Why Consumers Will Always Prefer Natural Diamonds
By, Tom Shane
In my more than 40-year career as a jeweler, I’ve worked with countless individuals looking to purchase diamonds for life’s most precious moments. From engagements and anniversaries, to sweet sixteens and graduations, customers depend on their trusted jeweler to answer important questions before making a major purchase — one that will be with them and their family forever. The very idea behind using a diamond to represent an important occasion has always been that no two diamonds are alike, as all are created over billions of years, in the earth, by nature. In other words, the emotional reality is that a natural diamond can serve to symbolize the consumer’s important occasion perfectly.
With the advent of lab-created diamonds, consumers are now being told by some that lab diamonds are a sufficient alternative to natural diamonds. I am concerned that many shoppers are being left in the dark and uninformed — or, in some cases, misinformed — about their differences. While lab-created diamonds are physically and chemically similar to natural diamonds, they have drastically different heritage, rarity, growth structure, and above all, value. It is this last point that most customers are confused by — if a lab-created diamond is identical to a natural diamond, according to some gem lab grades, shouldn’t they have the same value? The answer is no.
For four generations, the Shane family has helped customers make diamond purchases by using the jewelry industry standard, the 4 C’s: Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat weight, which helps to determine the value and quality of diamonds. We want the customer to compare two stones of the same grade side by side and really understand what they are looking at — because the stones are so rare, two can be graded the same but will never be identical. Regardless of the diamond’s grade, we always inform our customers that the judgement on a diamond’s beauty is truly subjective — what you think is beautiful is most important in choosing the right diamond for you. We believe in empowering them with the information they need to make an educated decision.
With lab-created diamonds, obtaining this information is not so easy. Many jewelers are not fully informed on the topic, and lab-created diamond companies are increasingly blurring the line of fact and fiction. With the holiday shopping season upon us, I’m sure some people are considering a lab-created diamond, but before you make a purchase, here are some important questions every shopper must ask when considering a lab-created diamond:
1. Do the 4C’s apply to lab-created diamonds?
While the 4C’s are a great starting point for understanding diamond characteristics, I am a firm believer that customers should shop with instinct and love, rather than try to fit their purchase into a certain mold. Comparing side by side, with a reputable jeweler to guide you, you’ll find the right diamond. But, because lab-created diamonds are created by machines, they lack the inherent uniqueness of natural diamonds, which is what made them the physical incarnation of romance in the first place.
2. Is a lab-created diamond equally valuable ?
No. Diamonds found in the earth are both scarce and rare, ensuring that over time their value appreciates. Lab-created diamonds, meanwhile, have no inherent value and are becoming increasingly more common with each day, so there is no resale value. In fact, most retailers refuse to buy back lab-created diamonds. The very idea of jewelers trying to price these lab-created diamonds as a percentage off (discount) against a real diamond is insulting to your intelligence. One has nothing to do with the other; not to mention that as lab created diamonds are scaled, their prices fall each month.
3. I’m reading that lab-created diamonds are eco-friendly and more ethical — is this true?
These claims are unconfirmed. While consumers might think lab-created diamonds are a good environmental alternative, their creation requires significant energy and power to fuel the machines growing them. Since lab-created companies are using the eco-friendly label, the burden of proof is on them to provide appropriate evidence. Meanwhile, the natural diamond industry makes a positive impact around the world, supporting the livelihood of 10 million people globally. Botswana, for example, has been completely transformed thanks to diamonds. As a result of diamond mining, every child today gets free education until the age of 13, and the country has 300 secondary schools, compared to just three in 1966. The industry also supports critical infrastructure spending: in 1966, Botswana had six miles of paved roads; today it has 7,000 miles.
4. How can I tell the difference between a lab-created diamond and a natural diamond?
The unique inclusions and growth structures within lab-created and natural diamonds carry the marks of their very different origins, which is how lab-created diamonds are easily recognizable through the use of special equipment. If your jeweler offers both lab-created and real diamonds, yet doesn’t have this equipment on hand, ask pointedly to see the diamond’s paperwork. The FTC requires all laboratory-grown diamonds to be labeled as such in their official paperwork. Our jewelry industry consists of primarily honest people, and they would no more likely misrepresent a synthetic diamond as being real than handle counterfeit or stolen goods.
Understanding these questions, I explain to customers why Shane Co. will never sell lab-created diamonds. Like other synthetic stones, lab-created diamonds are most likely to grow as costume jewelry: they’re low cost, and with little-to-no resale value, you don’t need to worry about theft. When it comes to life’s most cherished moments, like engagements, birthdays and anniversaries, natural diamonds are the heirloom pieces that customers will always choose. Your love is natural, unique and ever-lasting — only a diamond which matches these qualities will do.
About Shane Co.
Tom Shane is the Founder of Shane Co., the largest privately-owned jeweler in the United States.
The fourth-generation, Denver, Colorado-based company is a direct importer of diamonds, rubies, sapphires and pearls, and operates 20 stores in 13 states, as well as an online store at www.ShaneCo.com. Shane Co. is committed to offering fine natural jewelry of the highest quality, from diamonds and engagement rings to gifts for any occasion.
At Shane Co., we value our relationship with you, and that’s why our customers come first. More than just a jewelry store, Shane Co. is your friend in the jewelry business. Visit Shane Co. on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.
