Do you get a lot of questions about natural versus lab-grown diamonds?
As a jewelry blogger, I frequently get messages and emails from TheDiamondsGirl followers asking my opinion on lab-grown versus natural diamonds — perhaps for an engagement ring, perhaps for an anniversary, or maybe for diamond studs to celebrate graduation. No matter the occasion, diamonds are always the perfect — and most desired — gift. It therefore comes as no surprise that the debate between lab-grown and natural has intensified over the past few years as lab-grown manufacturers have increased both production and marketing campaigns.
For me personally, the answer is as clear as a flawless diamond: natural. Always.
What makes natural diamonds so special?
When I was growing up in South Africa, tales of the mines were part of our culture. Discoveries of large roughs made the headlines. I still get incredibly excited every time I read about a new discovery in southern Africa. The key word in that sentence is “discovery.” Natural diamonds are created over millions of years, in the most extreme conditions. It’s a miracle. To compare the incredible sensation of holding and wearing something made by nature and painstakingly cut and perfected by man, to something created in a laboratory strikes me as comparing a real Hermes bag to replica Hermes bag. Sure, they may look the same to an observer, and some replicas are so identical to the original that only experts can tell them apart. But you would know what you’d purchased, and I, for one, want to know that what I have purchased is the real thing. Natural. Not man-made.
Do you own a piece of diamond jewelry that has special emotional value to you?
When I earned my first paycheck, I used the money to buy a pair of diamond studs. Small diamonds, 0.33 carats each. As my responsibilities at work grew, so did my salary, and soon it was time for me to buy a second, larger pair. One carat each this time. A year or two later, my parents were unfortunately robbed at gunpoint, and the burglars took all my mother’s jewelry. I immediately took my small pair of diamond studs to my mother so she would have something to wear while sorting out the insurance claim. My mother loved wearing them and decided to keep them in her ears forever, as I was moving from South Africa to America, and this way, she would always feel as though I was close to her. Every trip home, every time I saw her, she would ask me if I wanted my earrings back. I never took them back until recently, when she sadly passed away, wearing the earrings. You see, there’s an emotional attachment to natural diamonds that I don’t think can ever be replicated with synthetics.
What do you think of the long term value of lab-grown diamonds?
I will never judge; if you choose to wear synthetics or create jewelry using them, more power to you! But in today’s age of fast-paced consumerism, diamonds stand out as something of value that took billions of years to create. Lab-grown diamonds, in contrast, take approximately six to 10 weeks to develop — which is fine, if that’s what you want. But keep in mind that the same principle applies to diamonds as the replica Hermes bag: beautiful to look at, beautiful to hold, but best you keep it, because it will never get sold. The resale market for lab-grown diamonds is nonexistent, yet we continue to see record-breaking prices for natural diamonds at Christie’s and Sotheby’s sales. For myself, I want to know with absolute certainty that my diamonds are from the earth, and that the diamonds I share on social media are natural, not grown in a lab. TheDiamondsGirl page is all about celebrating the natural resources of our planet. Precious gems, particularly diamonds, are what it’s all about. I don’t see any cause to celebrate synthetics any more than I would to celebrate a pipe made in a factory. It’s a manufactured object, not a rare miracle of nature.
Images: Tracey Ellison Article from the Rapaport Magazine - October 2019. To subscribe click here.