The Difference Between Lab-Grown Diamonds & Natural Diamonds

There is a lack of education about lab-grown diamonds and how they are different from natural diamonds. The majority of my clients end up considering and even going for CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) diamonds once they learn about them. Let me give you a brief understand of what they are and how to decide which kind to pick.

First and foremost, lab-grown diamonds are absolutely real diamonds! There is NO chemical, physical or optical difference between them and mined diamonds. The only major difference is where they are formed - one in a lab, one from mines (the earth).

They’ve actually been around since the 1970s, but only in recent years have people been talking about them more. Industry experts can’t even tell the difference with a naked eye. It requires special equipment that scans for crystal patterns and impurities (for example, if the diamond contains nitrogen, it likely came from the earth).

Since lab-grown diamonds are created by reproducing some of the same conditions that mined diamonds are exposed to, they also have a broad range of color and clarity, just like natural diamonds and come with certifications from GIA that will mention “lab-grown” on them.

So what should you go for? Two of the biggest appeals with lab-grown diamonds are that they are 30-40% cheaper than natural ones and that you can with 100% certainty, know the origin and that it is conflict free.

On the other hand, if you love the idea of a diamond being formed millions of years ago underneath the earth’s surface, then natural diamonds are for you.

The pros and cons are many, but these are some quick insights to help you make a decision.