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GIA Dunks on Lab Diamonds

Chelsea Palmer said:
OK, so your wife would rather spend tens of thousands of dollars on a natural diamond rather than travel and remodel your house and have an LGD instead, because it seems to her a natural diamond is special and an LGD is not. If an LGD is not special to her, then you both clearly made the right decision.
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Chelsea, I'm saying this gently but that doesn't always transfer in a text. This is the kind of judgmental piece to which I would say it's none of my business what you think of me, my diamonds, my life.

A husband shared how happy he and his wife are with the diamond they selected and are enjoying. This is their choice and it's no skin off your diamond, I suggest you stop comparing. I wouldn't consider telling people how to live or what they should enjoy.

Maybe if you take a step back and a deep breath, you can refocus on the joy your Lab diamond brings you and stop the competition with others. I hope you find your happiness too.
 
snaphappy said:
Recently bought my wife her dream ring. We were poor most of our lives. So it was a big deal to us. We talk about her ring 4-5 times a day. Sometimes 4-5 times an hour. We have an unhealthy obsession. Few things have ever made us this happy. Some new age spiritual people think there's a metaphysical reason why diamonds impact people emotionally. But regardless of why - this diamond makes us giddy. Especially when it shoots rainbows all over the inside of our car. We laugh out loud.

Anyway...

I asked my wife if we could get an identical lgd ring for 10x less, would she do it?

She said, "I don't believe it will be identical, mine is one of a kind and irreplaceable." (In her defense, she has an art deco ring with a transitional cut diamond and a giant weird inclusion.)

So I replied, "But this is pretend. Let's pretend there's two rings that are identical. And we could save tens of thousands of dollars. Go traveling. Remodel the house. Etc. Would you get the LGD diamond in this pretend scenario?"

She thought a long time, then she said, "No, because I'd know it was lab grown. No one else would. But I would. And it's supposed to be special. I don't want everyone else to think it's special, but I know it's not."
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I look at my wife's diamonds sparkles and it makes me remember all the good things!
 
freddyboston said:
I wonder if a lot of current Synthetic E-ring wearers eventually come around to this type of thinking... once the initial novelty wears off...
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Probably no more than an earth diamond wearer's thinking will come around to perfect, big Lab diamonds after the initial novelty of their small, included, H-I diamonds wears off..
 
Garry H (Cut Nut) said:
"No big deal if DeBeers want to provide a spendy ad campaign but I think demeaning other people's choice may bite them in the butt."
100% agree
Now when I think about it, I would be fine and maybe even excited if Lab diamonds are not based on any legacy,
Fact is they are based on that legacy starting from 1947 that will last forever.
that they would just be worn for their absolute beauty without having to be engaged or married.
Moissanite out sparkles diamond lab and natural, but went nowhere!
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Maybe because moissanite does not have identical properties to diamonds.
Moissanite is a 9.25-9.5 on the MOHs hardness scale, diamond is a 10.

I know many women wearing diamonds on their hands that have nothing to do with legacy.
 
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Sunrises Sunsets said:
Chelsea, I'm saying this gently but that doesn't always transfer in a text. This is the kind of judgmental piece to which I would say it's none of my business what you think of me, my diamonds, my life.

A husband shared how happy he and his wife are with the diamond they selected and are enjoying. This is their choice and it's no skin off your diamond, I suggest you stop comparing. I wouldn't consider telling people how to live or what they should enjoy.

Maybe if you take a step back and a deep breath, you can refocus on the joy your Lab diamond brings you and stop the competition with others. I hope you find your happiness too.
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All I did was reiterate what the poster said that led to his decision. Based on the reasons he and his wife considered, it was the right choice for them to purchase a natural diamond. I didn’t criticize his choice in any way. Not in the least. The OP shared with us his reasons on why and his wife chose a natural diamond and I agreed they made the right choice.
 
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Garry H (Cut Nut) said:
This has been a very interesting wiggling wobbling discussion. Thanks everyone!
BTW - even the overall diamond industry does not approve of disparaging marketing from NDC, largely funded by De Beers, and the recent AWDC gumball rubbish:
rapaport.com

Natural-Diamond Marketing: We Asked, and Boy, Did You Weigh In

Last week, a natural-diamond marketing campaign in New York City that portrayed lab-grown in a negative light got many in the trade riled up.
rapaport.com rapaport.com
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In my opinion the natural diamond campaign should focus on the specialness of natural diamonds, and the benefits they bring to the communities where they are mined.
The price and ubiquity of lab diamonds will tell a story of its own.
 
