Buying a Diamond at Auction? Ask Whether It’s Natural or Lab-Grown
Lab-grown diamonds are now everywhere, and more of them are showing up at auction. A lab-grown diamond is a real diamond, with the same hardness and sparkle as a mined one. You can’t tell them apart by eye, and often not even with a jeweler’s loupe. But the two are priced very differently, and that is why this question matters before you bid.
Read the description word for word. A good catalog will say “natural diamond” or “lab-grown diamond” plainly. Words like “created,” “cultivated,” “man-made” or “laboratory” all mean lab-grown. If the description just says “diamond” and nothing more, ask the auction house directly: is this stone natural or lab-grown?
Check the grading report. Major labs grade both kinds of stones, and the report should say clearly which one it is. Make sure the report number matches the stone in the lot. Many graded stones also carry a tiny laser inscription on the edge, called the girdle, that matches the report.
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Think about resale. Natural and lab-grown diamonds don’t hold their value the same way. If you might sell the piece someday, that difference belongs in your max bid.
A lab-grown diamond can be a beautiful, sensible buy at the right price. Just know which one you’re bidding on, and bid to match.
For more on buying jewelry, see my guide at https://dionabadi.com/jewelry/guide-to-buying-fine-jewelry and my books on collecting on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HK61KS28 and https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HKHL2J1M
— Dion Abadi
