing. I will update this article over time as things become clearer in the industry. I may change my view on some of these thoughts as I still have an open mind :)

For now I will refer to them as “created” and “mined”. It seems the term “Lab Grown” has stuck!

Update 23/09/2022: Often created diamonds are referred to as “Lab Grown” but they are almost always created in factories, not laboratories.  That said this term in late 2023 is now the one most used for man made/created diamonds and to avoid confusion I will do the same.

Using the term “mined” for naturally occurring diamonds seems to avoid any argument over what is “natural”.

The main reason given to not buy a mined diamond

From my experience the most commonly held concern about buying a mined diamond is the fear of purchasing one that may have been used to fund a war, often referred to as conflict/blood diamonds.

To stop the flow of conflict diamonds into the main market, back in the early 2000’s the Kimberley Process was set up.  Whilst the system is not full proof every mined diamond I sell will have come through the Kimberley Process.

Why most people decide not to buy a Lab Grown diamond

The value of a Lab Grown diamond will, as surely as the sun sets everyday, decrease over the near future.  We have seen this time and time again with items like flat screen televisions and solar panels , just to name a few. 

As man learns how to create diamonds more affordably and effectively the value/prices will decrease.  The lab grown diamond you buy today will be cheaper next year and the year after for some time I would think.

Update 01/11/2023: Over the past year one of the largest decreases in the price of grown diamonds so far has occurred. In most cases the cost has halved! For those that purchased prior to this it may be disappointing, for those now in the market it is good news.

Update 12/05/2024: Over the last 6 months the price of Lab Grown diamonds appears to have stabilised . The range to choose from has also greatly increased especially with accent (the small ones you add to a design) diamonds.

Environmental impact - the concerns for both mined and lab grown.

Damage to the environment is another concern for some people regarding mined diamonds. 

In the case of lab grown diamonds the environmental concern arises from the large amounts of electricity used to create a diamond.  Whilst I have read that the goal of the lab grown diamond industry is to use 100% renewable energy sources, I believe this is not yet possible.

A side issue for the jewellery industry

The presence of lab grown diamonds in our industry is a concern if they are not clearly identified as such.  Laser inscription and documentation with a natural diamond of any decent size is now more important than ever.  

At the time of writing there are machines available to identify “loose/unset” lab grown diamonds but for most manufacturing jewellers (jewellers are not generally gemologists) and the general public the words of Bill Sechos of GSL Australia from a trade magazine circa 2017 still apply.

To this date I have never held a lab grown diamond in stock nor sold one. I am sure in the near future someone will request a created diamond from me and I can supply them. For now all have turned away from lab grown diamonds based on the almost certain decrease in value.

Update: 28/01/2022 I sold my first lab grown diamond this week.

The only grown diamonds I have ever worked on at the time of writing this blog post were very special diamonds owned by a customer who asked me to set them. You can read about those here.

Article: A unique diamond

Update: 12/05/2024 Well over half of all my diamond engagement ring sales now use Lab Grown diamonds.

There are other alternatives to Diamonds

If you desire a white gem that is durable then at a Moh’s scale of hardness rating of 9.25 (diamond is 10) then Moissanite is another option. That is the gem used in the Platinum engagement ring above.

I love customers that think differently. If you see no value in a large diamond, be that lab grown or mined, then the world of gemstones has a variety of options for you. Sapphires are a great choice for those looking for both colour and durability in their jewellery.

Link: Gallery of some of the Gemstone Engagement rings I have made.

An Australian Sapphire used as the main gem in an 18ct rose gold engagement ring I created in 2017.