Real Talk About Lab-Grown Diamonds | CarterCast Ep10 - Synthetic Gemstones
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 มิ.ย. 2024
- Bravely dive into one of the most controversial topics in the jewelry world: lab-grown, synthetic, man-made, artificial diamonds. What are we supposed to call these stones anyway? And how similar are they really to natural diamonds? And are they really more sustainable? How much should you really still be paying for something you can make a million of? Plus, Jack Lewis Jewelers doesn’t currently sell them, so why not? Lots of questions and strong thoughts in a powerful episode that is sure to cause a ruckus. It’s the pre-proposal show for dating couples designed to make engagement ring shopping easy, understandable, and fun. This is the CarterCast, filmed on location at Jack Lewis Jewelers in Bloomington, IL.
Jump to whichever part sounds most interesting to you:
00:34 - Most Controversial Topic Ever
01:10 - Defining Terms: “Laboratory Grown”
02:30 - Fake is Insulting
03:33 - What is a Laboratory Grown Diamond?
04:39 - The History of Lab Grown Stones
05:42 - The Tech Behind How They’re “Grown”
06:49 - FUN FACT!
08:22 - They Are NOT “The Same” as a Natural Diamond
10:14 - How a Synth-Detect Machine Can Tell the Difference
12:07 - Does a Lab-Grown Diamond Need a Grading Report?
15:45 - The Struggle to Price Lab-Grown Diamonds
17:13 - Could Lab-Grown Diamonds End Up Being Worth Zero?
18:10 - An Overly-Cynical Rant About Why These Exist
19:34 - The Importance of Competitive Natural Diamond Options
20:30 - Sustainability? Why Lab-Grown Diamonds are NOT “Green”
23:51 - Why Jack Lewis Jewelers Doesn’t Sell Lab-Grown Diamonds
25:33 - What the Price Should Be
26:39 - Carter’s Advice if You’re Considering a Lab-Grown Diamond
28:56 - The Symbolic Case for Natural Diamonds
31:55 - The Final Facet
To listen to the audio-only version of this episode, search for the CarterCast on your favorite podcast player and subscribe (Apple iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean, iHeart, TuneIn, and more).
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MUSIC
"Get Tough" by Nu Alkemist (Licensed via SoundStripe)
CREDITS:
Star & Executive Producer - John Carter (Owner & CEO, Jack Lewis Jewelers)
Host & Executive Producer - Joshua Shull (Owner, JoshuaOneNine)
Producer & Editor - Nick Fetty (Content Creator, JoshuaOneNine) - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
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Really look forward to the day that nobody has to die for jewelry to be produced. Give it another 20 years and hopefully lab grown will completely take over all jewelry.
If you had to spend thousands of dollars for a machine to determine the difference for a split second then I think lab is the way to go . Spend the $2-5k on lab diamond and use the rest of what you would have spent towards a house, vacation, car etc .
The difference is most definitely VERY difficult to detect. Thanks for adding to the conversation!
I was super interested in what the actual machine was picking up on to determine the difference, and I believe what the phosphorescence is actually coming from is nitrogen that gets excited by the specific UV wavelength that gets trapped inside mined diamonds during formation that is absent in lab grown. Sooo I mean technically speaking the way to detect the difference is looking for an invisible impurity only present in mined diamonds 😅 Win for Lab Grown
D’Haenens-Johansson of the Gemological Institute of America (New York, NY) have developed an approach, designed for speed and simplicity, it is based on UV fluorescence spectroscopy with a 385-nm-emitting LED as a light source, filters to separate the fluorescence from the LED light, and a spectrometer.1 (The 385 nm wavelength was selected because it excites the nitrogen N3 defects that are prevalent in natural diamonds.)
It took me about ten years, but I finally bought a lab diamond for my wife and I was able to afford what I would have never had if it was mined.
I say ten years because I have been paying attention and I am noticing how people are slowly transitioning. First, my cousin who is an avid lover of diamonds and has resources as well. She purchased a lab diamond years ago and what is interesting is that instead of concealing that detail, she brings it up as if proud that it is a lab diamond.
She feels better knowing the price is fair according to expenses and investment in a new technology instead of market manipulation, and no pristine land was violated and destroyed in the process. And, hers is a CVD, so it is pure, 100% carbon, colorless and absolutely stunning. In fact, the only way to know would be spending tens of thousands of dollars in equipment most jewelers do not have, and, is a diamond.
