The Pros And Cons To Man-Made vs. Natural Diamonds

What Are Man-Made Diamonds?

When we talk about man-made diamonds, we often think of synthetic, or "fake" diamonds that are sold to us at a lower price, but this isn't the case. Man-made diamonds are actually lab grown diamonds; they're diamonds, but they aren't grown in the natural conditions we mine the gem from. They are grown under similar conditions though, undergoing very high pressure and temperature. The process includes selecting a diamond seed to undergo these conditions in a lab environment, and the diamond is then fully crystallized within a few weeks. These diamonds have the same chemical and optical properties of a natural diamond. 

The Pros And Cons Of Man-Made Diamonds

Pros:

• Lab diamonds are grown much quicker than natural diamonds, which can take millions of years to fully develop.
• Due to this being an alternative for natural diamonds, they're much cheaper than natural-grown ones. 
• Man-made diamonds are widely available in almost every specification, so you are able to get almost every specification you want in a man-made stone 

Cons:

• While the man-made diamonds do appear to look exactly like a natural diamond, the trained eye can tell the difference. The process of lab-growing diamonds can leave obvious marks that differ from that of a natural diamond.
• You won't have your hands on a rare gem. Man-made diamonds aren't as valuable as natural diamonds, so if you ever decide to resell one, you won't be getting back a fraction of what you paid for it. The value is only based on the cost of production.

What Are Natural Diamonds?

A natural diamond is one of the hardest materials known to man. These diamonds are made from carbon, and can take up to billions of years to reach maturity. They grow about 85 miles below the Earth's mantle under natural conditions of extremely high pressure and heat. After they've grown, they travel through molten rock to the surface of the Earth, where they are then mined, refined, and sold. As we love to say at Landsberg, “real is rare,” and there is something very special about that…

The Pros And Cons Of Natural Diamonds

Pros:

• The value of diamonds is always increasing. They are often a good investment if you're willing to spend the money. The value is even higher if the diamond is colored or one of a larger variety. 
• The pricing of natural diamonds is more stable due how long they've been purchased and traded.
• Colored diamonds appreciate more quickly in value over time and are even more rare in some cases.

Cons:

• They're expensive.
• because they are made from earth, it can be hard to find everything you want according to the specs you have

Both man-made and natural diamonds are great options if you're in the market for a precious gem, but it's important to consider the value of the two and whether it's an important factor to you. Consider checking out Landsberg Jewelers to help you decide on the best gem for you.