An honest and transparent pros and cons list …

Each week a client comes to me and asks “what is the difference between natural and lab grown diamonds?” I believe this is a very good question, i would certainly want to know the difference. I only sell natural diamonds, but the truth is, a natural diamond may not be the right choice for you and a lab grown diamond may be the better fit. I’m going to explain the pros and cons of each type of diamond in a honest and transparent way. This way, you’ll be able to identify what is the best fit for you.  

So let’s start with pros of a natural diamond;

1. They’re unique, one of a kind – no two diamonds will be the same. No-one will have exactly the same diamond as you. 
2. There’s a history behind the stone. Diamonds form in the Earth’s mantle below the surface. Over millions of years, high temperatures and a lot of pressure cause the formation of these stone – this literally blows my mind. 
3. Diamonds are desirable and keep on increasing in price, meaning they will be a higher resale value if you ever were to pass your ring on. 

Cons for natural diamonds; 

1. They’re expensive, more expensive than lab grown. They’re one of the rarest stones on earth, so they’re going to be expensive. 
2. There are environmental factors that come in to play when diamond mining; deforestation, soil disturbance, air emissions. 

Pros lab-grown;

1. They share the same chemical composition as a natural diamond, if we were to get really in-depth, it’s the atomic structure which is slightly different. 
2. They’re just as durable and hard wearing as real diamonds. 
3. Lab grown diamonds are currently 40% – 70% cheaper than natural diamonds, which also means you get more for get more for your buck – larger carat weight, better clarity etc.

Cons to lab grown diamonds;

1. They’re mass produced. So many factories are opening and producing lab grown diamonds. This therefore means that for as long as they keep on becoming more popular, the less desirable they will become.
2. No rarity or intrinsic value due to the mass production. 
3. If the manufacturing process for lab-grown diamonds uses energy generated from fossil fuels, it may even create more carbon dioxide emissions than natural diamond mining; most factories still rely on fossil fuels for power.