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Would You Pay $32,709 for a Lab-Grown Diamond?

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Re: Would You Pay $32,709 for a Lab-Grown Diamond?

#21

Post by grzm »

mastrsushi wrote: post #6

We should stop posting links to article posts that block and require payment. I have no idea why no one else has mentioned this.

> "I have no idea why no one else has mentioned this."

It certainly has been mentioned before. It's a FAQ:

> "Are paywalls ok?"

> "It's ok to post stories from sites with paywalls that have workarounds."

> "In comments, it's ok to ask how to read an article and to help other users do so. But please don't post complaints about paywalls. Those are off topic."

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html

Re: Would You Pay $32,709 for a Lab-Grown Diamond?

#22

Post by odnarupoque »

throwawaymath wrote: post #14

The diamond I purchased for my wife's engagement ring costed about the headline price, and it wasn't lab-grown. If the lab-grown diamond was significantly better in specification for the same price, I'd probably have no issue buying it. If no one can tell without specialized equipment and your spouse doesn't care, why not? But if there wasn't a significant improvement in the diamond across several dimensions, I'd sti…

you need to catch up on lab-grown stones. Basically, they look better, keep their shine longer (i.e. no need to polish that often) and cost 10% of the "real one".

Just realize that intrinsic cost of diamonds is basically 0. Supply is artifically limited by De Beers and Co, demand is pushed up by shiny catalogues and stereotypes etc.

Now that many more labs are going to create moissanites and likes due to expiring patents, diamonds are going down the same path as pearls went ages ago (when people started growing them on mass scale).

So, my prediction is diamonds will lose at least 90% value in coming years, and lab-grown stones take over by storm, pushing overall bling-bling value even further down, making it as common as zirconia or stuff like that.

p.s. 2 of my first engagement rings were real diamonds, north of $5k value each. The most recent one is a custom made moissanite of better clarity and bigger size at < $1k. All girls were happy with their rings ;)

Re: Would You Pay $32,709 for a Lab-Grown Diamond?

#23

Post by reitzensteinm »

In my opinion, there's a significant marketing opportunity for lab grown diamonds - a not for profit that makes beautiful artificial pieces that cost just as much as one that's mined, and with the cost difference pays for a significant amount of charity.

Rather than a shameful knockoff, it should aim to draw attention to the fact that it is what it is.

While not universal, I think a $5k artificial ring that looks great and also comes with a story of saving a life on Watsi or building a well in a village would be a compelling product to a substantial number of people.

Re: Would You Pay $32,709 for a Lab-Grown Diamond?

#24

Post by throwawaymath »

odnarupoque wrote: post #22
throwawaymath wrote: post #14

The diamond I purchased for my wife's engagement ring costed about the headline price, and it wasn't lab-grown. If the lab-grown diamond was significantly better in specification for the same price, I'd probably have no issue buying it. If no one can tell without specialized equipment and your spouse doesn't care, why not? But if there wasn't a significant improvement in the diamond across several dimensions, I'd sti…

you need to catch up on lab-grown stones. Basically, they look better, keep their shine longer (i.e. no need to polish that often) and cost 10% of the "real one". Just realize that intrinsic cost of diamonds is basically 0. Supply is artifically limited by De Beers and Co, demand is pushed up by shiny catalogues and stereotypes etc. Now that many more labs are going to create moissanites and likes due to expiring pat…

When you say they cost 10% of the real one, do you mean 10% at the same metrics? That wasn't the case when I looked; do you have some reading material on this?

When I looked, I found the best I could get for the same specification was about 70% of the price. Also, I'm glad you've been successful with your ring purchases but I don't think how much you spend will have anything to do with how happy the recipient is. At least for me it's more of a point of pride.

Re: Would You Pay $32,709 for a Lab-Grown Diamond?

#25

Post by DATACOMMANDER »

throwawaymath wrote: post #14

The diamond I purchased for my wife's engagement ring costed about the headline price, and it wasn't lab-grown. If the lab-grown diamond was significantly better in specification for the same price, I'd probably have no issue buying it. If no one can tell without specialized equipment and your spouse doesn't care, why not? But if there wasn't a significant improvement in the diamond across several dimensions, I'd sti…

You’re probably being downvoted because you chose to spend the price of a decent new car on a shiny rock.

Re: Would You Pay $32,709 for a Lab-Grown Diamond?

#26

Post by throwawaymath »

chias wrote: post #2

Lab grown diamond... brand new Tesla... lab grown diamond... brand new Tesla... I'd go with the car, personally.

Well the Tesla will definitely get you a lot more utility. In fact any car is probably a better purchase than any diamond. Probably depreciates less quickly too...

Re: Would You Pay $32,709 for a Lab-Grown Diamond?

#27

Post by throwawaymath »

DATACOMMANDER wrote: post #25
throwawaymath wrote: post #14

The diamond I purchased for my wife's engagement ring costed about the headline price, and it wasn't lab-grown. If the lab-grown diamond was significantly better in specification for the same price, I'd probably have no issue buying it. If no one can tell without specialized equipment and your spouse doesn't care, why not? But if there wasn't a significant improvement in the diamond across several dimensions, I'd sti…

You’re probably being downvoted because you chose to spend the price of a decent new car on a shiny rock.

Well obviously I'm biased here but seems like a crappy reason to downvote someone...the comment is substantive and on-topic. What's the point of engaging in discussion online if you don't talk to anyone different from yourself?

Thank you for responding though.

Re: Would You Pay $32,709 for a Lab-Grown Diamond?

#28

Post by supermw »

adrianN wrote: post #17
supermw wrote: post #5

Like many I always thought I wouldn't buy a diamond, I saw no reason to buy what was basically just a rock (to me), but when I proposed to my girlfriend, since the ring didn't have a diamond, she said no.

Bullet dodged?

We're happily married now.

Re: Would You Pay $32,709 for a Lab-Grown Diamond?

#30

Post by candiodari »

chias wrote: post #2

Lab grown diamond... brand new Tesla... lab grown diamond... brand new Tesla... I'd go with the car, personally.

I don't think the next application of lab grown diamonds will be rings and necklaces:

https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/212422-this-new-high-pow...

It's weird. The most popular shape of diamond is about to become a ~10 to 50cm long rod, not even polished (not very shiny at all, it's somewhere between white and light grey and looks like it's covered in fine dust, like a natural diamond in a regular shape). It's already that way for Rubies:

https://youtu.be/KzI3vaIb0aI?t=78

The positive is: those rods aren't very expensive. You want to score this Valentine's day ? May I advise:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3-0-12mm-AAAAA-Quality-Loose...

(this is likely made by buying such laser rods and cutting them up) (corundum is the name of the material, Rubies and Sapphires are the forms of it. These will be cut rubies. They're quite spectacular looking)

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