Do Lab-Grown or Natural Diamonds Make More Sense for You?

Only diamonds are formed from a single element – carbon. Ideal for engagement rings, necklaces, earrings, and whatever else, these classic stones have always been nature's design, until now.

Greater exposure to new technology has made lab-grown diamonds possible in rings and other jewelry designs. When consumers interested in lab-grown diamonds come in to browse, one of their most common questions is: what’s the difference between lab-grown and natural diamonds, and which type is right for me?

But though they’re chemically and optically identical to mined diamonds, lab-grown diamonds are fundamentally different in terms of their origins, availability and value.

Ultimately, the best decision is the one that aligns with your priorities, but understanding the differences between lab-grown and natural diamonds will help you determine which is right for you.

Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Real?

The natural diamond, for sure, is millions — and sometimes billions — of years in the works. Here above ground, in labs and production facilities, lab-grown diamonds are made in a matter of weeks.

Even though the chemical, optical and physical characteristics are the same, a man-made diamond is not exactly the same as a natural diamond in terms of formation, rarity or value.

Stay with me here and maybe hopefully you’ll see why lab grown diamonds are always called lab created, lab grown, manmade or some term used to emphasize that they’re formed a new and shiny like vs formed by nature like earth made diamonds.

Lab Grown Diamonds vs Mined Diamonds

Creation

It’s the process of making these gemstones that is the primary difference between natural and lab-grown diamonds.

Lab-created diamonds are generated in a gem lab and are usually produced using High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) or Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) techniques.

In these processes, an artificially-grown diamond is formed over a period of weeks. Both processes are common for rapidly and reliably growing lab-made diamonds. Modern technologies now make it possible to produce jewelry-quality lab-grown diamonds in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and even colors!

Natural diamonds, however, formed deep in the earth over the course of millions and frequently billions of years.

It took perfect conditions for gemstones to form under billions of tons of pressure under the earth’s crust, separating regular carbon from rare crystal, in order to produce diamonds naturally. Pressure, time, heat and the correct elements cooked up diamonds deep in the earth.

They were brought closer to the surface by similarly rare volcanic eruptions. The natural diamonds in fine jewelry are magical flukes of randomness, individuality and beautifully cosmic absurdity.

Rarity

Natural diamonds of jewelry quality are rarer than lab-grown diamonds with similar properties.

Price and Value

Lab-made diamonds are manufactured at scale, so their value isn’t based on scarcity: They can be created indefinitely.

This compares with the nosebleed $30,000 average price for natural diamonds, all of which however have at least some appraisable resale value, unlike the diamonds still hanging in the lab, and it is the price spread, from mine to lab, that tells you how much time and energy and capital this new technology just may be able to save.

Lab-grown diamonds can be produced much more quickly and plentifully and are therefore less expensive, meaning that larger diamonds are less expensive. Their ubiquitous nature might not make them inherently valuable.

Looks

At a glance, naturally-occurring diamonds and lab-grown diamonds are visually indistinguishable to the naked eye.

They’re just beautiful, sparkly additions to jewelry. But professional jewelers are frequently able to tell the difference between the two kinds of diamonds with sophisticated instruments.

Lab-grown diamonds frequently grow unnaturally fast, leading to telltale signs you won’t find in diamonds made by nature.

The Pros and Cons

When choosing between a natural diamond and a lab-grown diamond, it really comes down to what’s most important to you — or the person you’re buying for if the jewelry is a present.

There are those who may appreciate the rarity and distinctiveness of natural diamonds, and others who are more concerned with the price discrepancy between lab-grown diamonds.

At the end of the day, the “best” diamond is the one that reflects the values and preferences of the person who will be wearing the jewelry.

Select the diamond that tells your story, what is most important to you or your loved one.