The diamond, this wonder of nature which makes us think that we should not givin to the sirens song of synthetic diamonds…

In recent years, between newspaper headlines and radio broadcasts, everyone has heard about synthetic diamonds, also called laboratory diamonds or “lab grown”, which are said to be more “ecological” and less expensive than their natural twin…

Of course, the question that comes to mind is:

Should we buy synthetic diamonds?

I will say no (this only concerns me) and I will try to explain the reasons.

• A natural diamond comes from far away: the carbon that makes it up, must have crystallized over hundreds of millions years at a depth of more than 200 kilometers, under enormous pressure. It is volcanic eruptions that push up diamonds to the surface. The first of them was discovered 2000 years ago in India. They are the famous Golconde type IIA diamonds. In the 18th century, Brazil became the main supplier, before handing over to South Africa in 1870. Today, Australia is the leading country: one diamond out of 4 comes from there but they are practically all reserved for the industry. Diamond is a crystal made of a single element: pure carbon. It is the bonds between its atoms that make it a unique gemstone with many qualities. It is known for its extreme hardness, obtaining the maximum score of 10 on the Mohs scale (measurement of the hardness of minerals). Diamond is therefore the hardest substance and nothing can scratch it except another diamond. Thus, the authenticity of a diamond is established according to four major criteria, called the 4 Cs: Carat, Color, Clarity and Cut, without forgetting the fluorescence…

You then understand now  why buying a natural diamond is a thoughtful act due to the fact that it remains a miracle of nature !

• Natural diamonds are rare, and will become rarer and rarer, so they should not lose value over time unlike synthetic diamonds which, if the technique evolves, will be able to be mass produced, therefore their prices being destined to decrease permanently.

• Finally, for those who think buying a synthetic diamond is an ecological gesture, you should also know that their production is extremely bad for the environment and very energy consuming. It is estimated that carbon emissions are three times higher than for the extraction of natural diamonds!

To summarize, Stephen Lussier, CEO at Forevermark at De Beers, said

“A natural diamond is precious, rare, and appreciated for its real value, which translates into something beautiful. A synthetic diamond is very pretty, with a lovely sparkle, but it shares nothing else with a natural stone. This does not make it a bad product, as long as the consumer is aware of it.

Synthetic Diamond Prices :

Since we wrote this article in January 2022 and until today, October 1st 2024, the price of synthetic diamonds has continued to fall, due in part to massive production and very strong demand on foreign markets. 

More and more stones (of all shapes and sizes) are coming out of the labs, resulting in a phenomenal drop in the price per carat.

Laboratories have produced a huge amount of synthetic diamonds and the price of these products has been severely affected. These same laboratories, which are major consumers of energy, are now less and less profitable. All the more reason to resist the temptation to buy a synthetic diamond, whose price will continue to fall and which remains a very poor long-term investment.

At Pierres de Julie, we remain convinced that natural diamonds still have their place in the great family of precious stones and that we should continue to buy them.

If you are interested in diamonds, don’t hesitate to discover what Les Pierres de Julie offer in our store…

We are also available for any free expertise of your diamond jewelry, for that you can send an email with your photos to contact@lespierresdejulie.com.

Whether you're interested in buying a piece of jewellery or a stone, a free jewelry appraisal or jewelry resale, Pierres de Julie welcomes you to its Parisian boutique in the Village Suisse, a stone's throw from the Ecole Militaire and the Esplanade des Invalides.