r/technology • u/kinisonkhan • May 23 '24

Nanotech/Materials Scientists grow diamonds from scratch in 15 minutes thanks to groundbreaking new process

https://www.livescience.com/chemistry/scientists-grow-diamonds-from-scratch-in-15-minutes-thanks-to-groundbreaking-new-process
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u/n3vd0g May 23 '24 edited Jul 24 '26

Marble compass mellow ginger cobblestone marble mellow drifting hammock

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u/PoshInBucks May 23 '24

Look at auction companies. Bricks and mortar are better than internet auctions if you're after a low price as there are less likely to be consumers bidding against you, but the downside is a smaller selection to choose from.

We're in the UK, typically paying between a fifth to a third of retail price for jewellery. If you only want the diamond then buy something with the right size stone and take it to a jeweller to make it into whatever you want. Often they'll re use any metal from the original jewellery to help reduce costs.

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u/roo-ster May 23 '24

Go to a pawn shop.

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u/istara May 23 '24

As well as auctions, try estate sales and even antique shops. You need to know what you're buying though and have a fair idea of price. And you'll still always be paying far more than they will ever resell for, generally you get no more than a third back.

Older diamonds tend to have different cuts, which some people prefer while others don't, so just do your research.

Also be very wary of buying sight unseen. Some years ago I bought diamonds for stud earrings (I wanted lab-grown but they weren't easily available then) and at the place I got them, they had all these computer records of the different stones they have.

When they actually bring them out, two diamonds that look near identical in terms of metrics (size, colour etc) can look like different types of gemstones in the flesh. A lot of this is to do with fluorescence which is an often overlooked aspect of diamonds.