We live in an age obsessed with the copy. From ‘dupe’ designer handbags on TikTok to supermarket knock-offs of luxury perfumes, the world has never been more in love with the idea of almost the same, but cheaper.
Nowhere is this trend more dazzlingly on display than in the diamond market.
Lab grown diamonds or ‘man-made miracles’ according to their glossy marketing, have exploded in popularity in recent years, fuelled by celebrities, influencers, and a wave of advertising telling us they’re greener, fairer, and smarter than the real thing.
Meghan Markle, Emma Watson and even Lady Gaga have been spotted wearing them.
The pitch is simple: why spend on the ‘old-fashioned’ mined version when you can have an identical sparkle without the ethical baggage or the larger price tag.
But let me, as someone who’s spent a career valuing everything from Victorian jewellery to vinyl-capes on Star Wars figurines, cut through the glittering spin: lab grown diamonds are not the guilt-free gems they’ve been sold as.
In fact, they can be every bit as problematic. And crucially, unlike natural diamonds, they won’t hold their value.
Markle sparkle: Meghan Markle pictured wearing lab-grown earrings in 2019
Here’s what those glossy adverts don’t tell you. Growing a diamond isn’t like baking a soufflé in your kitchen.
It’s a brutal industrial process that requires carbon to be blasted with temperatures over 1,500°C and crushing pressures for weeks on end.
Whether it’s the HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature) or CVD (Chemical Vapour Deposition) method, the reality is the same: colossal amounts of electricity are needed.
And where does most of that power come from? Often coal. The bulk of lab grown production happens in India and China, where fossil fuels dominate the grid.
So that ‘eco friendly’ diamond you were told is saving the planet may actually have a bigger carbon footprint than a responsibly mined stone.
Yes, really the ring you slipped on to feel saintly could be quietly choking the environment.
Some companies shout loudly about being ‘carbon neutral’ because they’ve planted a few trees or bought offset credits.
But let’s be blunt: no number of saplings wipes out the emissions of a coal-fired factory running 24/7 to churn out synthetic gems.
Bling: Emma Watson wearing lab-grown diamonds at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party in 2018 (the ring on her finger, not the necklace)
The human cost nobody talks about
Let’s not kid ourselves that lab grown diamonds are entirely free from exploitation.
Many of the factories producing them are located in industrial estates where wages are low, hours are long, and labour protections are minimal.
Marketing campaigns love to show clinical white laboratories with scientists in lab coats.
What they don’t show is the soot covered machinery running off coal, and the workers who make it all happen.
Contrast that with regulated natural mining. Yes, diamond mining has a dark past, but modern frameworks such as the Kimberley Process and the Responsible Jewellery Council have forced real change.
Mines in countries like Botswana and Canada now provide thousands of jobs, fund schools and hospitals, and pay for clean water projects.
Take that industry away entirely, and you risk pulling the economic rug from under entire communities.
Gaga for lab-grown: Lady Gaga with some lab-grown jewellery in 2018
Value: the sting in the tail
Now to the question people always ask: what about value?
Here’s the unvarnished truth. Buy a lab grown diamond today and the moment you walk out of the shop, it plummets in value.
Just like driving a new car off the forecourt, depreciation is instant. Right now, most jewellers won’t even buy them back.
The resale market is virtually non existent. That’s a nightmare if you think you’re ‘investing’ in one.
Contrast that with natural diamonds. Over the past 35 years, they’ve risen in value by about 3 per cent a year on average.
That might not sound staggering, but it compounds beautifully.
Take the pink diamond: around 2003, a fine stone cost £30,500 per carat. By 2013, it was fetching £145,000. That’s a 375 per cent leap, better than many stock portfolios.
Of course, the market has its dips, prices have softened by around 26 per cent since 2022 – gold is shining brightest at the moment.
But the very best stones, particularly rarities like Argyle pinks, continue to outpace stock markets and thrill collectors at auction.
Scarcity is the magic ingredient, and natural diamonds, by definition, are finite. Lab grown, meanwhile, can be produced endlessly. And when supply is unlimited, price goes one way: down.
Indeed, in the Daily Mail’s weekly Me and My Money segment recently, musician Professor Green said a lab diamond was his biggest money mistake.
Diamond dupe: Lab-grown diamonds provide plenty of sparkle – but are likely to fall in value as soon as you buy them
A tale of two rings
Let’s put it into real terms. Imagine you bought a 2 carat natural diamond ring ten years ago for, say, £15,000.
Today, depending on quality and rarity, that stone could easily be worth £20,000 to £25,000. You’ve worn it for a decade and it has quietly grown in value.
Now let’s say you spent £5,000 on a 2-carat lab-grown diamond of similar sparkle.
Try reselling it today and you’d be lucky to fetch £500… if you can sell it at all. That’s not an heirloom. That’s a very expensive piece of costume jewellery.
I don’t say this lightly. I’ve studied diamonds for years, both in the lab and on the open market, and as a qualified diamond grader, buyer and seller, I’ve seen the numbers first hand.
The resale figures are frankly startling. What looks identical in a jeweller’s cabinet tells a very different story when you come to sell.
And here lies the uncomfortable truth: lab grown is symptomatic of our obsession with dupes and fast fashion.
They’re marketed as forever, but in reality, they’re disposable, another product churned out to satisfy short term consumer cravings.
It’s all about provenance
Not all diamonds, whether mined or lab grown, are created equal.
Some laboratory producers genuinely are making efforts to use renewable energy and fair labour practices, just as some mines are run responsibly while others are not.
The key is research. Knowing where your diamond comes from man made or natural is vital if ethics and the environment matter to you.
In a world obsessed with instant information and quick fixes, perhaps it’s time we slowed down, asked tougher questions, and delved into the background of the stone we are buying.
After all, if you’re spending thousands of pounds, you’re not just buying a piece of jewellery, you’re making a statement about the values you want to invest in.
Where lab grown stones are concerned, you should be attempting to buy from companies that:
– Use renewable energy in their production.
– Publish carbon emission data or, better still, provide third-party environmental certification.
– Operate a transparent supply chain, so you know not only how the diamond was grown, but where, and under what labour conditions.
These same principles apply to mined diamonds too. Ask the questions, demand the paperwork, and don’t be fobbed off with vague assurances.
What should you do?
I’m not saying lab grown diamonds don’t have a place. If you simply want the biggest sparkle for the smallest budget, and you don’t care about resale, they can give you a look that would otherwise be out of reach.
For some couples, that’s the priority, and that’s absolutely fine.
But if you care about long term value, provenance, and true sustainability, don’t be fooled by the dupe.
Do your homework, ask for certification, and seek responsibly mined diamonds from regulated sources.
That way, you’re not just buying a gem, you’re supporting communities, transparency, and a legacy that will outlast TikTok trends.
The real thing endures
At the end of the day, a natural diamond isn’t just a glittering rock. It’s a piece of the earth’s history, billions of years in the making, rare and unrepeatable.
Lab-grown may look the part under a jeweller’s loupe, but it can never carry the romance, the rarity, or the resilience of the real thing.
So next time you see an ad telling you lab-grown is the ‘responsible’ choice, remember: sometimes the real deal can be better for the planet, your pocket, and your peace of mind.
Because when it comes to diamonds – as with so much in life – dupes may dazzle for a moment, but the true treasures endure.
Have you lost money on lab-grown diamonds? editor@thisismoney.co.uk
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .