Natural Diamonds vs Lab Diamonds

Everything you need to know to make your choice

Picture Credits: With Clarity

In the picture above there are two diamonds - both are crystal clear. They appear to be identical. One, however, is a billion or more years old and the other was recently grown in a laboratory. Can you spot the difference?

Picture Credits: With Clarity

The first is a natural diamond created by forces deep within the Earth. The second was created in a laboratory and possesses essentially the same chemical, physical and optical properties as its natural counterpart.

What are natural diamonds?

Picture Credits: Only Natural Diamonds

Natural diamonds are formed under rare conditions of extreme heat and pressure inside the Earth that causes the carbon atoms to crystalize. They were made deep in the earth as long as three billion years ago. Fun fact: Only about five percent of kimberlite pipes contain enough diamonds to make them economically feasible to mine.

Every natural diamond is unique, just like a snowflake or fingerprint, no two are alike.

What are lab grown diamonds?

Picture Credits: Jinan Zhongwu New Materials Company Ltd. Shandong, China. Photo by Jian Xin Liao/GIA

Lab-grown diamonds are produced in factories in approximately 2-3 weeks using one of two methods initially developed in the 1960s for industrial purposes – HPHT and CVD.

1. HPHT: High-pressure, high-temperature diamonds are produced in a laboratory by mimicking the high-pressure, high-temperature conditions that form natural diamonds on the Earth. This process produces a distinctively shaped laboratory-grown diamond crystal.

2. CVD: Chemical vapor deposition method involves breaking down the molecules of a carbon-rich gas, such as methane, into carbon and hydrogen atoms, which then are deposited on diamond seeds to produce a square-shaped, tabular diamond crystal.

Are there any differences between lab-grown vs. natural diamonds?

Picture Credits: Engels Jewelry Company

Is there a price difference between lab-grown diamonds vs. natural diamonds?

Picture Credits: With Clarity

Natural diamonds obtain their value from their scarcity as a natural, billion-year-old precious gem and have shown to grow in value with time. This debunks a common natural diamond misconception that they don’t retain their original value. In fact, their value retention has made them a storehouse of wealth for centuries.

The truth is, that lab-grown diamonds are manufactured products and thus their value is tied strictly to the cost of production. Similar to other tech products, as technology improves and the cost of production declines, so does the value. This is why the price of lab-grown diamonds has continued to decline over the years.

Is a lab-grown diamond right for me?

Picture Credits: Mikael Buck/Shutterstock

If you find yourself contemplating the above question, here are a few pointers to keep in mind before making your decision.

• Lab-grown diamonds are factory made, their cost and value has gone down consistently over the years.

• Mined natural diamonds have always appreciated in value owing to their scarcity and limited availability. The "wow" factor in a natural diamond cannot be replicated in a man made stone.

As long as you are assured about the origin of your diamond & its quality, a NATURAL diamond has no parallel! You should make an educated choice accordingly.