AGA and NCDIA To Host Discussions on Lab-Grown Diamonds

A 2.02-carat round lab-grown diamond with J color and VS 1 clarity by Gemesis. It sells for $16,927.60.

Lab-grown diamonds are a hot topic right now. There are two issues dominating the industry.

The most important is what to call these diamonds. The industry has been pretty successful pushing the word “synthetic” as a way to identify them for consumers but it has always been controversial as these gems are real diamonds grown in a lab and the word “synthetic” means fake. “Lab-grown” is the term I use to identify these diamonds because I think it is more accurate. This goes against the every diamond and gem organization that has written rules for the industry to follow as they prefer using “synthetic.”

The other issue is that some diamond dealers are mixing less costly lab-grown diamonds with mined diamonds. Both the Gemological Institute of America and De Beers, and probably others, have built machines that they say are capable of detecting these diamonds.

Regardless of the controversies and the fact that many in the traditional diamond industry see them as a threat, lab-grown diamonds are here to stay and will continue to be a greater part of the diamond and gem mix, as laboratory techniques become more accessible and less expensive.

There will be at least two organizations that will address the issues of these diamonds for the trade during the Las Vegas jewelry shows, which begins Tuesday and runs through June 2.

The Accredited Gemologists Association will host a four-hour panel discussion beginning 1 p.m. on May 29 at Platinum Hotel. Speakers are James Shigley, research fellow of the Gemological Institute of America, Tom Chatham, president, Chatham Created Gems; Dusan Simic, president of Analytical Gemology and Jewelry Laboratory, and Ronnie VanderLinden, president of the Diamond Manufacturer's and Importers Association (DMIA) and Diamex, Inc. For more information got to www.accreditedgemologists.org.

Shigley will provide information on identification techniques for lab-created diamonds, and Dusan Simic will present breaking news on affordable options now available for identifying mounted as well loose diamonds, including melee sizes. Tom Chatham, a respected grower, will give a producer's insights into current and projected production estimates, while diamond dealer Ronnie Vanderlinden will share his thoughts on why he, a well known natural diamond dealer, decided to sell lab-grown diamonds as well as natural. In addition, the Q&A session will be extended to allow attendees to play a more interactive role in creating an in-depth discussion and understanding of the market and where it is headed.

Meanwhile, the Natural Color Diamond Association will host its own panel discussion on lab-grown diamonds and discuss how they affect the trade as part of the education program at the JCK Las Vegas jewelry tradeshow at Mandalay Bay. The session will be held May 30 at 1 p.m. The panelists will discuss policies regarding synthetic diamonds, whether they are relative today and potential solutions to any outstanding issues.

The panel will include Cecilia Gardner, president, CEO and general counsel of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, Charles Stanley, president of Forevermark US, Ronnie Vanderlinden, president of the Diamond Manufacturers & Importers Association, James Shigley, Gemological Institute of America Research Fellow, and Thomas Gelb, NCDIA education director.

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Reena Ahluwalia Launches 'Nurture By Reena,' A Lab-Grown Diamond Designer Jewelry Brand

Celestial Star pendant and Passion Double Halo ring in 18k gold features colorless lab-grown diamonds. 

Reena Ahluwalia, known for her award-winning diamond jewelry designs, has launched a new jewelry brand that combines lab-grown diamonds with wearable technology.

Known as “Nurture By Reena,” the Toronto-based designer says it is the first lab-grown diamond designer jewelry brand. A longtime proponent of origin-guaranteed, ethically sourced diamonds, she says she chose to work with lab-grown diamonds because they are “origin-guaranteed, conflict-free and environmentally sustainable.”

The Celestial Star pendant "glows with flash and fire of a million suns, recalling moments so powerful in memory that fill your soul," says the artist. Set in 18K gold, featuring colorless and pink lab-grown diamonds. 

“The Moments Collection” is the first offering from the brand. Ahluwalia says it “merges style and fashion with deep personal meaning.” In addition to using lab-grown diamonds, the company employs QR Code technology that allows people to attach their “most precious moments to your jewel,” she says. “The lab-grown diamond pieces flip to discreetly reveal a QR code that is otherwise hidden from view while the jewelry is worn.”

