Lab Grown Vs Natural Diamonds: A Guide

Planning your proposal or choosing a diamond engagement ring should feel joyful. In this guide we compare lab-grown and natural diamonds on what matters most: beauty, budget, ethics, and long-term wear.

By the end, you’ll know which stone suits your style, matches your values, and sits perfectly with your wedding band.

Lab Grown Vs Natural Diamonds

Lab grown diamonds and natural diamonds are both real diamonds with the exact same chemical makeup and the same crystal structure. The only difference is origin. Natural diamonds are earth mined diamonds that formed deep below the earth’s surface under extreme pressure and heat over immense time, then were brought up by volcanic activity and later recovered as mined diamonds. Lab grown diamonds are lab created in a modern lab setting using either High Pressure High Temperature or Chemical Vapor Deposition. Because their chemistry and structure match, grown and natural diamonds share the same hardness, sparkle, and durability.

For couples, this means you can focus on the look you love and the story you want to tell. Lab diamonds are significantly cheaper for identical carat weight, often with simple, traceable supply chains. Natural stones are finite, carry tradition, and many buyers value their established resale value.

There is no wrong choice. There is only the diamond that fits your budget, values, and daily life together.

Are Lab Grown Diamonds Real Diamonds

Yes, Lab grown diamonds are real diamonds with the same crystal structure, optical properties, and durability as their natural counterparts. Both are pure carbon arranged in a diamond lattice, both rank 10 on the Mohs scale, and both can shine for decades in an engagement ring or diamond ring.

Under Australian Consumer Law (ACCC), sellers must clearly disclose origin. for example when describing a diamond you should pair the origin term with the word diamond, for example ‘lab-grown diamond’, ‘laboratory-created diamond’, or ‘cultured diamond’, because these phrases tell you how it was made, not how good it is.

What Is The Difference Between Lab And Natural Diamonds

The difference between lab and natural diamonds is origin and story, not chemistry or sparkle. Naturally occurring diamonds were born in the mantle. Lab grown stones were created by people who replicated nature’s recipe. 

On the hand, your stone’s sparkle comes from cut, not origin. So when you compare lab grown vs natural, you are choosing between a modern manufacturing story with contemporary traceability and a geological story that stretches back through time.

How Do Labs Create Diamonds

Labs create diamonds by reproducing nature’s conditions with HPHT or CVD, producing stones that share the same optical properties and the same crystal structure as natural.

HPHT Diamonds. HPHT stands for High Pressure High Temperature. A press surrounds a diamond seed with carbon and applies intense pressure and intense heat until carbon crystallises into diamond. The result is a real diamond that can be cut, polished, and set.

Chemical Vapor Deposition CVD. Chemical Vapor Deposition, often shortened to chemical vapor deposition CVD, grows diamond from a carbon rich gas. In a vacuum chamber, carbon atoms from plasma settle onto a seed plate and build the diamond layer by layer. CVD growth is precise and consistent, which is why so many lab grown gems on the market today are CVD grown.

Either way, the finished stones have the exact same chemical makeup as naturally grown diamonds and behave like diamond in every way that matters to a couple shopping for a ring.

How Do Natural Diamonds Form

Natural diamonds form deep underground under extreme pressure and heat and are later recovered as mined diamonds. Over millions to billions of years, carbon crystallises into diamond. Volcanic events carry crystals closer to the surface in kimberlite or lamproite pipes. Mining natural diamonds recovers the rough, which cutters then plan and polish into the brilliant diamonds you see in-store.

Can You Tell The Difference With The Naked Eye

No. A well cut lab grown diamond and a well cut natural diamond look the same to the naked eye. Your eye reads brightness, contrast, fire, and pattern. Those traits come from cut quality, not origin. Gem labs can tell origin with specialised instruments, but for brides and grooms, the practical answer is simple. Read the report and buy from a jeweller who explains everything clearly.

