As stated again and again on THE SAVVY SHOPPER, lab-grown diamonds are physically, chemically, and optically the same as natural (mined) diamonds. Nowadays the process of growing diamonds in a lab has gotten so good that jewelers and customers alike can't tell them apart. If diamonds are grown in a lab, it must be stated so on the diamond because it is so difficult to tell them apart.
Note that lab-grown diamonds cost far less than natural diamonds and therefore don't have the resale value but you should never buy diamonds as an investment anyway as you'll rarely if ever get what you paid for them. Diamonds are a luxury purchase, things of beauty, not an investment.
Today I'm sharing a YouTube video by a jeweler who has a brick-and-mortar store in Woodbridge, Virginia. Jeweler Terry Quinn expertly explains how to save money when selecting diamonds. Today's tips focus exclusively on buying lab-grown diamonds detailing his 5 tips on saving the most money when buying them. Worth a listen as I can't summarize his professional advice any more succinctly. (Remember jewelers must look at and buy a lot of diamonds to have stock for their customers.)
The first tip I learned from Terry today is to go with IGI ratings when buying lab-grown diamonds and GIA ratings when buying natural-grown diamonds. IGI and GIA are both reputable diamond grading institutions that use advanced technology and skilled gemologists to certify diamonds but until the perception changes GIA is still the most trusted for natural diamonds. GIA grades fewer lab-grown diamonds than IGI. Lab-grown diamonds will be more expensive and the selection of diamonds less if rated by GIA.
A 2nd tip I learned today was the 2 ways of creating lab diamonds CVD (chemical vapor deposition) and HPHT (high pressure high temperature) have caught up with each other. Both methods are effective in creating high-quality, authentic diamonds, identical to those found in nature. Until recently HPHT lab-created diamonds were whiter and they continue to cost more because of perception leading to their greater demand.
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