When shopping for diamonds, it’s important to make an ethical choice. More goes into a diamond purchase than just looks. You’ll also want to research where they were sourced, whether the company complies with labor standards and the environmental impact of mining. 
Lab-grown diamonds are a great option for shoppers looking for a more sustainable choice, and they come with many great benefits. For example, they offer consumers more control over clarity and carat size, plus they’re more cost-effective and have a smaller environmental impact. 
However, there are also a few drawbacks to consider before you make your purchase. In this article, we'll share the pros and cons of lab-grown diamonds to help you make the best choice. 

The Many Pros and Few Cons of Lab-Grown Diamonds

While there are some negatives that come with purchasing a lab-grown diamond over the mined variety, we feel that lab-created gems are the better choice. Keep on reading to discover why.

Pro: Lab-Grown Diamonds are Customizable

Lab-grown diamonds are more customizable than mined diamonds, as you can specify exactly what you want your diamond to look like. Companies like VRAI allow you to discover lab-grown diamonds in a way that exemplifies superior craftsmanship in all of its custom jewelry pieces.
Diamonds created by VRAI can be cut for you, meaning you’ll get a piece as unique as you. You can even invest in other types of personalization, like engraving, to create the perfect heirloom.

Con: Lab-Grown Diamonds Aren’t Considered “Natural”

Diamond mining companies will use words and phrases like “real,” “natural,” or “traditional” to prove that mined diamonds are of a higher value than lab-grown diamonds. While miningdiamonds is the traditional method, lab-made diamonds are still “real” diamonds, as they’re also made of carbon and gemologist cannot distinguish them with the naked eye.
If you personally want to buy a mined diamond because it’s important to you, then that’s reason enough. After all, mined diamonds are a marvel of nature that’s as unique as it is beautiful.

Pro: Lab-Grown Look the Same as Mined Diamonds

Unless you’re an accomplished and trained jeweler, you won’t be able to tell the difference between a lab-grown diamond and mined diamond. This is a positive thing if you consider the point of buying a diamond: to dress up your attire, project opulence, or for familial inheritance. 
As lab-grown diamonds are customizable, anyone can add inclusions (lines) to a diamond, so it looks less perfect. Either way, most people who see your diamond will assume it’s “real.”

Pro: Lab-Grown Diamonds are as Strong as Mined Diamonds

Lab-grown diamonds are often confused for diamond substitutes, like crystals or cubic zirconias, but they aren’t the same. Crystals and cubic zirconias aren’t made from carbon, but lab-grown and mined diamonds are. That means that lab-grown diamonds are as strong as mined ones.
Both diamond varieties are a 10 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, making them the strongest mineral on the scale. While both can still be scratched, they’re difficult to break.

Con: Lab-Grown Diamonds Have No Resale Value

While lab-grown diamonds have no resale value, mined diamonds technically don’t, either. On average, you can resell a mined diamond for 25% to 50% of its original cost. It’s rare that a diamond investment will turn a profit, but to be fair, a mined diamond will never turn a profit.
If you intend to buy a diamond as a gift, then it’s worth every penny. On the other hand, you’d be better off investing in gold if you want to make decent money buying jewelry. 

Pro: Lab-Grown Diamonds are Sustainable

Lab-grown diamonds, even at their worst, are much more sustainable than mined diamonds. In fact, mined diamonds consume 7 times the amount of water and 2 times the amount of electricity and produce 20 times more carbon emissions than lab-created diamonds on average.
Mining also disturbs land. For comparison, mining operations create 5,798 pounds of waste per carat, whereas lab-created diamonds only produce 1 pound of mineral waste per carat.

Pro: Lab-Grown Diamonds can be Conflict-Free

It’s important to note that lab-grown diamonds aren’t necessarily conflict-free, but they can be if they utilize renewable resources. Mined diamonds, at their best, can’t get around disturbing the land or sea to dig up gems. At its worst, mined diamonds are cruel to workers and the Earth.
Whether you choose to buy a lab-grown or mined diamond, you should always research where your gems are coming from. It’s the only real way to make all industries more cruelty-free.

Con: Lab-Grown Diamonds Take Jobs Away from Miners

A common rebuttal to the lab-grown “conflict-free” argument is that labs take jobs away from miners. This is true. Many developing countries rely on gem mines for money, but consumers are going to keep walking away from mined diamonds if the industry doesn’t try to change.
While mines can’t be 100% cruelty-free, the companies that hire miners and the governments that allow companies to mine should work towards creating better working conditions for miners.

Pro: Lab-Grown Diamonds are Budget-Friendly

One of the best things about buying a lab-grown diamond is how inexpensive it is compared to a mined diamond. On average, lab-grown diamonds cost 40% to 50% less than mined diamonds, meaning you can get a 1-carat ring for $2,250 instead of $4,500. Those are significant savings.
On the other hand, you could use the money you save to purchase an even bigger diamond. For example, if you could already afford a $4,500 ring, then you can upgrade to a 1.50 carat.

Pro: Lab-Grown Diamonds are Widely Available

In the past, it was difficult to get your hands on a lab-grown ring, especially in big box stores. After all, most diamond companies work exclusively with miners, and it would be a conflict of interest if they also sold man-made diamonds. But now, you can find these diamonds anywhere.
While selection may be sparse in big box stores, you can still find plenty of companies that exclusively sell lab-created diamonds online. Many of them work to be 100% sustainable. 

In Conclusion…

In conclusion, there are pros and cons to considering a lab-grown diamond for your purchase. Lab-grown diamonds can be a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to mined diamonds. However they may have a lower resale value. Ultimately, the choice is yours and yours alone.

WRITTEN BY

Claire Ward