Are Lab Grown Diamonds The Same As Simulants Like Cubic Zirconia

No. Lab grown diamonds are diamonds. Simulants like cubic zirconia are different materials that only imitate the look. CZ has different hardness and optical behaviour. If you want long-term durability and true diamond brilliance, choose either lab grown diamonds or natural diamonds and then focus on cut.

How Are Diamonds Graded And Certified

Grading diamonds works the same for lab grown and natural. Independent labs assess cut, colour, clarity, and carat, then document the details in a report. Two names you will see often are the Gemological Institute of America, widely known as GIA, and the International Gemological Institute (IGI). Both grade lab grown vs natural with origin clearly stated. You can request GIA certification or an IGI report for either origin.

The report is your blueprint. It will list measurements in millimetres, proportions, finish grades, fluorescence, and the 4Cs. Use it to compare, then let your eyes make the final call. 

What Do Clarity Grades Actually Mean

Clarity grades describe internal and external features and how visible they are. Whether you choose lab created diamonds or natural stones, aim for eye-clean. That means inclusions are not visible without magnification. A balanced clarity grade paired with an excellent cut usually looks better than a higher clarity diamond with a weaker make. Work with your jeweller to view at 10x so you know where features sit and how they disappear once the stone is set.

If you want more information on this please read our helpful guide on diamond colour and clarity.

Do Lab Grown And Natural Diamonds Look Different

Cut quality controls the look, so diamonds with similar proportions and finish will look the same regardless of origin. Two stones of identical carat weight can face up differently if one is cut shallow or deep. The one with better proportions, symmetry, and polish will usually look larger and brighter. For brides and grooms, this is liberating. Prioritise cut and you win, whether the diamond is lab created or earth mined.

What About Price Difference And Resale Value

Lab grown diamonds are usually significantly cheaper than natural diamonds for the same visible size. That price difference helps you step up in millimetres, improve cut, or choose a more detailed setting without stretching your wedding budget. Many couples love that freedom, especially when planning a venue, photographer, and honeymoon at the same time.

Resale value is more nuanced. Natural diamonds have long, established secondary markets and may retain a portion of value. Lab grown pricing has evolved quickly as production scales, which affects resale. If daily beauty per dollar matters most, choose the diamond that makes you smile today and fits a calm, comfortable budget for the two of you.

Are Lab Grown Diamonds Ethical And Sustainable

Both origins can align with your values when documentation is clear, and each follows a different path.

Lab grown stones avoid new mining and are simple to trace through modern supply chains. Many producers highlight renewable energy use for their production process. Listings often note conflict free because the stones are made, not mined.

Natural diamonds increasingly focus on responsible mining, community benefits, and transparent provenance in response to past concerns about conflict diamonds. If responsible natural origin matters to you, ask for written documentation and choose a jeweller who welcomes those questions.

For brides and grooms planning a life together, both paths can feel good. The key is transparency.

How Do I Test Or Identify Lab Created Diamonds Vs Natural

At home, you cannot separate origin reliably. A basic diamond tester can tell “diamond vs not diamond,” but not origin. You might see phrases like lab created diamonds test, yet accurate identification requires the instruments used by gem labs. If you ever want reassurance, ask your jeweller to submit the stone for confirmation. Reports from GIA or IGI will clearly state origin, and may reference growth type such as HPHT diamonds or chemical vapor deposition.

Do Inclusions Or Fluorescence Differ By Origin

They can, but beauty is always judged stone by stone. Some HPHT diamonds show tiny metallic flux features. Some CVD diamonds show subtle growth striations. Natural diamonds can show crystals, feathers, or clouds. Fluorescence appears in both origins. What matters is how the diamond looks with your eyes and how those features disappear once set in your chosen design.