My analogy is that 100 years ago, gentlemen bought flowers for ladies on the street, from girls who picked up the flowers from nature, in other words, their local fields. Now, men buy them in stores that get them from green houses, controlled environments, so they are bigger and in custody while they grow and with fertilizers from bags instead of natural top soils....Nevertheless, they are BOTH the same natural flowers, one is at random, and less likely a perfect flower, the other is closely monitored and protected from diseases, etc. They are both flowers and no lady would ever think twice. And, yes, I am sure that some scientist can test them both and discover the one from the valley/field based on the nutrients and top soil composition and the other has fertilizers but one is not less a flower than the other.
Same with water, you can make ice from the freezer or go outside to the lake and get the ice naturally from the weather. Any idiot knows one will show tap water with fluoride when tested and the other is rain water with some impurities from the lake. THEY ARE BOTH ICE, made from water. Different environmental substances trapped within, but what makes it ice, FROZEN WATER, is in each of them.
In my case, I got to choose exactly how I wanted it to be, look, cut and size. It is as unique...it has no less INTRINSIC value. DeBeers hide/control/limit the supply thus artificially raising the market price of the mined ones and they could very well sell them at 30% of the price they currently ask. Besides, what makes them expensive is the craftsmanship, the decisions on the cut, etc., and is the same for both. I would rather pay for what a lab diamond costs (significantly less nowadays and the price seemed to stabilize) because there is labor involved, craftsmanship by perusing the stone, deciding how to cut, polish, the equipment and energy to make it, etc. We know how much it costs to be profitable to them, rather than be taken for a fool and charge ten times more viciously since the miner is a pauper who makes $5 a week and is not heavy to ship it to Europe, you could even fit hundreds in your pockets. Hence, I am afraid it costs less to mine a diamond than to produce it, but at least the lab diamond people do not betray our trust.
Thanks so much for sharing! We are big believers in the concept that everyone should buy the diamond (natural or otherwise) that is right for THEM! The purpose to our channel is to have conversations about jewelry and gemstone related topics. Thanks so much for helping to contribute to that conversation!
I hate the “it has no resale value” argument. If you buy a 1ct natural diamond for $7,000 and they say you can get 50% if you resell it you would have lost $3500. As of today you can buy a 1ct lab grown diamond for $2,000. Even if that LG diamond has ZERO resale value your still coming out ahead bc you would have only lost 2k buying labgrown vs $3,500 buying the natural so I would argue the resale value doesn’t matter bc natural diamonds are grossly overpriced to begin with so your still coming out ahead buying lab grown even if there is zero resale value which in the days of online shopping I find that hard to believe.
Kelly you are pretty smart . i am a jeweller in singapore . you are spot on with your observation . i am selling a 1carat lab grown for 1500 usd and that brings alot of happiness to many . even if you lose it , you only lose 1500 . it is pysically , optically , chemically the same as a mined diamond . even the FTC says its a real diamond .
Absolutely true. However the only scenario that you're missing is future appreciation. If natural diamonds cost 10x more in 10 years, then your $3500 becomes $35,000. Then it's worth it.
@@jekasolomon Based on all assessible historical data known to man kind , the average white diamond we buy for engagement rings , never makes money . or infact can lose money .
Its so easy to pen in words and alphabets this imagination . But we need to be really staring at the facts .
its the kind of diamonds that the Ultra rich play with that gives you a chance to make money . how ever can we the average joe afford those types or play with those types among the social elites . Perception is all about diamond value , and in 10 years if the ultra rich are tired of diamonds and rather play with other stuff , then its done ... already diamond suppliers are telling me that in the past when you had a 1 carat on your finger ,people thought you are rich . now you dont need to be rich to have a 1carat on your finger . The game has changed . People are starting to question , Is it worth paying so much more premium for a mined diamond ? the answers will naturally come when more and more young people buy lab grown diamond engagement rings ...once they try the product , they will know. i have clients who have been buying mined for 15years , nowthey will try this new product . and if its so good , do you think they wont tell their frens who are all also in their mid40's + professionals working in Law or Banking . soon we shall see ...this is a game changer .
