Lab grown and natural diamonds are the same material. Same carbon crystal structure, same hardness at 10 on the Mohs scale, same optical properties. A jeweller cannot tell them apart by eye, and neither can you.
What differs is how they were formed, what they cost, and what happens if you ever sell. We stock both, so what follows is an attempt to set out the trade offs honestly rather than steer you toward either.
How each is made
Natural diamonds formed in the earth's mantle over very long timescales under extreme heat and pressure, and were carried toward the surface by volcanic activity. Supply is finite and constrained by what can be mined.
Lab grown diamonds are produced by one of two processes. High pressure high temperature reproduces mantle conditions in a press. Chemical vapour deposition builds a crystal layer by layer from carbon rich gas. Both yield real diamond, not a simulant. Cubic zirconia and moissanite are different materials entirely and are not diamonds.
Identifying which is which requires specialist equipment reading trace elements and growth patterns. It is not something visible under a loupe.
The price gap
This is the practical difference, and it is large. Lab grown stones currently sell for roughly 80 percent less than comparable natural diamonds of similar grade.
What that buys is size and quality for a given budget. The same money that buys a modest natural stone buys a considerably larger lab grown one, or a natural stone's equivalent at a fraction of the outlay. Market data reflects this clearly, with lab grown now making up the majority of engagement ring centre stones and the average lab grown stone being substantially larger than the average natural one.
Being straight about resale
This is where honesty matters most, and where a lot of jewellery marketing is unhelpful.
Lab grown diamond prices have fallen dramatically and continue to fall, because production capacity has expanded and manufacturing costs keep dropping. A stone bought today will likely be replaceable more cheaply next year. Resale, where a buyer can be found at all, typically returns a small fraction of the purchase price, and some dealers will not buy lab grown stones back.
Natural diamonds hold value better, but the honest framing is still that they hold it better, not that they hold it well. Retail markup means a natural stone also sells back for well under what was paid.
The conclusion we would draw is simply this. Neither should be bought with resale in mind. A diamond is an object to wear and keep, and if that is what you want from it, the depreciation question largely stops mattering. If you want something that reliably holds value, that is a different purchase entirely, and physical bullion is the more honest answer to that question.
Choosing between them
Lab grown makes sense if you want maximum size and quality for your budget, if the stone is to be worn and enjoyed rather than held, or if origin traceability matters to you. Growth conditions are documented and controlled.
Natural makes sense if the geological origin itself matters to you, if you want a stone with better secondary market support, or if the piece is intended as an heirloom where provenance carries weight.
Neither answer is wrong. They are answers to different questions.
Certification matters more than the category
Whichever you choose, buy a certified stone. Without an independent laboratory report, grading terms like colour and clarity are just adjectives with nothing behind them, and prices become impossible to compare between sellers.
Our guide to diamond certification covers what a report tells you and how to verify one.
Frequently asked questions
Are lab grown diamonds real diamonds?
Yes. They are chemically, physically and optically identical to natural diamonds. Cubic zirconia and moissanite are simulants and are different materials.
Can a jeweller tell the difference?
Not by eye or with a loupe. Distinguishing them requires specialist equipment analysing trace elements and growth patterns.
How much cheaper are lab grown diamonds?
Currently around 80 percent less than comparable natural stones, and the gap has widened as production costs have fallen.
Do lab grown diamonds hold their value?
No. Prices have fallen substantially and continue to fall as supply grows. Resale typically returns a small fraction of the purchase price. Natural diamonds hold value better but also sell back well below retail.
Which should I buy?
Lab grown for maximum size and quality per dollar on a stone to be worn. Natural if geological origin or secondary market support matters to you.
Our diamonds
We hold both lab grown and natural certified stones, including a 5.03ct lab grown round brilliant, a 1.06ct fancy vivid pink, and a 2.00ct natural round brilliant. See the range or visit the showroom at 124 Peterborough Street, Christchurch.
This article compares two types of diamond and is general information, not financial advice. Market figures are indicative and change over time.