Which Is Better For An Engagement Ring

Both origins make beautiful engagement rings. If you want size-for-spend and a detailed setting, lab diamonds make that easy. If you love geological rarity and tradition, natural diamonds speak to that romance. In both cases, a great engagement ring comes down to three practical choices you can make together:

1. Cut and size that flatter the hand. Think in millimetres as well as carat.
2. Setting height that suits daily life. Lower baskets and bezels glide under sleeves and through busy days.
3. Band that pairs with a wedding ring. Choose a head and gallery that allow your wedding rings to sit flush for a tidy, comfortable stack.

How Do We Balance Cut, Colour, Clarity, And Carat As A Couple

Start with cut, then choose colour and clarity that look clean in your metal, and finally pick a carat range that suits your budget and lifestyle. In white gold or platinum, you may prefer cooler colour grades. In yellow or rose gold, a soft warmth can feel elegant. For clarity, aim for eye-clean. For size, try stones of the same millimetre diameter side by side. Your favourite will become obvious within minutes when you see how each diamond dances in natural light and soft downlights.

What About GIA, IGI, And Other Certificates

GIA and IGI grade both lab grown and natural, and both are respected by the jewellery industry. Your report will show origin, the 4Cs, measurements, proportions, finish grades, and fluorescence. It is normal to see growth descriptors like CVD or HPHT on a lab grown report. Treat the document as a map. Then trust your eyes and your feelings as the two of you decide.

Are Lab Grown Diamonds Always Conflict Free

Lab grown options do not involve mining, which avoids the issues historically associated with conflict zones. That is why you often see conflict free in lab listings. Natural stones can also be responsibly sourced. Ask for origin documentation and choose partners whose ethics match your own. This is your ring and your story. You deserve clarity.

How Do We Decide Between Lab Grown And Natural

Write down your top three priorities, view stones side by side, and then choose the setting that fits your life together.

If your list reads size for budget, modern documentation, and minimal mining, you will likely prefer lab grown diamonds.
If your list reads geological rarity, tradition, and established resale value, natural diamonds will feel right.

Stand by a window, then under soft shop lights, and compare two to four stones of similar size, lab grown and natural together if you like. Hold hands, breathe, and notice which diamond makes you both smile without trying. That is your answer.

Quick Comparison Table

Proposal And Wedding Planning Tips For Couples

If you are proposing soon, decide the origin first, then design the moment around the story. If you choose lab grown, you might share that you loved the modern, traceable way to create diamonds with chemical vapor deposition or HPHT and the freedom it gave you to choose a generous size within budget. If you choose natural, you might speak to the age of the crystal and how its journey mirrors your own, rare and remarkable.

If you are planning the wedding now, think about the full bridal set. Choose a head and gallery that allow the wedding band to sit flush. A low basket often pairs neatly with a straight band. If your engagement ring has a halo or wide shoulders, a curved or contoured band may hug it perfectly. Try your stack early, so the fit is seamless on the day.

If your budget is shared with venue and honeymoon decisions, set a calm figure and keep joy at the centre. Lab grown diamonds offer valuable flexibility. Natural diamonds share a different kind of value through tradition. Either way, your ring becomes part of your life together. Let it feel like you.

Why Origin Matters Less Than Make

After all the research, it is reassuring to remember one simple truth. When two diamonds are cut to an equal standard, origin fades and beauty remains. Your eyes respond to pattern, brightness, and how the stone lights up as you move. That is why a well-cut diamond often looks larger and livelier than a heavier but poorly cut stone. Focus on excellent make first. Then choose the origin whose story you want to tell for future generations.

Conclusion

At Stelios Jewellers, we keep diamond shopping calm and personal. We will show you lab grown and natural diamonds of the same millimetre size side by side, in natural light and gentle indoor light, so your eyes can compare with ease. We will translate diamond grading from GIA and IGI into plain language, explain any origin notes on the report, and help you choose a setting that pairs neatly with your wedding band.

Whether you love the modern traceability and budget freedom of lab created diamonds or the geological romance of naturally occurring diamonds, we will craft a ring that looks beautiful on day one and wears comfortably every day. Visit us in person or online and let our team guide you to a diamond that tells your story today, on your wedding day, and for all the years you will share.