Lab-Grown Diamonds
Lab-grown diamonds, explained.
Lab-grown diamonds have transformed fine jewellery. Identical to mined diamonds in every measurable way, they bring the same beauty and lifelong durability — with a fully traceable supply chain and no new mining. Here's what's actually true, and what isn't.
They are real diamonds
A lab-grown diamond is chemically, optically, and physically identical to a mined diamond. Both are pure crystallised carbon. Under a microscope, under standard testing equipment, and to the naked eye, they are diamonds in every meaningful sense. They are graded against the same scales — cut, colour, clarity, carat — by the same independent gemological laboratories that grade mined stones.
The US Federal Trade Commission updated its Jewelry Guides in 2018 to formally recognise lab-grown diamonds as diamonds, removing the word "natural" from the official definition. The International Gemological Institute (IGI) and the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) both certify lab-grown diamonds using the same 4C grading standards used for mined stones.
They are not simulants, not imitations, and fundamentally different from cubic zirconia or moissanite, which are different materials entirely.
Lab-grown vs mined — side by side
| Lab-grown diamond | Mined diamond | |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical composition | Pure carbon (C) | Pure carbon (C) |
| Hardness (Mohs scale) | 10 — hardest known material | 10 — hardest known material |
| Refractive index | 2.42 | 2.42 |
| Sparkle and fire | Identical | Identical |
| Certification | IGI, GIA — same grading scales | IGI, GIA — same grading scales |
| Origin | Controlled laboratory, weeks to months | Underground formation over millions of years |
| Supply chain | Fully traceable | Variable transparency |
| Value for your budget | Exceptional — a finer, larger or more ambitious piece for the same outlay | Pricing carries a long, traditional supply chain |
| Visible difference | None. Specialist equipment is required to distinguish origin. | |
How they're made
Two methods produce gem-quality lab-grown diamonds:
HPHT — High Pressure High Temperature
The older of the two methods. A small diamond seed is placed into a carbon source and subjected to the same extreme pressure and temperature that creates diamonds geologically — pressures of around 5–6 GPa at temperatures above 1,300°C. Carbon atoms attach to the seed, growing the crystal layer by layer.
CVD — Chemical Vapour Deposition
A diamond seed is placed in a sealed chamber filled with carbon-rich gas (typically methane and hydrogen). The gas is energised into a plasma, and carbon atoms layer onto the seed, growing the diamond crystal upward. CVD is the more commonly used method for high-quality, larger gemstones because it allows precise control over the growth environment.
Both methods produce a single crystal of pure carbon, structurally indistinguishable from a mined diamond. The end product is the same — only the timescale and the location of growth differ.
The 4Cs still apply
Lab-grown diamonds are graded against exactly the same standards as mined diamonds:
- Cut: the precision and proportions of the diamond's facets — the single most important factor in how a diamond sparkles. A well-cut diamond returns more light than a poorly-cut one of higher carat.
- Colour: graded D (colourless) through to Z (light yellow). Most fine jewellery diamonds sit in the D–H range.
- Clarity: the presence of any internal inclusions or surface blemishes. Graded from Flawless (FL) to Included (I3).
- Carat: the weight of the stone. One carat equals 0.2 grams.
When you request a quote, we'll discuss which combination of the 4Cs makes sense for your budget and the piece you're looking at. A well-cut diamond at a slightly lower colour grade often outperforms a poorly-cut diamond at a higher grade.
Where the value comes from
A lab-grown diamond and a mined diamond of the same specification are the same stone in every way that matters — same cut, colour, clarity and carat, the same brilliance, the same hardness. The difference sits entirely in the journey the stone takes to reach you. A lab-grown diamond is created in a controlled facility and moves directly to the workshop, without the lengthy mining, sorting, trading and traditional retail layers that a mined stone passes through — each of which adds its own cost along the way.
What that means for you is simple: your budget goes further. The same investment can mean a larger stone, a finer cut, a more intricate setting, or a more ambitious design than you might expect. This isn't a compromise and it isn't a lesser product — it's the same diamond, reaching you through a shorter, more transparent route. Every piece we make is priced on the quality of the stones we set and the craftsmanship that goes into it.
Environmental and ethical considerations
Here, honesty matters more to us than marketing. A lab-grown diamond is created above ground rather than extracted from it — so choosing one means no new diamond mining, and none of the large-scale land disruption that mining involves. The supply chain is fully traceable from the growing facility to your finished piece, and every diamond is made to order rather than mass-produced.
What we won't do is put a single "X% greener" figure in front of you. Growing a diamond uses energy, and its carbon footprint depends almost entirely on the electricity the facility runs on — a stone grown on renewable power and one grown on a coal-heavy grid are very different. The headline figures quoted elsewhere come from studies funded by one side of the industry or the other, and they contradict each other wildly. We'd rather tell you what is genuinely true — not mined, fully traceable, made to order — than repeat a number we can't stand behind. It's the same honesty we bring to our pricing.
Common myths, answered
"Lab-grown diamonds are fake."
They are not. They are real diamonds, identical in chemical and physical composition to mined diamonds. The US Federal Trade Commission, IGI, and GIA all formally recognise them as diamonds.
"Lab-grown diamonds will fade or discolour."
They will not. They have the same hardness (Mohs 10) and the same optical properties as mined diamonds. They will not cloud, scratch easily, or lose their fire with age. They will outlast almost any other gemstone you could choose.
"You can spot the difference."
You cannot. Distinguishing a lab-grown diamond from a mined diamond requires specialist gemological equipment that examines trace elements at the atomic level. To the naked eye, under a loupe, or under standard testing, they look identical because they are identical.
"Lab-grown diamonds won't hold their value."
This is the most honest area of the conversation. Mined diamonds have historically been positioned as an investment, but in practice the resale market for any diamond is far weaker than retail pricing suggests. We do not sell jewellery as an investment, and we don't believe anyone should. We sell jewellery you'll love to wear, made to a standard that lasts a lifetime.
"Lab-grown is the same as cubic zirconia or moissanite."
It absolutely is not. Cubic zirconia is zirconium dioxide — a different material with different physical properties that scratches and dulls over time. Moissanite is silicon carbide — a different mineral with a different refractive index that produces a distinctly different sparkle (often described as a "rainbow" or "disco ball" effect). Both have their place in jewellery, but they are not diamonds. Every stone we set is a real lab-grown diamond.
Certification
Every engagement ring with a centre stone over 0.5ct comes with an independent IGI or GIA grading certificate as standard, at no extra cost — and it doesn't add to your lead time. For other pieces, we can arrange certification on request; just ask before you order.
If you'd like to discuss a piece, a budget, or which 4C specification suits you best, get in touch. Or visit our Custom Jewellery page to start a commission.