How to choose between synthetic diamond and natural diamond?

Everything you need to know about synthetic diamonds

Coming to compete with the natural diamond market, synthetic diamonds are raising questions. Since some jewelry houses have been promoting them, many enthusiasts have been wondering about the differences between natural and synthetic diamonds.

What are the differences in value, investment, use: are synthetic diamonds cheaper than natural diamonds? Are they the same stone or not? How to choose or recognize them? Are they really more eco-responsible, and are synthetic diamonds considered ethical compared to conventionally mined diamonds?

58 Facettes explains these different factors of appreciation of synthetic diamond vs. natural diamond, and advises you on your purchases.

What is a synthetic diamond?

The decision of the Ministry of Economy on the designation of synthetic or synthetic diamond (updated Decree No. 2002-65 of January 14, 2002 relating to the trade in gemstones and pearls) closes the debate on the terms "laboratory, cultured, raised by man" which were until now also used for this type of diamond. Although this is not, "from a physical point of view", a synthesis (the diamond being formed of only one element, carbon), one can understand the logic of this designation by similarity to synthetic sapphires and rubies, in particular.

Synthetic diamonds are therefore part of the category of synthetic products, the definition of which in the context of this decree is "synthetic" for stones which are crystallized or recrystallized products whose manufacture, caused totally or partially by man, has been obtained by various processes, whatever they may be, and whose physical and chemical properties and crystalline structure correspond essentially to those of the natural stones which they copy."
No other term is now authorized by law.

The properties of synthetic diamond, better than an imitation

Synthetic diamond is neither an imitation nor an artificial product. It is a "real" diamond in the optical, chemical and physical sense.
It is important to understand this distinction to understand the interest and craze for synthetic diamonds.

An imitation is a product that tries to pass itself off as another: Swarovski crystal imitates diamond and is made of lead glass using a special process, another colorless gem can imitate diamond (leuco-sapphire, rock crystal, etc.).
An artificial product does not exist in nature and is produced by man for the same purposes of imitation: the most common for diamonds are zirconium oxides (or zirconia) and moissanite.
In any case, the characteristics of each of these elements differ from natural diamond even if they try to get closer to it: different refractive index, density and of course hardness, which are not identical.
It is sometimes more difficult to distinguish them once the stones are set, but these differences will allow you to detect that it is not a diamond.

How are synthetic diamonds made?

How to tell the difference between a natural diamond and a synthetic diamond? Mainly by the manufacturing process of a synthetic diamond.

Unlike natural diamonds, which were formed millions of years ago in extreme conditions of high temperature and high pressure more than 150 km below the Earth's surface, synthetic diamonds are produced by recreating these conditions in a controlled laboratory environment.
There are two processes: the process called chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or the one called high pressure high temperature (HPHT), starting from a natural diamond "seed".
The resulting diamond has the same physical, chemical and optical characteristics as a mined diamond. While the rough is immediately identifiable, the stone once cut cannot be differentiated from a natural diamond with the naked eye.
Specific laboratory analyses will therefore be necessary to confirm the nature of the diamond.
Note that the majority of synthetic diamonds are produced by the CVD process and are type IIa, a type which, in nature, is very rare (less than 2% of natural diamonds).

Since when have synthetic diamonds been found and on which jewelry?

Synthetic diamonds have been on the market for several decades, but their large-scale commercial production has really taken off in recent years.
The first synthetic diamonds were created in the mid-20th century, but they were mainly used for industrial purposes, such as the manufacture of diamond cutting tools. It is only recently that technological advances have made it possible to produce high-quality synthetic diamonds suitable for use in jewelry, a "gem quality".
Today, these diamonds are commonly used in the manufacture of jewelry of all kinds, including engagement rings (one third of engagement rings sold in the United States were adorned with a synthetic diamond in 2023) and on jewelry with pavé.
They thus offer consumers a financially attractive alternative to natural diamonds.

Is synthetic diamond cheaper than natural diamond?

Yes, a synthetic diamond is structurally less expensive than a natural diamond.
 One of the most notable advantages of lab-grown diamonds over their natural counterparts is their cost. Lab-grown diamonds are typically much less expensive than natural diamonds of equivalent quality.

 This price difference is largely explained by the controlled and industrial production process, which becomes more efficient over time and therefore less costly, unlike mining and sorting of natural diamonds, which is more random and more expensive.

Finally, the use of other synthetic stones in jewelry, notably sapphire and ruby, gives us clues about the evolution of the price of synthetic diamonds, and the recent evolution of prices is very significant.

