Lab-Grown vs Natural Diamonds

Yes. Lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds in every scientific sense. They are made of pure carbon with the same crystal structure, hardness (10 on the Mohs scale), refractive index, and thermal conductivity as natural diamonds. The only difference is their origin — one formed deep in the Earth over billions of years, the other was grown in a laboratory in weeks. The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) confirmed in 2018 that lab-grown diamonds are diamonds.

Not with the naked eye or standard gemmological equipment. Lab-grown and natural diamonds look identical under a loupe and even under a microscope. The only way to distinguish them is with specialised spectroscopic equipment that detects subtle differences in trace elements and growth patterns. Every certified lab-grown diamond is laser-inscribed on the girdle with its certificate number and "LG" designation for transparency.

The price difference comes down to supply economics, not quality. Natural diamonds are rare — it takes billions of years and extreme geological conditions to form them, and mining is expensive. Lab-grown diamonds can be produced in weeks, and production costs are falling as technology improves. A lab-grown diamond is typically 60-80% less expensive than a natural diamond of equivalent quality. This means you can either save significantly or get a much larger stone for the same budget.

Lab-grown diamonds currently have a limited resale market and tend to depreciate faster than natural diamonds. Natural diamonds typically retain 30-50% of their retail value. If long-term financial value is important to you, natural diamonds are the stronger choice. However, many buyers choose lab-grown diamonds because they view an engagement ring as a personal symbol rather than a financial investment — and the savings allow them to choose a larger or higher-quality stone.

Neither is objectively "better" — it depends on your priorities. Choose natural if you value rarity, tradition, and long-term resale value. Choose lab-grown if you want to maximise size and quality within your budget, or if the environmental aspect is important to you. At MOH London, approximately 40% of our engagement ring clients choose lab-grown diamonds — it is a personal decision with no wrong answer.

It is more nuanced than the marketing suggests. Lab-grown diamonds eliminate mining (no land disruption, no water usage), but they require significant energy to produce — the CVD and HPHT processes involve extreme heat and pressure. The carbon footprint depends entirely on the energy source: a diamond grown using renewable energy has a very low environmental impact, while one produced using coal-fired electricity may not be better than a responsibly mined natural stone. We recommend asking your supplier about their energy sources.

There are two methods. HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature) replicates the conditions deep in the Earth — extreme pressure and heat applied to a carbon source with a diamond seed crystal. CVD (Chemical Vapour Deposition) places a diamond seed in a chamber filled with carbon-rich gas, which is ionised into plasma; carbon atoms then deposit onto the seed layer by layer. Both methods produce real diamonds with identical properties. CVD is increasingly preferred for larger, higher-quality stones.

For lab-grown diamonds, IGI (International Gemological Institute) is the most widely used grading laboratory. IGI grades lab-grown diamonds on the same 4Cs scale as natural diamonds and provides detailed reports. GIA also grades lab-grown diamonds but uses a slightly different report format. For natural diamonds, GIA is considered the gold standard. At MOH London, all our diamonds — natural and lab-grown — come with independent laboratory certification.