Both are real diamonds with identical beauty and durability, but they offer different value propositions for your engagement ring. The choice comes down to what matters most to your relationship and budget.
The Current Reality: Lab-Grown Diamonds Are Taking Over
The diamond landscape has shifted dramatically. In 2024, 52% of couples chose lab-grown diamonds for their engagement rings, representing a 40% increase since 2019.
What's driving this shift? Price in respect to being able to get a better quality stone and a larger stone without having to sacrifice your savings.
Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Real Diamonds?
Lab-grown diamonds are 100% real diamonds. They're chemically, physically, and optically identical to natural diamonds. Both score 10 on the Mohs hardness scale. Both have the same brilliance, fire, and scintillation. Both are pure crystallised carbon.
The Federal Trade Commission recognises lab-grown diamonds as genuine diamonds. The Gemological Institute of America has been grading them since 2007 using the same 4 C's standards as natural diamonds. In 2019, GIA even stopped using the term "synthetic" on lab-grown diamond reports. However, as of 2025 GIA will be changing their grading system going forward.
Professional jewellers cannot distinguish lab-grown from natural diamonds without specialised equipment. The only reliable way to tell them apart requires advanced gemological instruments that detect minute differences in growth patterns and trace elements.
The Science Behind Each Type
Natural diamonds formed 1-3 billion years ago deep within Earth's mantle under extreme pressure (45-60 kilobars) and temperature (900-1300°C). Volcanic eruptions eventually brought them closer to the surface where they waited in kimberlite pipes for mining.
Lab-grown diamonds recreate these exact conditions using two primary methods:
High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) replicates nature's process directly, placing a diamond seed in a chamber with carbon under extreme pressure and heat. This produces distinctively shaped crystals and typically takes a few weeks.
Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) uses a different approach, creating a plasma environment where carbon atoms deposit onto a diamond seed layer by layer. This produces square-shaped, tabular crystals.
Both methods create genuine diamonds with identical properties to their natural counterparts.
The Only Real Differences
While lab-grown and natural diamonds are essentially identical, there are subtle distinctions that matter for some buyers:
Age and Origin: Natural diamonds are billions of years old with unique geological stories. Lab-grown diamonds are weeks old, created in controlled laboratory conditions.
Trace Elements: Natural diamonds often contain tiny amounts of nitrogen (giving slight yellow tint) or boron (creating blue colour). Lab-grown diamonds typically have no nitrogen content.
Inclusions: Natural diamonds may contain inclusions from ancient materials trapped during formation. Lab-grown diamonds may have different inclusion types related to their growth process.
Laser Inscriptions: Most lab-grown diamonds are inscribed on the girdle with microscopic marks indicating their lab origin.
These differences are invisible to the naked eye and only detectable with advanced gemological equipment.
| Characteristic | Lab-Grown Diamond | Natural Diamond |
|---|---|---|
| Formation | Created in controlled laboratory environments over weeks using HPHT or CVD methods | Formed naturally deep within Earth's mantle over billions of years through geological processes |
| Hardness | 10 on the Mohs hardness scale | 10 on the Mohs hardness scale |
| Optical Properties | Refractive index 2.417-2.419, identical brilliance and fire | Refractive index 2.417-2.419, identical brilliance and fire |
| Pricing | 60-80% less expensive due to efficient production methods | Higher cost reflecting mining complexity and natural rarity |
| Colour Options | Predominantly colourless, with vivid fancy colours achievable through controlled processes | Mainly colourless, with rare natural fancy colours including pink, blue, and yellow |
| Quality Assessment | Evaluated using identical 4 C's standards (cut, colour, clarity, carat) | Evaluated using identical 4 C's standards (cut, colour, clarity, carat) |
| Certification | Certified by leading gemological institutes (GIA, IGI) with same standards | Certified by leading gemological institutes (GIA, IGI) with same standards |
| Availability | Production can scale with technological advancement and demand | Limited supply dependent on geological discovery and mining feasibility |
Price and Value Comparison
The cost difference between lab-grown and natural diamonds has created a fundamental shift in engagement ring purchasing.