Agreed 100%.
 
Texas Leaguer said:
In my opinion the natural diamond campaign should focus on the specialness of natural diamonds, and the benefits they bring to the communities where they are mined.
The price and ubiquity of lab diamonds will tell a story of its own.
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Very well-stated. I think they should lean more towards the benefits natural diamonds bring to the communities because the “ specialness” factor might be hard to sell to millennials. But who knows? The right ad agency could find themselves with a Clio award if they can work the specialness angle. I just think it’s going to be a tough sell.
 
freddyboston said:
And now a Counterargument....

For years, synthetic diamonds have ridden on the coattails of natural diamonds - leveraging our industry's legacy of romance, authenticity, rarity, and emotional significance - without contributing anything to the value narrative that underpins it. They have not built their own category, nor invested in original storytelling. Instead, they've marketed themselves as interchangeable substitutes while conveniently borrowing the prestige and trust that natural diamonds took generations to earn.
As for tone - yes, campaigns should be smart and resonate with the right audience. But let's not mistake discomfort for poor strategy. The NDC and others are finally beginning to push back against a dangerous narrative. It's long overdue.
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It's a well-articulated position by Mr. Hasenfeld who I have enormous respect for.

Many in the natural diamond industry have felt like a strong coordinated response has been too long in coming. Maybe it was handwringing, or maybe it was strategic in waiting for the right time in the life-cycle of synthetic diamonds. Many have correctly predicted the trajectory of synthetics in the market, but nobody knew the timeline.

The boxing great Muhammad Ali used a famous technique in the ring he called "roap a dope". He would cover up and bounce off the ropes while allowing his opponent to burn himself out throwing flurries of punches that were undoubtedly painful but were not determinative of the outcome. Meanwhile Ali kept his powder dry for the later rounds with a weakened opponent.
 
Texas Leaguer said:
In my opinion the natural diamond campaign should focus on the specialness of natural diamonds, and the benefits they bring to the communities where they are mined.
The price and ubiquity of lab diamonds will tell a story of its own.
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TITW.jpg

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Texas Leaguer said:
In my opinion the natural diamond campaign should focus on the specialness of natural diamonds, and the benefits they bring to the communities where they are mined.
The price and ubiquity of lab diamonds will tell a story of its own.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Focusing on the benefit to communities is also a good thing. I would like to learn more about how the communities are taking control of mining in recent decades. Most of us know the terrible history of abuses linked with colonization. I’d like to know more about current events. I’m glad the countries producing the goods seem to be stepping in to shape the narrative. I’ve read a little about how the trade of colored gems has shifted dramatically as local communities take back control of their own resources. I’d like to know more about similar dynamics in diamonds.
 
Sunrises Sunsets said:
Probably no more than an earth diamond wearer's thinking will come around to perfect, big Lab diamonds after the initial novelty of their small, included, H-I diamonds wears off..
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Respectfully disagree. My favorite diamond is an L, VS2. Wearing an oval .71 ST SI 2 right now. Call me a mossback, they all have a story that means something to me.
There is room for all of us.
 
Ibrakeforpossums said:
Respectfully disagree. My favorite diamond is an L, VS2. Wearing an oval .71 ST SI 2 right now. Call me a mossback, they all have a story that means something to me.
There is room for all of us.
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I think you misunderstood, I didn't say across the board earth diamonds wearers would swap out their stones. The thought was in line with Freddy's indication some Lab diamond wearers might swap out their diamonds too.

I'm sure there are plenty of earth and Lab diamond wearers who will wear their diamonds as long as they can. It's a good thing for all.
 
What I find funny is the people in the industry that are saying there are 2 sides.
Guess what...
The people that take rather dull looking chunks of diamond material both mined and lab and turn them in a beautiful sparky what we think of as a diamond are the same people.
In some cases the same people who mined rough also produce rough.
The vast majority selling of people selling them are the same people also.

Its sorta like watching twins standing face to face yelling....
I am the real smith you suck, no I am the real smith you suck, back and forth.
The danger is that those watching might be thinking geez they are both idiots, in going to get a new cell phone instead.
 
It al needs cutters/polishers.
 
Ibrakeforpossums said:
It al needs cutters/polishers.
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The lab business kept a lot of Surat people in work, but as prices fell the time and contract fee per stone for cutting and polishing lab diamonds has plumm. Along with polish and symmetry quality.
 
Chelsea Palmer said:
OK, so your wife would rather spend tens of thousands of dollars on a natural diamond rather than travel and remodel your house and have an LGD instead, because it seems to her a natural diamond is special and an LGD is not. If an LGD is not special to her, then you both clearly made the right decision.
Click to expand...