@@jekasolomon In short , it had never happened and quite unlikely will happen . Because for the same amount of money you can easily see your money can only afford a tiny 0.50ct mined vs a decent sized 1.10carat ....for the same money . Because Visually this disparity is so great and its shocking to the eyes and mindset . generally i see my clients eyes gravitate to more sparkle , bigger size and not so painful on the wallet .
@@jekasolomon lastly i have been selling mined for the last 15 years and i am still stuck with many mined goods . i am trying to sell at cost price . say a 0.46ct D VS2 triple Excelent GIA for $990 USD . but there are no takers . they prefer to go for a 0.70ct Lab thats D or E and VS1 or VVS2 . Big problem for me to liquidate these mined stocks i have .
I have a beautiful diamond wedding ring, 35 yrs old, 1.50 ctw. Just purchased a right hand ring, 2.20 lab grown 3 stone ring. It is spectacular. And don't hate me on this...also have moissanite, also spectacular. If the technology for lab grown was around 35 years ago, I definitely would have chosen a lab grown diamond,
Nobody will ever hate on you on this end!! Jewelry and gemstones are ALL about what YOU love and makes you feel good! Rock that new ring. Sounds beautiful!
I just took the plunge on a pair of 1ctw earrings in white gold. Absolutely love them!
Got a pair in Rose Gold 😎😎
Lab Diamonds! Same grading as GIA. Nothing is forever, the argument is silly.
So most of the argument is based around the emotional value of a natural diamond. I do agree, look into both. Wouldn't be fair to totally dismiss a natural diamond.
debeers loves you
I paid like 7.5k for a labgrown Crystal and it cut into a 3.3ct emerald cut diamond about 3 years ago and it was a better price than finished labgrown stones by a savings of like 10k . Then 3 years later a similar labgrown from an online retailer is about 1.8k so huge loss . However now they’re so Inexpensive it’s like sure why not … loading 1800 for something you enjoy. But losing like 5K on a labgrown sucks. I got a natural diamond for the engagement ring and I’m sticking with it.
But for earrings or something fun go labgrown why not?
Totally! Thanks for sharing this. It's a really great perspective.
This solidified me and my fiancé’s decision to just get 18k gold bands for each other. She knows my love is eternal, and we like tradition somewhat, but knowing the history of the marketing of diamonds and blood diamonds, and even lab diamonds riding on their history … we decided on buying nice watches for each other that hold their value. And we are using that leftover money to travel the world and LIVE, become more worldly cultured, and sharing those experiences to our friends to make the world a better place.
Lab Grown: What's your take on CVD vs HPHT? Do CVD sparkle less? Do CVD fade?
Hello! Thanks so much for asking. While we aren't experts on the physics of one process versus the other, we aren't aware of any potential fading on CVDs versus HPHT. Also, we do not believe there should be a light performance difference between the two if all other things are equal, particularly cut grade.
in singapore you can buy a top quality lab 1ct for 1000-1500 USD ....thats what we sell in singapore . now say you lose the 1000usd , whats the big deal right ?? but natural diamond is simply too expensive and too over priced . you get my drift ? and you always lose 50% after paying for the natural . so who is losing more $ ?? the guy who bought the 1ct lab at 1000 or the guy who paid 5000 for the natural ? of course the guy who bought natural just lost $2500 immediately after his purchase . dont believe me ? go and try to resell your natural diamond today ... see the price it is getting .
Thanks for those thoughts! We agree that there is definitely a shifting retail price on those laboratory grown diamonds. 4 or 5 years ago that 1ct was $4000 or so. Now at the $800 to $1000 range they are priced about where they should be (in our opinion). Most certainly a less expensive purchase than a natural diamond which, in the United States, is almost always insured by the wearer (through a 3rd party insurance company). On the rare instance that a diamond is lost, this typically becomes and insurance claim.