The Galium rings in 18k gold with princess cut colorless and yellow lab-grown diamonds. 

Each design unites “the beauty of natural shapes with the precision of modern technology.” In addition to embodying the vision of the artist, individuals can give each piece personal meaning through the stories they attach to it. The personal content can be accessed anytime and anywhere.

The Starlight Halo ring evokes the power of love and exudes positive energy. Rings in 18k gold with colorless and pink lab-grown diamonds.

“Like the eternal nature of a diamond, your jewel becomes a modern day digital talisman, a time capsule that captures and preserves your moment for eternity,” Ahluwalia says.

Reena Ahluwalia

The collection is offered in colorless, pink and yellow lab-grown diamonds, with a starting weight of 0.40 carats. It includes rings, pendants, earrings and bracelets. To date, there are 36 pieces available in 18k gold, including white, yellow and rose gold. Ahluwalia says her inspirations were blooming flowers. “For me, flowers are like moments – ephemeral, yet deeply memorable.”

The Wildflower ring in 18K gold with colorless and pink lab-grown diamonds and princess cut colorless and yellow lab-grown diamonds. 

The new collection will be unveiled at the upcoming JCK Las Vegas Show 2014, in the Design Center, booth no. S10519.

The Passion Double Halo ring in 18k gold with princess cut colorless and yellow lab-grown diamonds.

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Gemesis Creates Lab-Grown Colorless Diamonds

A 1.05-carat colorless round diamond from Gemesis with Very Good cut, J color and VVS2 clarity, certified by IGI.

A Florida-based diamond company has begun selling colorless, lab-created diamonds on its Internet site directly to consumers.

Gemesis Diamond Company has been producing lab-created fancy colored diamonds (primarily yellow diamonds) for some time, with limited acceptance by the jewelry industry and consumers. But the production of colorless diamonds, by far the most widely used diamonds in the world, with what it calls “excellent color and clarity” could give jewelry retailers, jewelry designers and consumers a real choice when specifying diamonds. (In this case the term “colorless” is used to describe what are also known as “white diamonds,” meaning not colored diamonds. It is not describing the “Clarity” grading standard for diamonds, one of the 4Cs.)

Gemesis colorless diamonds are all certified as Type IIa, the purest type of diamond, almost or entirely devoid of chemical impurities. Less than two percent of the world’s diamonds produced naturally are Type IIa. Many of those diamonds are among the most widely sought after in the world, including the “Elizabeth Taylor Diamond,” formerly known as the “Krupp Diamond,” a 33.19-carat Type IIa diamond that was recently auctioned by Christie’s.

There will be confusion with these diamonds, calling them synthetic diamonds. This would be wrong. These are actual diamonds that are formed in a laboratory as opposed to being created naturally.  

Updated information: As I’ve learned,  the explanation above isn’t how many in the industry view this. For many, anything grown in a lab is considered synthetic. This will probably never be settled. But the bottom line remains that these are diamonds. They are not to be confused with diamond-like gems such as cubic zirconia and moissanite.

In addition to the quality of diamonds, another selling point the company is eager to push is that lab-grown diamonds are “conflict-free,” meaning they were not mined in areas where there is a potential for human rights abuses as well as large-scale environmental impact. The diamonds are accompanied by certificates from the International Gemological Institute.

The company, located in Lakewood Ranch near Tampa, says their colorless diamonds are priced according to their overall quality and color, in the same manner as mined diamonds. The largest diamond available on the Gemesis website is a 1.05 carat round diamond with J-color, VVs2 and “very good” cut is priced at $4,837.04. A similar diamond on the Blue Nile website with a Gemological Institute of America certificate is priced at $6,238, an approximate $1,400 difference.

Stephen Lux, Gemesis president and CEO, said in a statement that price alone will not be the only selling point of these diamonds.

“The value proposition to consumers is tangible. It’s not only about price, but about getting the purest and highest-quality diamonds,” he said. “Add to that environmental responsibility and the ability to unequivocally know your diamond’s origin and we have a very special product offering.”