Yes because the heart wants what it wants. Travelling can be stressful. Remodelling is definitely stressful (gawd I know I have to do it but it’s like going to the dentist). She might very well just only be satisfied with a natural diamond in her mind.

I wear wigs. I have a good selection of very realistic wigs that look decently natural and make me look like I have lovely, non wiggy hair. I choose to wear the fake blonde one because *I* feel and think that I look adorable in it and I value my opinion above all :lol:
 
Sunrises Sunsets said:
And then there are the posters who pointed out how gullible we were back in the day. We were being drawn in by the nefarious market manipulation by DeBeers and I will be the first to admit I am one of those posters.

I remember thinking too bad for Princess Diana at her engagement because she didn't receive a beautiful diamond. The poor dear had to wear that stunning sapphire gem instead, lol.

I'm much wiser now and I hope others have their eyes wide open when making their personal decisions and ignore all the influencers and slick marketing by either side. Buy an earth grown or lab grown gem and move on with your life. There are far more important things than your jewelry on which to focus.
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Omg I was so gullible in my youth! Never again!!! I don’t think I ever paused to ponder if I even liked white diamonds. Kinda just told myself to like them and buy them. I’m all about colour!!! I have two natural diamonds and I don’t know what to do with the ring! My bench is suggesting that I reset it in a fully CS halo to inject colour since I find plain diamonds deathly boring.
 
mellowyellowgirl said:
Yes because the heart wants what it wants. Travelling can be stressful. Remodelling is definitely stressful (gawd I know I have to do it but it’s like going to the dentist). She might very well just only be satisfied with a natural diamond in her mind.

I wear wigs. I have a good selection of very realistic wigs that look decently natural and make me look like I have lovely, non wiggy hair. I choose to wear the fake blonde one because *I* feel and think that I look adorable in it and I value my opinion above all :lol:
Click to expand...
 
Right. As stated previously, OP made the right choice. He said wife wanted a natural so that’s what she has.
 
Dreamer_D said:
Agreed. Focusing on the benefit to communities is also a good thing. I would like to learn more about how the communities are taking control of mining in recent decades. Most of us know the terrible history of abuses linked with colonization. I’d like to know more about current events. I’m glad the countries producing the goods seem to be stepping in to shape the narrative. I’ve read a little about how the trade of colored gems has shifted dramatically as local communities take back control of their own resources. I’d like to know more about similar dynamics in diamonds.
Click to expand...

Botswana is the case study that best illustrates the transformative power of natural diamonds in community development. This is a good overview:
www.naturaldiamonds.com

Learn All About the Brilliance of Botswana Diamonds

Discover how the natural diamond industry helped transform the now thriving Southern African country with brilliant Botswana diamonds.
www.naturaldiamonds.com www.naturaldiamonds.com
 
Texas Leaguer said:
It's a well-articulated position by Mr. Hasenfeld who I have enormous respect for.
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I had a wonderful first buy experience that led to a great business relationship with the Hasenfelds. First with the father, and then with the son. They are a great company and treated this then rookie to the trade with courtesy and generosity.
 
Wink said:
I had a wonderful first buy experience that led to a great business relationship with the Hasenfelds. First with the father, and then with the son. They are a great company and treated this then rookie to the trade with courtesy and generosity.
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I met Hertz two decades ago and he was a perfect gentleman.
 
Karl_K said:
What I find funny is the people in the industry that are saying there are 2 sides.
Guess what...
The people that take rather dull looking chunks of diamond material both mined and lab and turn them in a beautiful sparky what we think of as a diamond are the same people.
In some cases the same people who mined rough also produce rough.
The vast majority selling of people selling them are the same people also.

Its sorta like watching twins standing face to face yelling....
I am the real smith you suck, no I am the real smith you suck, back and forth.
The danger is that those watching might be thinking geez they are both idiots, in going to get a new cell phone instead.
Click to expand...

Unsubstantiated goss - Diamond Foundry is dumping very cheap LGD rough in Surat India - growers can not compete and cutters are buying the rough and turning off their own reactors.
True or false?
 
Garry H (Cut Nut) said:
Unsubstantiated goss - Diamond Foundry is dumping very cheap LGD rough in Surat India - growers can not compete and cutters are buying the rough and turning off their own reactors.
True or false?
Click to expand...
Either way doesn't change anything its still the same people cutting and selling both,
DeBeers was both a miner and producer for years,
 
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