The Need To Knows About Lab Grown Diamonds

Read time: 3-4 mins

We first saw lab grown diamonds trickle into the jewelry market as an alternative to natural mined diamonds about ten years ago. If you can remember, at the time they were being marketed as “synthetic diamonds” which many in the industry felt was misleading as it suggested lab diamonds were not real diamonds, when in fact, they very much are. 

More recently, within the past few years, the general public awareness around lab diamonds, sometimes referred to as “artisan diamonds”, has grown significantly. The education around what these diamonds actually are, has opened up an alternative option to those shopping around for a fine jewelry purchase. For Cavalier, it's been great to be in the mix of such a diverse and ever-changing market.

WHAT IS A LAB DIAMOND?

A lab grown diamond is chemically identical to that of a mined diamond, and carries the exact same physical and optical properties. The intense heat and pressure that naturally occurs in the earth to create diamonds is essentially mimicked in a laboratory to result in the same product.

WHAT MAKES LAB DIAMONDS DIFFERENT?

The major factor we like to shed light on with our clients and community is that lab diamonds are a more cost effective option compared to natural mined diamonds. The main reason is driven by continual developments in technology advancements within these laboratories- rather than the fluidity of the economic, geo political and geographical unpredictability within the mining market itself. Something to consider when purchasing a lab diamond is to understand that any technology driven industry tends to become more affordable as more goods are created. This opens a door for our clients to consider a larger variety of stone options within a certain budget, in comparison to natural diamonds or even other gemstones.

DOES CAVALIER CARRY LAB DIAMOND AS AN OPTION?

Although we didn’t always carry them, we are now proud to offer them as an option for our clients. When lab diamonds were first introduced into the market, we needed to step back and ask ourselves why this demand was created, why people were in the market looking for lab diamonds and we needed to make sure the product we were bringing in our doors remained at the highest of our standards. We’re here to make our clients happy, while living up to the quality, craftsmanship and longevity of our pieces we expect to deliver.

IF LAB DIAMONDS ARE JUST AS AVAILABLE, IF NOT MORE SO, AND AT A BETTER PRICE POINT WHERE QUALITY ISN'T NECESSARILY SACRIFICED, WHAT IS THE DESIRE THAT REMAINS TO BUY NATURAL MINED DIAMOND GOODS? 

It’s a great question, one that comes up often, and it’s totally a valid one. The answer is simple - tradition and preference. The history of diamonds, and the phenomenon which occurs naturally to produce them over millions of years, is really quite remarkable. Another thing about natural diamonds is that they have held, and have been known to increase value over time, as they have more recently. This may not be the case in the future, but it’s certainly worth noting that diamonds are a scarce natural mineral from our earth, which can mean something different to a client looking to make a long term investment when purchasing.

Whichever option you are considering, don’t be shy to ask questions about both stones! We’re always here to answer any questions along the way. Feel free to get in touch with our team via email, or book an appointment to come check out our showcase for yourself.