Diamonds are having a reckoning. You’ve probably heard the same recycled talking points. One diamond is “natural,” the other is “fake.” One holds value, the other doesn’t. But the truth is more nuanced, and more important than ever. If you’re investing in fine jewelry, here’s what you actually need to know.
What Is a Mined Diamond? A mined diamond is formed in the earth’s mantle over millions of years, then extracted through mining operations that are often energy-intensive and environmentally damaging.
Key facts about mined diamonds:
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Found deep underground and brought to the surface through large-scale excavation
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Often pass through multiple middlemen before reaching the customer
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Carry high retail markups, sometimes 8 to 10 times the cost of production
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Associated with ethical concerns including environmental harm and human rights issues
What you’re really paying for is not just the diamond. It’s the outdated system (with a lot of lobbying and expensive marketing) that delivered it.
What Is a Lab-Grown Diamond?
A lab-grown diamond is created in a controlled environment that replicates the same conditions that form diamonds underground. The process results in a diamond that is chemically and optically identical to its mined counterpart.
How lab-grown diamonds are made:
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Created using one of two methods: HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature) or CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition)
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Formed using carbon, just like mined diamonds
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Grown in a matter of weeks, not millennia
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Sustainably produced without large-scale environmental disruption
They’re real diamonds. Just made smarter.
Why We Only Use Lab-Grown at Dara Kaye Jewelry
We choose lab-grown because it aligns with what we value: transparency, design integrity, and respect for the world we live in.
We source our diamonds from trusted labs. Every stone is cut for maximum brilliance. Every piece is made to feel bold, architectural, and wearable for life.
We don’t believe in inflating prices for legacy hype. We believe in modern heirlooms with modern values.
Educational Insight: Do Lab-Grown Diamonds Hold Value?
Resale value is a conversation many traditional jewelers use to dismiss lab-grown. But let’s reframe that.
Most jewelry doesn’t hold resale value the way people think. Even mined diamonds, unless they’re rare, drop dramatically once worn. The question isn’t about flipping your ring in five years. It’s about whether it holds meaning, beauty, and craftsmanship.
And lab-grown diamonds? They offer all of that, without the markup.
Fast FAQs
Are lab-grown diamonds real?
Yes. Chemically, physically, and optically the same as mined diamonds.
Can you tell the difference?
No. Not with the naked eye, not even with a loupe. Only advanced testing can differentiate origin.
Are lab-grown diamonds sustainable?
They require significantly less land, water, and energy. And they come with none of the ethical red flags.
So why are mined diamonds more expensive?
Because the market says so. Scarcity is manufactured. The supply chain is outdated. And the markup is tradition, not logic.
The bottom line is that one came from a mine and one came from a lab. Only one came without the guilt, the markup, or the baggage. That’s why we only work with lab-grown. Because smart luxury is still luxury. It just doesn’t need to be mined from the earth to matter.
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