If you’re choosing between a natural diamond and a lab grown diamond, you’re probably wondering one thing:
Which one is better?
The answer is not the same for everyone.
Natural and lab grown diamonds can both be beautiful, durable, and suitable for engagement rings and fine jewelry. The biggest differences are how they are formed, their price, their rarity, and what matters most to you personally.
Here is what you should know before choosing.
First, is a lab grown diamond a real diamond?
Yes.
A lab grown diamond is a diamond.
Natural and lab grown diamonds have essentially the same chemical, physical, and optical properties. Both are made primarily of crystallized carbon, both have the brilliance and durability associated with diamonds, and both rank 10 on the Mohs hardness scale.
A lab grown diamond is different from a diamond simulant such as cubic zirconia or moissanite.
The main difference between natural and lab grown diamonds is their origin.
What is a natural diamond?
Natural diamonds form deep within the Earth under intense heat and pressure over extremely long periods of geological time.
They are mined from the Earth, cut and polished, and then used in jewelry.
For many people, the natural origin and rarity of a diamond are an important part of its meaning.
What is a lab grown diamond?
Lab grown diamonds are created in controlled laboratory environments using technology designed to produce diamond crystal.
The two primary methods are:
- HPHT, which stands for High Pressure High Temperature.
- CVD, which stands for Chemical Vapor Deposition.
The resulting stone is still a diamond. Its laboratory grown origin is what distinguishes it from a natural diamond.
Specialized gemological testing can identify whether a diamond is natural or laboratory grown.
Natural vs. lab grown diamonds at a glance
Appearance
To the unaided eye, a high quality natural diamond and a high quality lab grown diamond can look essentially the same.
Both can have excellent brilliance, fire, color, clarity, and cut.
This is why you should not rely on appearance alone to determine a diamond’s origin.
Price
Lab grown diamonds generally cost considerably less than natural diamonds of comparable size and quality.
That means a lab grown diamond may allow you to choose a larger carat weight or higher specifications while staying within the same budget.
For some clients, that is one of the biggest advantages.
Rarity and origin
Natural diamonds are geological formations created within the Earth and exist in a finite natural supply.
Lab grown diamonds are manufactured and can continue to be produced as technology and capacity increase.
Some people place significant emotional value on the age, rarity, and natural origin of a diamond.
Others care more about the finished piece itself and prefer the flexibility that comes with choosing lab grown.
Neither preference is wrong.
Long term value and resale
This is an area where I think buyers should have realistic expectations.
Jewelry should generally be purchased because you love it, not because you expect a guaranteed financial return.
Natural diamonds have historically had a more established secondary market than lab grown diamonds.
Lab grown diamond prices have also changed considerably as production has expanded and technology has improved.
However, resale value varies for every diamond based on the stone, market conditions, demand, where it was purchased, and where it is eventually sold.
I would never recommend choosing either type solely because you expect it to increase in value.
Environmental considerations
There is no simple answer that makes one category universally better for the environment.
Lab grown diamonds do not require traditional diamond mining, but producing them can require significant amounts of energy. The environmental impact can vary depending on the production method and the source of that energy.
Natural diamond production has its own environmental and social considerations, which can also vary significantly depending on where and how diamonds are sourced.
If environmental impact is especially important to you, ask specific questions about sourcing and production rather than relying on broad terms such as “eco friendly” or “sustainable.”
Are natural diamonds and lab grown diamonds graded the same way?
Both natural and laboratory grown diamonds can be independently evaluated by gemological laboratories, but reports should always clearly identify the diamond’s origin.
Independent grading or assessment can provide important information about the stone and help you understand exactly what you are purchasing.
For natural diamonds, laboratories such as GIA provide grading information regarding characteristics including carat weight, color, clarity, and cut where applicable.
Laboratory grown diamonds can also receive independent reports or quality assessments from organizations such as IGI and GIA.
The reporting systems used for natural and laboratory grown diamonds are not always identical, so it is important to read the actual report rather than relying only on the word “certified.”
What about the 4Cs?
Whether you choose natural or lab grown, you will hear about the traditional 4Cs:
- Cut
- Color
- Clarity
- Carat weight
All four matter, but they do not tell the entire story.
Two diamonds with similar grading specifications can look very different in person because proportions, facet pattern, measurements, shape, and overall light performance also affect how a diamond looks.
This is especially important with fancy shapes such as oval, emerald cut, radiant, pear, marquise, and cushion cut diamonds.
A grading report gives you valuable information.
It does not choose the most beautiful diamond for you.
Should I choose natural or lab grown?
This is the part where I tell clients there is no universal right answer.
You may prefer a lab grown diamond if:
- You want to maximize size within a particular budget.
- You care more about the appearance of the finished piece than the natural origin of the stone.
- You want more flexibility when comparing carat size, color, and clarity.
You may prefer a natural diamond if:
- The rarity and natural origin of the diamond are meaningful to you.
- You specifically want a diamond formed within the Earth.
- You prefer the longer established secondary market associated with natural diamonds.
- You simply have always envisioned owning a natural diamond.
And sometimes the answer has nothing to do with a checklist.
You may look at one stone and just know that is the one.
Is one more beautiful than the other?
Not inherently.
A beautiful diamond comes down to the individual stone.
A poorly proportioned natural diamond does not automatically look better because it is natural, and a lab grown diamond is not automatically beautiful simply because it has high grades on paper.
I look at the entire stone.
Its proportions, measurements, cut, light performance, color, clarity, and most importantly, how it actually looks.
That applies whether the diamond is natural or lab grown.
My approach at The Diamond Gal
I work with both natural and lab grown diamonds, along with colored diamonds and gemstones.
My job is not to convince you that one category is better.
My job is to understand what matters to you and help you choose the best stone for your priorities, style, and budget.
Sometimes that means choosing natural.
Sometimes that means choosing lab grown.
Sometimes it means spending less than you originally planned because the more expensive option is not actually giving you anything you value.
That is why I prefer to look at diamonds individually rather than make decisions based only on a certificate or category.
Still not sure which diamond is right for you?
Send me what you are looking for, your preferred shape, approximate size, budget, and anything else that matters to you.
I can source natural and lab grown options so you can compare them and decide what actually feels right for you.
There is no pressure to choose one over the other. Just good information, beautiful diamonds, and a piece that makes sense for you.