Current Pricing (2025):
- 1-carat lab-grown diamond (F VVS1): $1500 average
- 1-carat natural diamond: $11,500 (F VVS1) average
This pricing gap has allowed couples to make different choices. The average centre stone for lab-grown engagement rings is now 2.0 carats compared to 1.6 carats for natural diamonds. Couples are choosing to spend similar amounts but getting significantly larger stones.
Environmental and Ethical Considerations
Both lab-grown and natural diamonds have environmental impacts, but they differ significantly:
Lab-Grown Diamond Production requires substantial energy to power HPHT or CVD processes, with temperatures exceeding 1000°C. The environmental impact depends heavily on the energy sources used by production facilities. Some companies now use renewable energy or purchase carbon offsets to neutralise their footprint.
Natural Diamond Mining involves land disruption, ecosystem destruction, water usage, and carbon emissions from heavy machinery. However, modern mining operations have improved significantly from past practices, with better environmental restoration and community investment.
Ethical Sourcing varies by source. Lab-grown diamonds offer complete transparency and guaranteed conflict-free origins. Natural diamonds are largely conflict-free today due to the Kimberley Process, though some buyers prefer the absolute certainty of lab-grown origins.
Quality and Grading Standards
Both lab-grown and natural diamonds use identical grading standards. The 4 C's (cut, colour, clarity, carat) apply equally to both types, with certification available from GIA, IGI, and other respected gemological institutes.
Interestingly, lab-grown diamonds often achieve higher grades more consistently. The controlled production environment frequently results in near-colourless to colourless grades and higher clarity levels, whereas natural diamonds reaching these premium grades are far rarer.
This doesn't make lab-grown diamonds "better," but it does mean you're more likely to find high-quality lab-grown stones within typical engagement ring budgets.
Cultural and Emotional Value
Natural diamonds carry profound cultural significance. They've symbolised love and commitment across diverse cultures for centuries, representing heritage, tradition, and timeless romance. The ancient age and unique geological journey of each natural diamond appeals to people who value history and rarity.
Lab-grown diamonds represent modern values: technological innovation, ethical certainty, and practical luxury. They appeal to couples who prioritise value, sustainability, and getting the most beauty for their budget. They're particularly popular with younger generations who find it less important for stones to be naturally formed.
Neither choice is inherently superior, it's about which values align with your relationship.
Making Your Decision: Key Questions to Consider
Budget Priorities: Do you want the largest, highest-quality stone possible within your budget? Lab-grown diamonds offer significantly more size and quality for the same investment.
Long-term Value: Are you buying an engagement ring as a symbol of love or a potential investment? Natural diamonds hold value better, though neither type should be considered a reliable investment, as only very specific cuts and sizes will truly retain their value.
Ethical Concerns: Do you want guaranteed conflict-free sourcing? Both can be ethically sourced, but lab-grown diamonds offer complete transparency.
Cultural Significance: Does the ancient formation and traditional heritage of natural diamonds resonate with your values? Or do you prefer the modern innovation and practical luxury of lab-grown diamonds?
Partner Preferences: Most importantly, what does your partner prefer? Some people strongly favour the romantic story of natural diamonds, while others love the practical benefits of lab-grown stones.
The Future of Diamond Engagement Rings
The popularity of lab-grown diamonds shows no signs of slowing. Production capabilities continue improving while costs decrease, making high-quality lab-grown diamonds accessible to more couples.
Natural diamond mining companies are adapting by focusing on the luxury market and emphasising the unique story and heritage of natural stones. Both types will likely coexist, serving different market segments and values.
For engagement rings, the choice ultimately comes down to personal preference rather than objective superiority. Both lab-grown and natural diamonds create beautiful, lasting symbols of love that will maintain their brilliance for generations.
Thanks for reading!
Jared & Brie
