The short answer
A lab grown diamond is a diamond. It is made of carbon atoms locked in the same cubic crystal structure as a diamond mined from the earth. It has the same hardness, the same way of bending light and the same sparkle. It is not a coating, a glass or a look-alike stone.
The difference is origin. A natural diamond formed deep underground over a very long time. A lab grown diamond formed in a controlled chamber over weeks. Once it is cut and polished, you cannot tell the two apart with your eyes or with a jeweler's loupe. Grading labs use specialist instruments to identify which is which, and reputable reports always say so.
How lab diamonds are grown
There are two main methods. Both start with a small slice of diamond called a seed.
CVD
Chemical vapor deposition places the seed in a chamber filled with a carbon rich gas. The gas is heated until carbon atoms separate and settle on the seed, layer by layer, building a rough diamond crystal.
HPHT
High pressure, high temperature recreates the crushing heat and pressure found deep in the earth. Carbon dissolves and crystallizes onto the seed.
Both methods produce real diamond. Neither method is better in itself. A well grown, well cut stone from either process can be beautiful. Some reports note which method was used, and you can read more in our guide to IGI and GIA reports.
What is the same
- Hardness. Both score 10 on the Mohs scale. A lab diamond is as scratch resistant as any diamond, which is why it suits a ring you wear every day.
- Sparkle. Brilliance, fire and scintillation come from the crystal and the cut. Same crystal, same physics.
- Grading. Lab diamonds are graded for cut, color, clarity and carat on the same scales used for mined stones. Our 4Cs guide explains each one.
- Care. You clean and look after them the same way.
What is different
Price
For the same size and quality, a lab grown diamond costs much less than a mined one. That is the main reason people choose them. Many buyers use the difference to go up in size, to choose a cleaner stone, or simply to spend less. As a starting point, a 1 carat round lab diamond in our showroom starts from about $640, with the final price depending on the grades you choose.
Origin story
Some people love the idea of a stone that formed in the earth long ago. Others prefer a stone with a known, traceable origin and no mining. Neither view is wrong. It is a personal choice.
Identification
Every lab diamond we show comes with a report that names it as laboratory grown, and most carry a laser inscription saying the same. That openness protects you, and it protects anyone who later inherits the ring.
Lab diamond vs simulants
This is where most confusion comes from. A lab grown diamond is not the same as a simulant. Simulants look like diamond but are different materials.
| Stone | What it is | Hardness (Mohs) |
|---|---|---|
| Lab grown diamond | Real diamond, crystallized carbon | 10 |
| Mined diamond | Real diamond, crystallized carbon | 10 |
| Moissanite | Silicon carbide, a different mineral | About 9.25 |
| Cubic zirconia | Zirconium oxide, a man made crystal | About 8 to 8.5 |
Moissanite has a strong rainbow flash that some people like and others find too busy. Cubic zirconia is inexpensive but softer, and it tends to scratch and cloud with daily wear. If you want a diamond, these are not diamonds. A lab grown diamond is.
The honest part about value
We want every buyer to hear this before they choose. Lab grown diamonds have low resale value. Production has grown and prices have fallen over time, and they may keep falling. If you try to sell a lab diamond later, expect to get back only a small part of what you paid, if a buyer will take it at all.
Mined diamonds also lose much of their retail price on resale, but lab diamonds lose more. So please do not buy a lab grown diamond as an investment. Buy it because you love how it looks, because it fits your budget, and because you will enjoy wearing it every day.
Common myths, answered
- "They are fake." No. Fake implies an imitation. A lab grown diamond is diamond, just grown above ground.
- "They look different." Not to the eye. A well cut lab diamond and a well cut mined diamond of the same grades look the same on the hand.
- "They are all perfect." Not true. Lab diamonds come in a range of color and clarity grades, and some have visible inclusions. That is why each one is graded and why we compare stones side by side.
- "They will not last." They are as durable as any diamond. The setting and prongs need care, just like any ring.
Is a lab diamond right for you?
A lab grown diamond may suit you if:
- You want a real diamond with the look and durability of any diamond.
- You would like a larger or cleaner stone for your budget.
- You value a clear, documented origin.
- You see the ring as something to wear and keep, not to resell.
It may not be the right fit if you feel strongly about a stone formed in the earth, or if you see the purchase as a store of value.
See the difference for yourself
Reading helps, but seeing is easier. Browse our lab grown engagement rings, or tell us what you have in mind with the loose diamond request and we will pull matching stones for your visit.
When you are ready, book a viewing at 30 West 47th St, Suite 805, in the Diamond District, or call (732) 581-7932. Bring your questions, including the hard ones. We will look at the stones together under a loupe and answer them plainly.
