It is not real vs. fake. It is not authentic vs. impostor. It is not genuine vs. counterfeit. It’s not shine vs. sham. It is lab grown vs. natural. To the naked eye, diamonds grown in laboratories are indistinguishable from natural stones. The issue isn’t whether or not they are “real.” They are. It is that consumers should be — deserve to be — fully aware of what they are purchasing.
Mixing manufactured and mined loose and melee diamonds is dishonest, unethical, and, ultimately, erodes the trust that underpins supplier/buyer relationships.
Making a Diamond
In nature, it takes between 1 and 3.3 billion years for a diamond to form. About 87 to 188 miles below the earth’s surface, materials containing carbon are exposed to tremendous pressure. Eventually, this creates the precious stones we know and love; diamonds are then forced up and close to the surface with the help of volcanic eruptions.
There is no doubt that nature has perfected this process! Scientists seek to recreate it on a much -- much faster -- timeline. In high-pressure, high-temperature chambers, carbon atoms are exposed to conditions designed to mimic those of the earth’s crust. The result are diamonds that have identical molecular and chemical structures as mined diamonds. Labs can create diamonds, including fancy shapes like oval, emerald, and cushion, in just hours or days.
Again, the issue at hand isn’t the quality or aesthetic value of lab grown diamonds; even geologists would be hard-pressed to distinguish between a manufactured and mined stone. The problem is when suppliers attempt to pass lab grown stones off as natural stones or they mix them in orders of loose and melee diamonds.
The Risk to Your Business
The bottom line (which affects your bottom line) is that diamonds grown in labs have a much lower price tag. Consumers still largely prefer natural stones, and they are willing to pay the premium price. Now imagine what happens when you purchase “natural” loose stones, design and finish pieces, sell them to your customers -- and then find out the diamonds were lab grown, which cost and are worth significantly less.
The supplier, whether intentionally or inadvertently, misled you and priced your order incorrectly, and inappropriately. This means you passed those price points onto your customer. This has the opportunity to damage your brand irrevocably.
This is why it is so critical to have an effective process by which to identify lab grown diamonds. The Gem and Jewelry Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) aims to ensure consumer confidence by providing members with specialized machines that distinguish between natural and lab grown. GJEPC also wants to implement clear standards when it comes to synthetic stones and import/export codes. One step is to eliminate lab growns from shipments of natural stones.
In the jewelry industry, trust is paramount. When customers have confidence in you, they have confidence in their pieces -- and feel comfortable that they have paid appropriately. Without this basic tenet, that relationship is damaged. Being able to accurately, and quickly, identify lab grown diamonds isn’t only a technical process, it is one that is essential to your name and reputation.
At K Rosengart, we value the trust you place in us. Our promise to you is to deliver the finest natural loose and melee diamonds in the industry. Every time. Without worry, and without compromise.