E15: Lab-Grown vs Natural Diamonds

Welcome back to the Rachel Beth Jewellery Podcast Show! I'm Rachel Lake, your host, the founder, and creative director of Rachel Beth Jewellery.

In today’s episode, we address a recent listener's question about lab-grown diamonds versus natural diamonds. Although our custom jewellery primarily features sapphires, many of our clients often incorporate diamonds into their designs or request them as centre stones.

**Key Points Discussed:**

**Similarity in Properties**:

Lab-grown and natural diamonds share the same visual, physical, and chemical properties, making them virtually identical to the naked eye.

**Detection by Experts**:

The subtle differences between lab-grown and natural diamonds can only be detected by trained jewellers or gemmologists.

**Grading Standards**: Both the Gemmological Institution of America (GIA) and the International Gemmological Institute (IGI) use the same methods and standards to grade lab-grown and natural diamonds. These standard-defining agencies see no difference between the two types of diamonds across the 4 Cs (Cut, Colour, Clarity, and Carat).

**Cost and Preference**: The choice between lab-grown and natural diamonds often comes down to budget and personal preference. Lab-grown diamonds are typically 30-50% less expensive than natural diamonds.

**Formation Process**: Lab-grown diamonds are created in a laboratory, while natural diamonds are formed over millions of years within the Earth. The choice between the two is a matter of personal preference, how it makes you feel, and the story it tells.

I hope you enjoyed our sparkling journey into the world of diamonds. If you have any questions or topics you’d like me to cover in future episodes, feel free to reach out.

**Thank you for listening!**

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