What the history of synthetic ruby and sapphire teaches us

Will history repeat itself? At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, the synthesis of corundums (rubies and sapphires) was achieved by the French chemist Verneuil. A craze for these stones resulting from the genius of man, and often much more beautiful in color and purity than their natural counterparts, is reflected in the jewelry of the 1930s to the 1950s, particularly on the rings " Tank » : most of the gems set on this type of jewelry are synthetic stones, very fashionable at that time.
The industrialization of this process (notably used for watch "sapphire crystals", because the scratch resistance of sapphire is greater than that of mineral glass) makes the cost of these synthetic corundums very low.
Nowadays, the value of these jewels of the time is linked to the style and their weight of gold, often important, but no longer on that of the stones. It is however important to keep these synthetic stones on this type of jewels, witnesses of the time and this fashion.

What future for synthetic diamonds?

Will we see the same phenomenon of synthetic rubies and sapphires for synthetic diamonds?
In terms of distribution, the production capacities of the contemporary world are infinitely greater than at the time of the discovery of synthetic sapphire or ruby. It is a safe bet that synthetic diamond will be used in "fine jewelry", "fashion jewelry" or even costume jewelry, which is also a significant qualitative leap for a market segment that was satisfied with imitations of diamonds (especially zirconium oxides). Some brands such as Vever or Courbet in France affirm their commitment to stones that do not come from mines. It remains to be seen how these houses will continue to use this material that will adorn jewelry whose target market is jewelry or even high jewelry.
From our point of view, the challenge will be on know-how and innovation, particularly for Vever, which carries this "disruptive" aspect in its history and DNA: at the time, that of Art Nouveau, Henri Vever dared to highlight non-"noble" materials such as glass or less popular fine stones. The traceability and quality of their synthetic stones will certainly be key, in order to be able to guarantee eco-responsibility that synthetic diamond factories in Asia are probably not able to ensure.

Prices of synthetic diamonds have fallen sharply since 2017

The natural diamond market has experienced cycles with price jumps like in 2008, and more recently during the pandemic, with a jump in its release in 2021 (+30 to 40%!) due to very high demand.

When the industry succeeds in producing synthetic diamonds of gem quality, that of natural diamonds is shaken by this new entrant which relies on ethical and ecological values.
Young brands that advertise 100% synthetic diamonds are making it a committed and disruptive sales argument while benefiting from this cheaper alternative to natural diamonds. The younger generation is sensitive to this. It is interesting to observe the market shift that has occurred in the United States. This synthetic diamond market competes with the enormous engagement ring sector in North America, and represents nearly $12 billion in 2022 compared to barely $1 billion in 2016 and one in three wedding rings on the American market in 2023. Nearly three-quarters of diamonds placed on the American market are synthetic!

However, if synthetic diamonds were undervalued but correlated with that of natural diamonds, the gap has continued to increase, going from -20% in 2017 to -75% in 2023. The synthetic diamond market is now more oriented towards "Fashion Jewelry" and Swarovski-type jewelry, with natural diamonds having won the battle.

This evolution in the prices of synthetic diamonds over the last five years, marked by a downward trend, is explained by the improvement of production techniques and increasing competition on the market and an increase in production (in particular in China which represents in 2021 41% of production in HPHT and India 20% of CVD).

Some examples of diamond price differentials (March 2024)

Natural diamond: 1 carat F SI1 Very good size: €6,413.71

Synthetic diamond: 1 carat F SI1 Very good size: €3,103

Synthetic diamond: 1 carat D SI1 Very good cut: €3,046

Natural diamond: 1.09 carat D VVS1 Very good size: €16,000

It is clear that the rarity criterion, essential in assessing the price of a natural diamond, does not apply to synthetic diamonds, hence a factor of X2 for F colour and more than X5 for D colour.

Are synthetic diamonds used as an investment?

When purchasing a diamond, whether natural or synthetic, it is essential to take certain precautions to ensure the quality and value of the stone.

First of all, it is recommended to call on trusted professionals and certified in gemology to assess the quality and authenticity of the diamond.
In addition, it is important to inquire about the specific characteristics of the diamond, such as carat, color, clarity and cut, all of which have an impact on the value of the diamond (for center stones). It is advisable to request a certificate of authenticity and quality (not all laboratories have the same reputation) for stones over 1 carat or of Excellent quality, to guarantee the origin and value of the diamond.
Finally, choosing between a natural diamond and a synthetic diamond: the different common points and criteria are to be taken into account according to your objectives. If the desire that the jewel is not only a pleasure but also an investment is part of these criteria, we cannot currently consider that the synthetic diamond has a value on the second-hand market.
 Like what has become of synthetic sapphires and rubies, and given the orientation towards a more "fancy" market segment, it is quite likely that the decorrelation of the price of synthetic diamonds and that of natural diamonds will be confirmed.

The jewelry that is adorned with it will therefore be appreciated by the other elements (brand awareness, craftsmanship, other materials) but not the value of the synthetic diamond.

Discover our collections of diamond-adorned jewelry: here