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PhilosoFishy2477 t1_iz05v90 wrote

Reply to comment by theonetrueelhigh in Scientists have analyzed the specific labor costs for producing a 1 carat diamond in mines and through artificial synthesis. The work of human turned out to be more effective: 26 minutes versus 2-3.5 hours. by Skoltech_

yeah this is the thing capitalists havnt figured out yet... it's impossible to (fully) alienate us from the means of production now that high speed global communication networks exist. we know the human cost of cheap goods nowadays... even if lab grown was more expensive we'd still prefer them, because I can be absolutely certain it wasn't mined by an 8 y/o slave.

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ASDFzxcvTaken t1_iz16br7 wrote

Met with a jeweler in NYC, Lab grown diamonds are about is one third the cost of a similar karat diamond. Lab grown has no flaws/occlusions. So, win win.

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Ixneigh t1_iz2vawc wrote

Can’t wait for nice diamonds to become less expensive

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Belzedar136 t1_iz41cfm wrote

Unless someone stops the diamond mine owners from kicking down the competition it never will sadly.

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Ixneigh t1_iz50lb5 wrote

They are done. Industrial diamond uses are far too many for debeers to keep manufacturers from pursuing it. They will hype the “natural” selling point, and people who care will pay. I do not. I like the lab sapphires as well.

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gachamyte t1_iz0rizc wrote

People may be aware or know yes. Do they care? What kind of discount are we talking?

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Shiredragon t1_iz1wlh1 wrote

Cheaper for lab. While the cost to produce is up, the diamond monopoly artificially keeps prices for gem quality diamonds high (from their controlled natural sources). This means that there is currently a stigma associated with ‘fake’ lab grown diamonds. It is going away now, but is not gone. All these factors combine to mean that the consumer will pay less for a lab diamond than nature diamond of similar size.

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Strazdas1 t1_iz44qxh wrote

discount? no, you are paying more. and we are making it illegal to sell the cheaper diamonds that require no exploitation to produce because 'authenticity'.

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Kagahami t1_iz1mnva wrote

In an idealistic capitalist society, everything has a value, and everyone both knows and agrees on what that value is.

What we have is some bastardization of this where anything you don't see or can pay others to not see gets swept under the rug. Environmental damage? Not my problem.

Human exploitation and slavery? It's not my country, so who cares?

The actual cost of human exploitation is paid by the country that the diamonds come from. The change to social structures that continue to systematically oppress in the interest of power and profit, the wanton destruction of natural resources and the environment poisoning the land for future generations, and the dependency it creates in the economy.

Lab grown diamonds don't have these issues, and that's an uncounted part of the savings.

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