Lab Grown Diamonds: Debunking the Myths
We’ve got a sparkly treat for you today. Diamond expert and Plum Diamonds co-founder Kristy Cullinane is discussing all things lab-grown diamond rings and lab diamonds’ impact on the environment. Lab-grown diamonds are surrounded by many myths and falsehoods, so it’s high time we do some myth-busting around here. Grab a snack and settle in to discover just how real lab-grown diamonds are. Hint: as real as you and me!
Green Wedding Alliance: Hey Kristy, do you want to introduce yourself and tell us about Plum Diamonds?
Kristy Cullinane: Absolutely! I'm a proud co-founder of Plum Diamonds, a jewelry brand that only works with the best lab-grown diamonds. We craft all of our jewelry in our own certified-sustainable manufacturing facilities, where we only use recycled gold and responsibly-sourced platinum. Over the years working in jewelry showrooms, I’ve had the immense pleasure of watching people from all walks of life come in to find their forever rings. I also discovered what conflict diamonds are and knew I didn't want them anywhere near me when I got engaged; lab-grown diamonds are such a great option for anyone looking for an alternative to traditionally-mined diamonds. There are just so many sustainability and ethical advantages to lab-grown diamonds that I’m so excited about.
Green Wedding Alliance: As a person who only works with lab-grown diamonds, are there any myths you ever come across?
Kristy Cullinane: Plenty! I think the mined-diamond companies have a lot to gain from making it look like lab-grown diamonds are an inferior flash in the pan of an industry built mainly on exploiting people and the environment. Thankfully, we’ve got science on our side and relish busting those myths.
Myth: Lab Grown Diamonds are Fake Diamonds
Kristy Cullinane: People sometimes confuse lab-grown diamonds with diamond simulants. Diamond simulants can include natural materials like topaz, colorless quartz, sapphire, beryl, and zircon as well as synthetics — like plastic!
Another very popular alternative is moissanite, which is almost always also created in a lab. It’s got a bit more sparkle and durability than the others, but it’s still not a diamond.
While these can technically be alternatives to diamonds, we must distinguish them from lab-created diamonds. None of these imposters are going to look as good or be as durable as a real diamond; in fact, most alternatives tend to scratch, get cloudy, crack, or even break with time.
Lab-grown diamonds have identical chemical, physical and optical properties to mined diamonds. They will even test as natural diamonds unless you have access to specialized laboratory equipment.
I would say that lab diamonds are the superior alternative to mined diamonds because lab-grown diamonds have the same durability, longevity, and brilliance as their natural counterparts.
Myth: Lab Diamonds are Just Boring Carbon Copies of Each Other
Kristy Cullinane: Just because lab-created diamonds are identical in makeup to mined diamonds does not mean they are all identical. The lab doesn't just spit out perfect diamonds.
In the lab, the growth chambers mimic how diamonds are made deep in the earth. This results in diamonds with similar differences — or characteristics — to those that are mined, which means they are graded and certified like mined diamonds.
The 4Cs of diamond quality are color, cut, clarity, and carat weight, and you'll want to familiarize yourself with them no matter what your diamond’s origin story is.
Myth: Lab-Grown Diamonds and Mined Diamonds Are Different
Kristy Cullinane: Sure, they are different from each other- different in the amount of conflict and environmental pressures they each produce. But otherwise, they are very similar. Think of ice formed outside vs. ice formed in a freezer. Both types are ice, just like both mined and lab diamonds are diamonds.
Lab-grown and mined diamonds also have similar-looking imperfections, but they do vary slightly in the type of inclusions. These are indistinguishable unless you have access to specialized equipment and training as a gemologist.
Myth: Lab Grown Diamonds Have No Resale Value
Kristy Cullinane: At Plum, we pride ourselves on making diamond rings for your forever love story, which means we really hope you never want to resell! That's why we're confident in offering free lifetime care and warranty on every piece.
However, the myth that lab diamonds have no resale value isn't true. The mined diamond industry likes to tout its fantastic resale value, but both mined diamonds and lab-grown diamonds tend to fetch around 50% of their retail value. This is a rough average we pulled from jewelers, dealers, eBay, and firsthand experience.
Honestly, the lab-grown diamond market is young, so no one really knows what its future holds. But considering that last year, around 250k couples in the US chose lab-grown diamond engagement rings, it’s fair to say that the demand for lab diamonds is growing alongside supply. This ought to help with the future of lab diamond resale.
Myth: Lab-Grown Diamonds are Cheap
Kristy Cullinane: Look, lab-grown diamonds are a less expensive option; it's one of their pros. Who wouldn't want to be able to get better quality and a bigger diamond for less money?
Cheaper does not equal cheap, though. Sometimes marketing can make it look like a higher price tag on an engagement ring equals more love, and couples stretch themselves too thin to pay for a bigger, flashier ring.
We are firm believers that an engagement ring should be within your means, and the tiniest band of gold can represent a lifetime of love and hope.
You might want to consider going for a lab-grown ring that ranks higher in the 4Cs than what you could afford in the mined diamond market. We consider it a lot more bling for your buck.
Myth: Lab-Grown Diamonds are Not Ethical
Kristy Cullinane: This is false. Lab-grown diamonds are both more eco-friendly and more ethical than mined diamonds. Diamond mining contributes to:
deforestation
disrupting wildlife and plants
air and water pollution
funding conflict
exploiting workers
seabed and marine wildlife destruction
agriculture destruction
If being an ethical consumer is on your mind, lab-grown diamonds are the better choice. Fewer non-renewable resources are used in producing lab diamonds than in mining diamonds.
Additionally, lab-grown diamonds do not have an associative history with ecological or human rights abuses. They're easier on the planet and for humankind. Anything that sparkles that nicely while helping us sleep at night is a win for us!
Green Wedding Alliance: Thanks for all that myth-busting, Kristy! Is there a reason there are so many myths and misconceptions surrounding lab-grown diamonds?
Kristy Cullinane: Thank you for allowing me to set the record straight! Many people get caught up in the romance and advertising of the mined diamond industry. To us, there is nothing romantic about disrupting the planet and causing harm to people. At Plum Diamonds, we want to help disrupt this system and give people beautiful jewelry they can trust. A timeless, sparkling symbol of forever without any bad blood attached to it!