@@johncarter9996 You have been very courteous . Thank you . sorry if i called you delusional in the last message . but look You just said it man . First > you need to Insure . meaning pay money !! to insure the diamond . Its not cheap to pay for this insurance . Number 2 > You can also insure a Lab grown diamond . the federal trade commision stipulates Lab Grown as a diamond . Anyways back to the main topic , i urge you to really plan ahead . out of all the enquires i am getting in singapore , 7 goes to lab out of 10 . only 3 to natural . Today i just lost a deal to another vendor . My client bought a 0.65ct D VVS1 round ideal cut lab from somewhere else for 750 USD . I had offered him a Natural 0.46ct Ideal cut D VS2 selling at cost to cost at 800 USD . I lost the deal man !! you go work it out ... the situation is very serious .
i was selling my natural at cost to cost , carter . i still lost the fight . that young man was around 25 years of age , proposing to his girlfriend for marriage . now he is saying because he saved some money with the lab diamond , he intends to buy her a Gift , with the spare cash and that he may look for me . Can you see the whole psychology going on here ..??? look he might even get her an ipad ?? The world has changed Carter ...diamonds aint what it used to be in the 80's where it was a status symbol . nowadays if you can pull it off , a 2ct lab diamond is easily within reach .. last time only the rich can have it , and you could tell the diff on CZ or moissanites ...today you cant .
Depending upon the insurance company it generally costs approximately $100 to $200 per year to insure a diamond valued at $10,000. That's within reason. I hear you. Everyone does what's best for their pocket book and what they want out of a diamond. Yes a laboratory grown diamond IS a diamond (we say that many times in our video) but the FTC is also very clear that it must ALWAYS be indicated that it is man made. This must be clear to the consumer. Conversely we are allowed to call a natural diamond just "diamond" without the modifier in the beginning. Cheers and thanks for the great conversation. Have a fantastic week!
None of this is bad. Our business and I'm sure yours too will adjust to whatever our clients are asking of us. If that's laboratory grown then that's what we will offer. If it's ipads...maybe those too.
Lab grown
1 CVD
2 HPHT
Well specially described the difference between laboratory grown diamonds vs natural diamond. Bottom line, how much you want to spend. Coz qualities are both present. Lab grown I can get D / vvs less expensive. Personal pref. Cheers👍😜
Laboratory grown diamonds are MUCH less expensive. Absolutely no question about that!
@@johncarter9996 true. Wish you’re in Toronto. I’m upgrading my natural less 2 ct round brilliant si to 3ct round brilliant laboratory … hoping to get good quality for lesser price. Thanks
There are some fantastic retailers in Toronto! See if you can find one that is a member of The American Gem Society. That's a really good place to start as they adhere to a high code of ethics and consumer protection.
Hello 🙋
Thanks for an informative video. Do you think lab diamonds will degenerate over time?
They won’t. They are real diamonds. 💎
They should not physically break down over time and should wear similar to natural diamonds. They have the same hardness as a natural diamond
I notice the majority of comments left on these topics are people who bought lab diamonds trying to justify them. I don't see many natural diamond buyers debating the topic as they are happy with what they have and don't feel the need to debate
This whole video is a subtle justification of mined over lab grown. I purchased a mined diamond for my wife years ago but I am drawn to Lab grown as an alternative for future purchases. The value placed on mined vs grown is 100% arbitrarily set at this point by the industry to prop up a legacy way of doing things.
Thank you for a great video. People think they’re saving money by buying a laboratory diamond because the initial price is cheaper. But they fail to understand if they wait a couple months that same lab diamonds will have dropped drastically in price, because as technology advances lab diamonds drop in value and price. The best financial advice would be to get a Natural diamond or wait for lab diamonds to drop to a couple hundred dollars. People should ultimately do what makes them happy. But sadly laboratory diamonds are not a smart buy.
Why does everyone care on the resale value? If you’re buying a piece of jewellery which you love why would you want to re sell?
@@robme3660 this is what ppl don’t understand. Because natural diamonds are so overpriced even if the lab diamond has zero resale value your still loosing less money buying lab because they are significantly cheaper to buy. A 2ct natural diamond will cost 15k+ to buy based on the specs. A 2ct lab will cost from 5k+ that is a SUBSTANTIAL price difference, even if you get 1/2 back for your natural your still loosing more then if your lost the total 5k on the lab grown
BOB , now you can buy a top quality lab 1ct for 1000 USD ....thats what we sell in singapore . now say you lose the 1000usd , whats the big deal right ?? but natural diamond is simply too expensive and too over priced . you get my drift ? and you always lose 50% after paying for the natural . so who is losing more $ ?? the guy who bought the 1ct lab at 1000 or the guy who paid 5000 for the natural ?